Director of Human Resources

Reporting to the Chief Human Resources Officer, the Director of Human Resources is responsible for providing responsive, strategic, transparent human resources consulting services to client departments in the areas of employee relations, workforce development and talent management. The Director also provides support to departments in various other areas of HR, including talent acquisition, coaching, operations, engagement, learning and development, performance management and compliance. The successful candidate will be a leader who establishes credibility throughout the organization and sets an example as a proactive HR practitioner. The Director fosters a trusted advisor relationship, is collaborative in nature, and functions as a thought partner within HR as well as across the University. The candidate will also have the opportunity to select a "specialist" area or areas within HR to lead (e.g., talent acquisition; compensation and classification; learning and development; diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging), depending on interest and experience. The Director takes a customer service approach with their work so that people seek out HR for help in working through organizational and people opportunities, and have confidence in HR's ability to deliver high-quality and efficient solutions. The Director will also be able to take advantage of flexible work arrangements available to our employees and may work at our Boston, Worcester or Manchester NH campus.

Employee Relations
* Leads and expands positive employee relations efforts across the university while promoting MCPHS' core values
* Gives guidance and consultation to leaders on day to day people management matters, workplace disputes, and solutions
* Consults with and advises managers and employees regarding workplace issues and recommends appropriate actions in accordance with university policies and guidelines, and applicable laws. Ensures actions taken are consistent and fair across the university.
* Conducts complex investigations, including Title IX related matters, and provides timely, objective recommendations and mediates solutions
* Provides advice on interpreting HR policies and procedures
* Communicates current and new employee relations policies and procedures to staff
* Facilitates training on HR related topics (e.g., employee relations policies and procedures, performance management) as needed
* Remains current and informed in the field of Employee Relations in order to share knowledge and insights with others. Maintains up to date knowledge of federal, state and local EEO and labor laws
* Contributes to sustaining and enhancing an inclusive working and learning environment

Retention
* Leads, develops, and implements retention strategies to retain the right people while contributing to building a strong employment brand
* Fosters individual employee relationships and continuously pulses employees through individual conversations, focus groups, and surveys (i.e. 30, 90, 180-day conversations) to understand what key drivers for retention
* Utilizes resources such as new hire surveys/interviews, exit surveys/interviews, and stay conversations to understand trends in the employee experience. Strategically advises the CHRO on trends and proposes solutions to continuously lead us to be an employer of choice
* Works closely with managers and employees to improve work relationships, build morale and increase productivity and retention
* Conducts post-onboarding focus groups at 30-day and 60-day intervals to solicit continued feedback for improvement

"Specialist" area(s) to select depending on interest and experience

Talent Acquisition
* Oversees the talent acquisition function and acts as a strategic consultative business partner to management, developing sourcing strategies to meet the needs of a healthcare university
* Develops and executes talent acquisition strategies to attract and hire a diverse workforce of top-tier talent for both staff and faculty in the various schools, departments and programs

Classification and Compensation
* Leads, develops and sustains the integrity of the University's classification compensation structure
* Ensures fair and equitable pay across the University through the use of compensation structures, regular evaluation of roles, jobs, market rates, and benchmarking

Learning and Development
* Develops and delivers training programs (including leadership, managerial and mentorship) to grow and develop staff and faculty across the University, using blended learning approaches to meet the needs of a wide variety of learners
* Assesses skill or knowledge gaps and provides learning and development solutions

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging
* In collaboration with other areas of the University (e.g., Office of Inclusion, Academic Affairs), plays a lead role in developing, implementing and maintaining employee-focused diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging programs to achieve strategic objectives
* Evaluate practices, policies and procedures for inclusion to ensure they support office and University objectives of building and sustain an open and inclusive environment

* A bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration or related field
* Minimum of eight years of progressively responsible "generalist" experience in human resources in complex, matrixed organizations
* Significant experience with employee relations and investigating complex employee relations issues
* Experience assisting in the development of Human Resources policies and procedures; working knowledge of HR laws and regulations
* Experience advising management on Human Resources principles and practices
* Knowledgeable about management-employee relations programs
* Proven ability to work independently, take initiative, and drive results
* Demonstrated excellent written and verbal communication, interpersonal, presentation, negotiation, analytical and customer service skills, and ability to work collaboratively with internal stakeholders
* Ability to manage confidential materials and maintain confidentiality when working on specific tasks or projects
* Demonstrated commitment to valuing diversity and contributing to an inclusive working and learning environment

Preferred:

• Master's degree or HR certification preferred
• Minimum of five years of experience in specialist area(s) of interest
• Previous supervisory experience strongly preferred
• Experience in an academic setting, and working with faculty and academic leaders, strongly preferred

Apply
Please attach a cover letter and a curriculum vitae/resume. Finalist candidate(s) for this position will be subject to reference checks and a pre-employment background check as a condition of employment.

MCPHS COVID-19 Policy
We care about the health and safety of our students and employees and have implemented a COVID-19 Vaccine and Testing Policy, requiring employees to be fully vaccinated, boosted and tested on a regular basis. Employees who cannot receive the vaccine because of a medical or sincerely held religious belief may request an exemption.

About Us

Established in 1823, Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (MCPHS) is the oldest institution of higher education in Boston, a city that is home to many of the world's top universities and healthcare institutions. We are one of the largest and most highly-ranked schools for health- and life-sciences, and our alumni and faculty continually distinguish themselves in healthcare settings around the globe. MCPHS has more than 7000 students across campuses in Boston's Longwood Medical Area, downtown Worcester, MA and downtown Manchester, NH. Our vision is to empower our Community to create a healthier, more equitable world, which we strive to achieve through our strategic priorities of collaboration, inclusion, success, sustainability, planning, and support.

We offer competitive salaries and excellent benefits that include a substantial contribution toward the cost of medical, vision, and dental insurance, generous time off, retirement and pension plans, and flexible work arrangements to support work/life balance for our employees while advancing the MCPHS strategic plan.

MCPHS is an equal opportunity employer that celebrates a diverse community. We seek to recruit, develop and retain the most talented people from a diverse candidate pool. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to any characteristic protected by law