Sr. Human Resources Business Partner - Academic Affairs

The Senior Human Resources Business Partner (Senior HRBP) – Academic Affairs serves as the first point of contact for faculty human resources matters and maintains a direct, embedded working partnership with Academic Affairs. The role provides day-to-day strategic and operational HR consultation to Deans, Department Chairs, and other academic leaders across the Schools and Colleges. Reporting directly to the Associate Vice President, People & Culture, the Senior HRBP translates institutional people priorities into consistent faculty employment practices. The AVP retains primary HR partnership responsibility with the University’s executive leadership team, including executive-level strategic and organizational matters.

The Senior HRBP is a key partner in faculty recruitment and selection, including full-time and adjunct faculty, working closely with Academic Affairs hiring leaders and Talent Acquisition. The role maintains a dotted-line, functional relationship with Academic Affairs Administrative Managers to coordinate faculty employment workflows, standardize processes, and resolve operational issues. Administrative Managers retain their formal reporting relationships and personnel supervision within Academic Affairs.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

1. Direct Academic Affairs Partnership & Faculty First-Contact Support (30%)

• Serve as the first point of contact for faculty HR questions, concerns, and employment matters; provide responsive consultation and coordinate resolution with Benefits, Payroll, Talent Acquisition, HR Operations, Employee Relations, and Legal as appropriate.
• Serve as the direct HR partner and trusted advisor to Deans, Department Chairs, and academic leaders on faculty workforce planning, employment decisions, performance, organizational changes, and people-management practices. Elevate
• executive-level matters to the AVP, who serves as the primary HR partner to the executive leadership team.
• Provide timely, confidential guidance on faculty employment policies, escalation pathways, and institutional practices; identify emerging workforce risks and recommend solutions.

2. Faculty Recruitment, Selection & Employment Administration (30%)

• Serve as a key HR partner in recruitment and selection of full-time and adjunct faculty, advising Deans, Department Chairs, and search committees on recruitment planning, selection processes, equitable and consistent practices, hiring approvals, and offer coordination in partnership with Talent Acquisition and Academic Affairs. Coordinate faculty employment lifecycle processes, including appointments, contracts, adjunct assignments, onboarding, promotions, tenure-related employment actions, compensation changes, leaves, retirements, and separations.
• Maintain a dotted-line functional partnership with Academic Affairs Administrative Managers to coordinate full-time and adjunct faculty hiring workflows, appointments, contracts, documentation, and timely HR transactions; provide process guidance and escalation support without assuming direct personnel supervision.
• Coordinate faculty employment records, Faculty Master Summary reporting, data integrity, and workforce reporting with designated institutional owners.
• Partner with the appropriate offices on student employment matters affecting Academic Affairs and on immigration sponsorship and work authorization.

3. Talent Partnership & Organizational Effectiveness (15%)

• Partner with Talent Management & Organizational Effectiveness to implement performance management, leadership development, engagement, succession planning, and talent review initiatives across Academic Affairs.
• Advise academic leaders on workforce trends, leadership capability, retention, and organizational effectiveness using relevant workforce data and measures.

4. HR Operations, Compliance & Governance (15%)

• Advise on consistent application of employment policies and refer specialized matters involving ADA, FMLA, wage and hour, Title IX, immigration, and other legal requirements to accountable subject-matter owners.
• Support audit readiness, process documentation, records accuracy, faculty employment controls, and timely escalation of complex or sensitive issues.
• Coordinate process improvements with central HR, Academic Affairs, Payroll, Finance, and Legal to reduce errors and strengthen service delivery.

5. Cross-Functional Coordination & Service Excellence (10%)

• Maintain a direct, ongoing service relationship with Academic Affairs leaders and a dotted-line functional relationship with Academic Affairs Administrative Managers, establishing service expectations, escalation protocols, and shared guidance for faculty recruitment and employment processes.
• Provide HR policy and process education to academic leaders and Administrative Managers; support cross-training and business continuity.
• Represent HR on relevant Academic Affairs committees and university-wide initiatives; perform related duties as assigned.

Salary for this position: $80,000-$90,000 annually

Functional / Technical Skills

• Exceptional communication, consultation, negotiation, and relationship-building skills; ability to establish trusted partnerships with Deans, Department Chairs, Administrative Managers, and other academic leaders.
• Demonstrated expertise in HR business partnership, faculty and staff employment administration, employee relations, workforce planning, compensation, performance management, and employment law.
• Strong knowledge of higher education employment practices, including full-time and adjunct faculty recruitment and selection, appointments, contracts, promotions, tenure, leaves, compensation actions, and academic employment processes.
• Ability to advise Deans, Department Chairs, and academic leaders on complex workforce matters, applying University policies consistently and escalating executive-level matters through the AVP, People & Culture.
• Strong project management, operational coordination, coaching, conflict resolution, and change-management skills; ability to influence outcomes and guide Administrative Managers through a dotted-line functional relationship without direct supervisory authority.
• Ability to analyze workforce data, identify employment and operational risks, and recommend practical, institutionally aligned solutions.
• Experience coordinating cross-functional initiatives with Academic Affairs, Talent Acquisition, Payroll, Benefits, Finance, Legal, and other HR partners.
• Working knowledge of ADA, FMLA, wage and hour requirements, immigration sponsorship, and applicable federal and state employment laws; sound judgment regarding referrals to designated compliance specialists.
• Proficiency with HRIS, workforce analytics, Microsoft Office, and enterprise systems; commitment to service excellence, confidentiality, process improvement, and institutional stewardship.

Requisite Experience and Education

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Higher Education Administration, Organizational Leadership, or a related field required; master’s degree preferred.
• Seven (7) to ten (10) years of progressively responsible HR experience, including HR business partnership, senior-level consultation, or equivalent leadership responsibilities.
• Experience supporting academic or other senior organizational leaders in a complex, matrixed organization; higher education and faculty employment experience strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated experience coordinating professional colleagues and cross-functional teams, leading HR projects, and implementing workforce planning, employment governance, and organizational change initiatives. Direct supervisory experience is beneficial but not required.