Associate Director, Academic Human Resources

Department
 

Crown Administrative Office

About the Department
 

As one of the first schools of social work in the United States, the Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy, and Practice has shaped the field for more than 100 years. As part of the University of Chicago, the Crown Family School shares the University's core values and distinctive intellectual culture. Crown Family School faculty, staff and students focus on identifying solutions to complex problems affecting society’s most marginalized individuals and communities through the integration of research, training, and direct community engagement. Guided by an interdisciplinary tradition, Crown Family School scholars conduct innovative research to address interconnected social challenges such as educational inequality, health disparities, crime and violence, poverty, and child and family welfare—working at multiple scales, from individual to policy-level interventions. The Crown Family School is the home of several academic centers. These include the Susan and Richard Kiphart Center for Global Health and Social Development, the Urban Education Institute (UEI), the Chicago Center for Youth Violence Prevention, the Center for Health Administration Studies, the Smart Decarceration Project, the Employment Instability, Family Well-being, and Social Policy Network (EINet), and the Network for College Success.
Today, our work has never been more important. More than 8,000 Crown Family School graduates in the US and globally hold leadership positions in academia, at nonprofits, and at governmental agencies – committed to create a more just and more humane society through principles of inclusion, equity, and diversity.

Job Summary
 

The University of Chicago’s Crown School of Social Work, Policy, and Practice seeks an Associate Director of Academic Human Resources (HR). Reporting to the Director of Human Resources, the Associate Director will perform a broad range of operational and academic human resources responsibilities and will work closely with the Director to implement best practices, innovative procedures, and efficient workflows for supporting all faculty and academic appointment actions. The Associate Director will ensure procedural integrity for all faculty and academic appointments, including initial appointment, reappointment, promotion/progression, and quarterly lecturer appointments, and will support the faculty buy-out process, leaves of absence, retirement, and other departures. As the quality of our faculty is vital to our stature as a university, the position is critical, challenging, and rewarding. We seek applicants who can master the intricacies of academic human resources, handle multiple tasks and pivot quickly, interact cordially with diverse stakeholders while encouraging compliance with pertinent policies, respect confidentiality, and communicate helpfulness and understanding.

Responsibilities

Academic Appointments:

• Facilitate academic searches and provide direct administrative support for all faculty and other academic appointees talent acquisition processes, including submitting internal/external job postings, documenting all search-related material in the University’s applicant tracking systems, and coaching search committees on interviewing and selection methods to ensure compliance with processes and procedures established by the Office of the Provost.

• Assume total responsibility for drafting, reviewing, assembling, and submitting materials in support of all appointive actions, including materials for submitting new appointments, reappointments, quarterly lecturer assignments, contract addendums, and promotions/progressions.

• Audit all faculty and other academic appointee records and related business systems (e.g., Interfolio, Workday) to ensure appropriate practices are engaged and regularly communicate and interact with faculty regarding deadlines, system procedures, and other essential information to support the timely completion of workflow steps.

• In consultation with the Director of Human Resources, analyzes data to make salary recommendations.

• Process visa materials, working with the University's Office of International Affairs.

• Responsible for designing and maintaining efficient processes to accurately track faculty buy-out and leave of absence processes ensuring all stakeholders are aligned.

• Act as the annual merit partner (AMP) and complete related Workday tasks to ensure merit is appropriately entered into the system.

HR Operations:

• Manage internal HR workflows and continually improve the academic HR processes through the creation of systems to support seamless workflows.

• Educate supervisors and staff on HR best practices.

• Play a leadership role in assuring that personnel and payroll processing comply with University policy and the related collective bargaining agreement, ensuring that the department remains in compliance with the policies and procedures of the Office of the Provost for academic employment issues.

• In collaboration with the Associate Director, Staff HR, ensure consistent onboarding, and offboarding practices. Act as point of initial contact when onboarding faculty, other academic appointees, postdoctoral researchers, and academic visitors.

• Create learning opportunities for faculty and OAA leaders in managing the collective bargaining agreement for lecturers.

• In consultation with the Director of Human Resources, develop, plan, and manage the academic HR compensation budgets. Ensure funds are appropriately allocated and run quarterly reports on actuals to projections to monitor and reconcile accounts. Monitor variances and manage employment expenses within established guidelines.

• Enter and audit academic employment transactions, such as applicant data, new appointments, promotions, status changes, pay rate changes, and terminations into Interfolio and Workday systems.

• Provide data and produce reports to support job analysis, annual compensation process, budgetary decisions, and ad hoc projects related to academic HR. Analyzes data and prepares charts, graphs, and trend lines for management review.

• Assists with managing the day-to-day operations of faculty affair programs with a moderate level of guidance.

• Gathers and analyzes data for possible solutions for faculty-related issues. Writes reports and expands knowledge and experience in areas.

• Performs other related work as needed.

Minimum Qualifications
 

Education:

Minimum requirements include a college or university degree in related field.

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Work Experience:

Minimum requirements include knowledge and skills developed through 2-5 years of work experience in a related job discipline.

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Certifications:

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Preferred Qualifications

Experience:

• 2-5 years of related work experience.

• Experience working in academic HR.

• Previous work experience in an academic university and/or administrative environment.

• Experience supporting and communicating change management initiatives.

Licenses and Certifications:

• Advanced degrees and/or advanced training/certification in academic or general Human Resources strongly preferred.

Technical Skills or Knowledge:

• Proficiency with Microsoft Word, Excel, Acrobat Pro.

• Workday and Interfolio experience strongly preferred.

Preferred Competencies

• Strong attention to detail and competence to manage multiple priorities and respond effectively with limited guidance.

• High degree of organization and follow-through.

• Excellent written communication skills.

• Excellent interpersonal and customer service skills.

• Ability to handle sensitive and confidential situations and information with absolute discretion.

• Ability to maintain a calm and courteous demeanor and to work productively despite heavy workload, competing priorities, complex problems, and tight deadlines.

• Excellent problem-solving skills; ability to work independently and with minimal direction.

• Willingness and ability to learn new technology.

• Ability to work independently, problem solve, take initiative, set priorities, and handle multiple projects efficiently and effectively.  Takes responsibility and initiative to set and meet the goals, objectives, and obligations while representing the mission, vision, and values of the organization.

Working Conditions

• This position will require the candidate to be on-site three days per week and work remotely two days per week and may require other duties as assigned.

Application Documents

• Resume (required)

• Cover Letter (required)

• References (preferred)

When applying, the document(s) MUST  be uploaded via the My Experience page, in the section titled Application Documents of the application.

Job Family
 

Academic Affairs

Role Impact
 

Individual Contributor

FLSA Status
 

Exempt

Pay Frequency
 

Monthly

Scheduled Weekly Hours
 

40

Benefits Eligible
 

Yes

Drug Test Required
 

No

Health Screen Required
 

No

Motor Vehicle Record Inquiry Required
 

No

Posting Statement
 

Employees must comply with the University’s COVID-19 vaccination requirements. More information about the requirements can be found on the University of Chicago Vaccination GoForward .
The University of Chicago is an Affirmative Action/ Equal Opportunity/Disabled/Veterans Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, age, status as an individual with a disability, protected veteran status, genetic information, or other protected classes under the law. For additional information please see the University's Notice of Nondiscrimination.

 

Staff Job seekers in need of a reasonable accommodation to complete the application process should call 773-702-5800 or submit a request via Applicant Inquiry Form.

 

We seek a diverse pool of applicants who wish to join an academic community that places the highest value on rigorous inquiry and encourages a diversity of perspectives, experiences, groups of individuals, and ideas to inform and stimulate intellectual challenge, engagement, and exchange.

 

All offers of employment are contingent upon a background check that includes a review of conviction history.  A conviction does not automatically preclude University employment.  Rather, the University considers conviction information on a case-by-case basis and assesses the nature of the offense, the circumstances surrounding it, the proximity in time of the conviction, and its relevance to the position.

 

The University of Chicago's Annual Security & Fire Safety Report (Report) provides information about University offices and programs that provide safety support, crime and fire statistics, emergency response and communications plans, and other policies and information. The Report can be accessed online at: http://securityreport.uchicago.edu . Paper copies of the Report are available, upon request, from the University of Chicago Police Department, 850 E. 61st Street, Chicago, IL 60637.