Associate Vice Chancellor of Human Resources and Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO)

Appalachian State University•Boone, NC

44d

About The Position

Reporting to the Executive Vice Chancellor and Chief Operating Officer, the CHRO is the University's Chief Human Resource Officer and is responsible for comprehensive and strategic leadership of all aspects of the Office of Human Resources and its operations for the campus, including: employment opportunity compliance in talent acquisition, classification and compensation, position management, employee engagement, employee rewards and recognition, employee relations, performance management, and learning and organizational development to attract, recruit, onboard, engage and retain a high performing workforce. The CHRO will collaborate with campus leaders to understand their business needs; build organizational trust in HR operations; provide consultation and expertise; optimize resources to better enable the University to fulfill its mission and the goals set forth in App State's Strategic Plan. The CHRO will lead the HR operation to develop and implement: a modern HR strategy, philosophy and organizational structure; HR services and business processes that align with University strategic goals and organizational needs; operationalized and standardized HR communications; an integrated human capital management system and an issue tracking/knowledge management solution; a culture of continuous improvement; and metrics to monitor HR performance and capabilities. The CHRO will lead change and generate buy-in for those changes; advocate for HR employees and stakeholders; tackle problems head on and invite opinions and solutions from others; provide expertise in HR and University technology systems; cultivate a knowledge base for the HR team; establish best practices and clear policies, processes, and procedures and ensure the HR operation complies with them; lead the HR operation beyond transactional tasks; and confront the unique challenges of App State with a fresh perspective.

Requirements

The successful candidate must possess a bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Public Administration or related field.
Minimum of 10 years of progressive HR leadership in large complex organizations.

Nice To Haves

Advanced degree in Business, Human Resources, Higher Education Administration, Public Administration or related field.
Professional certifications (e.g., SHRM-SCP, SPHR) and HR technology fluency.
Demonstrated experience engaging with governing boards, governing systems and other external oversight bodies.
Familiarity with the UNC System's HR policies and state-level reporting requirements.
Demonstrated success leading organizational change initiatives or transformations.
Proven ability to lead cross-functional teams.

Responsibilities

Demonstrates fluency in the university's financial model, including state appropriations, auxiliary revenue, tuition policy, and sponsored research funding.
Engages in informed discourse with institutional leadership and System Office stakeholders regarding budget priorities, resource allocation and labor cost modeling.
Integrates strategic financial insights into workforce decisions that impact both academic affairs and operational units.
Drives a high-performing HR function that aligns with institutional priorities, advances workforce effectiveness, and ensures compliance with policy standards.
Oversees talent development, performance management, succession planning and facultylifecycle processes to strengthen leadership capacity across the institution.
Translates federal, state and system policies into transparent and effective campus practices.
Partners with leaders to implement strategic, efficient recruitment and retention strategies, while improving service quality through streamlined processes, modern tools and continuous improvement initiatives.
Serves as a trusted partner to executive leadership, providing insight on workforce dynamics, organizational risk and strategic opportunities.
Navigates complex change with emotional intelligence and institutional pragmatism, fostering trust and alignment even in challenging circumstances.
Brings the courage to surface difficult truths-on climate, performance or organizational health-while maintaining constructive, solutions-focused engagement with senior leaders.
Lead the development and implementation of a strategic workforce planning framework that guides decisions on hiring, role redesign and position prioritization in alignment with institutional goals and budget parameters.
Partner with executive and senior leadership to evaluate vacant and proposed positions, providing data-informed recommendations on where to invest and restructure, and where to eliminate roles, ensuring the university's talent strategy supports the long-term mission and financial sustainability.
Champions transparency and shared accountability in service to the institution and the public good.