Chief Human Resources Officer

Associated Students Inc., CSUF•Fullerton, CA

12h

About The Position

Associated Students Inc., CSUF provides student development opportunities through leadership, volunteer, and employment experiences. In addition, the Associated Students provides campus community members with important social, cultural, and recreational opportunities, as well as, a wide range of programs and services. Build the kind of workplace students learn from—and professionals stay in ASI is a workplace unlike most. You’ll support a professional staff and a large student workforce, meaning your work directly shapes both careers and college experiences. This role is about building a people strategy that works in the real world: complex, regulated, and deeply human. The CHRO is a senior executive leader responsible for developing and executing ASI’s human resources strategy, covering everything from talent and culture to compliance and organizational design. You’ll serve as a strategic advisor to leadership while building a modern, high-functioning HR operation. The Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) is a newly established, executive-level position responsible for guiding and implementing human resources strategies that support ASI’s mission and business objectives. Reporting to the Executive Director of ASI and serving as a key member of the executive leadership team (CLT), the CHRO functions as a strategic advisor, culture guardian, and enterprise change agent. This role is designed to elevate ASI’s Human Resources function from a historically transactional model to a more strategically aligned enterprise partner. Success in the role will be measured by the clarity, consistency, and effectiveness of people programs, leadership practices, and workforce outcomes across the organization. The CHRO holds overall responsibility for human resources strategy, governance, and risk management, while developing and leading a skilled HR leadership team to manage daily HR operations. The role requires sound judgment, political awareness, and the ability to lead and influence within ASI’s unique student-governed, CSU auxiliary environment. The CHRO provides enterprise leadership for an organization of 400+ employees, including professional staff and a significant student workforce, and ensures alignment with university policies, legal regulations, and fiduciary responsibilities.

Requirements

Experience in higher education, nonprofit, or auxiliary organizations
HR certifications (SPHR, SHRM-SCP)
Experience supporting large, diverse, and early-career workforces
Master’s degree in Human Resources, Business/Organizational Management, or a related field. Bachelor’s degree and additional years of relevant experience will also be considered; professional HR certifications (e.g., SPHR/SHRM-SCP) desirable.
10+ years are desirable of progressively responsible human resources leadership experience, including service at the executive level.
Senior HR or people leadership experience operating as a strategic advisor within a complex, mission-driven organization (e.g., higher education, nonprofit, public sector, or auxiliary enterprise).
Demonstrated success building or transforming HR functions, including operating models, leadership capabilities and people practices.
Strong working knowledge of California employment law and experience navigating regulated environments.
Track record of influencing executives and managers, building trust, and leading organizations through change.
Experience supporting large professional workforces and early-career employees.
Strategic thinker who aligns human resources practices with organizational priorities and moves fluidly between vision and execution through others.
Credible and trusted advisor to executives and governing bodies, able to surface complex workforce issues and facilitate difficult conversations with sound judgment.
Collaborative leader who builds strong relationships across executives, managers, student leaders, and diverse stakeholders.
Pragmatic problem solver who makes timely, well-informed decisions amid ambiguity while balancing compliance with practical solutions.
Demonstrated commitment to equity, inclusion, transparency, and ethical leadership.
Executive presence grounded in humility, clarity, and sound judgment.
An ability to independently interpret and apply a wide variety of policies and procedures; ability to plan, organize, supervise, and direct the operations of multiple programs.
Thorough knowledge of the principles and practices of public and/or business administration, including finance, budgeting and accounting, procurement methods, and modern office management methods and practices.
Ability to effectively select, train, schedule and evaluate full-time and part-time employees.
Must possess strong interpersonal skills.
Ability to establish and maintain effective, cooperative, and harmonious relationships within a multi-cultural campus environment.
Ability to prepare and manage budgets as well as financial reports.
Familiarity with word processing and data management computer programs
Ability to establish and maintain effective and cooperative work relationships within a diverse campus environment.
Addressing others by name, title or other respectful identifier and respecting the diversity of our work force in actions, works and deeds.
Addressing problems and issues constructively to find mutually acceptable and practical business solutions.
Respecting the diversity of our workforce in actions, work, and deeds.

Nice To Haves

Doctorate in a related field.
Experience in California State University auxiliary system.
Experience in higher education in the university setting, including a student workforce.
Demonstrated experience in creating and implementing assessment practices.
Experience advising and presenting to a non-profit Board of Directors.

Responsibilities

Advise executive leadership on workforce strategy, organizational health, and risk
Lead HR strategy across recruitment, onboarding, performance, compensation, and retention
Oversee HR operations, compliance, and policy governance in a CSU auxiliary environment
Design and implement leadership development and employee growth programs
Guide organizational design, workforce planning, and change management efforts
Build and lead a high-performing HR team
Oversee HR systems (HRIS, recruiting platforms, performance systems) and data analytics
Ensure effective management of employee relations, investigations, and compliance issues
Serve as a trusted thought partner and confidant to the Executive Director, executive leadership team, and other internal stakeholders on workforce strategy, organizational health, and leadership effectiveness.
Bring forward data-informed insights, risks, and options related to talent, culture, capacity, and compliance.
Provide executive-level counsel on sensitive employee relations matters, investigations, and organizational risk.
Represent ASI in external forums, including with campus partners, CSU auxiliary peers, and regulatory bodies.
Provide executive-level direction and expertise regarding Workers Compensation, staff wellness, and Benefits administration issues.
Architect and steward an enterprise people strategy spanning recruitment and hiring, onboarding, performance management, compensation and benefits, employee and leadership development, engagement, and retention.
Champion a diverse, equitable, inclusive, and accountable culture, free from harassment and discrimination that supports both professional staff and a large student workforce.
Promote talent management through the design, implementation, and continuous improvement of training and development programs at all levels, including job-specific, managerial, and leadership development.
Oversee evaluation processes and career growth opportunities that support employee development, mobility, and retention.
Provide strategic oversight of student employment practices, recognizing the distinct developmental, compliance, and operational needs of a large student workforce.
Support student employee development through appropriate supervision, training, professional development, and learning-oriented performance standards and practices.
Lead workforce planning, organizational design, and role clarity initiatives to ensure ASI is structured to scale effectively.
Guide leaders through organizational change associated with growth, restructuring, new initiatives, and system implementations.
Establish consistent guidelines and communication of people-related policies, practices, and performance management processes.
Provide executive oversight of compliance, employment policies, and people-related risk in a highly regulated California and CSU auxiliary environment.
Ensure strong governance practices, including policy lifecycle management, documentation standards, audit readiness, and appropriate Board involvement.
Ensure fair, consistent resolution of employee relations matters.
Set direction for HR systems and infrastructure (e.g., HRIS, performance platforms, recruiting tools), ensuring they are effectively adopted, governed, and leveraged.
Use data and analytics to inform decision-making and support systemic changes.
Ensure ASI maintains clear, accessible, and current resources for HR policies, forms, procedures, and guidance.
Manage the HR division’s operating budget and resources.
Conduct periodic cost and productivity analyses to ensure effective stewardship and alignment with organizational priorities.
Build, lead, and develop a high-performing HR leadership team with clear roles, service standards, and accountability.
Strengthen leadership capability within the HR team through coaching, training, and development.
Ensure HR staff are trained in employment law, policy compliance, and evolving HR best practices.
Serve as a role model in moments of ambiguity or organizational stress.