Director of Faculty Affairs and Academic Human Resources

University of Washington Medical Center•Tacoma, WA

11d

About The Position

The University of Washington Tacoma is an anchor institution that is deeply invested in its local communities and in student success. As one of three campuses of a world-class university, UW Tacoma is dedicated to interdisciplinary and innovative teaching and scholarship and to engaging the community in mutually beneficial partnerships. UW Tacoma’s commitment to access and diversity is central to an environment where students, staff, faculty and South Sound residents find abundant opportunities for intellectual, personal and professional growth. More information about UW Tacoma and its strategic plan can be found here. The Office of Academic Human Resources has an outstanding opportunity for a Director of Faculty Affairs and Academic Human Resources. The Director of Faculty Affairs (FA) and Academic Human Resources (AHR) serves as the primary institutional resource on faculty appointments and academic employment matters at the University of Washington Tacoma (UWT), providing leadership and management for academic employment at UWT, including the development of policies and procedures. The Director of FA/AHR works closely with UWT leadership to advance strategic priorities regarding more than 450 academic personnel across 7 schools. The Director advises and partners with campus and UW-system leaders on strategic planning initiatives and operations. This position reports directly to the Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs (EVCAA), and provides expert consultation and guidance to the Chancellor, the EVCAA, Vice Chancellors (VCs), and Deans, as well as academic affairs directors and program administrators in academic units. The Director oversees the administration of (1) all faculty employment lifecycle events/procedures including: search planning, posting/advertising positions, searches/hiring, promotion and/or tenure, leave of absence, sabbatical, and retirement and/or termination; (2) employee relations procedures (for matters involving faculty) including: allegations of personal misconduct, academic misconduct, or other violations of university policy, informal complaint resolution, allegations of civil rights violations, and ensuring due process for faculty who are the subject of any such allegations, incidents, or related matters; and (3) faculty merit and compensation. The Director also manages the strategic and daily operations of the Office of Academic Human Resources, which includes directing the work and supervision of AHR personnel. The portfolio of “Faculty Affairs” includes partnering with Deans, Vice Chancellors, Faculty Assembly, and the broader UWT faculty body in order to support faculty-driven and faculty-centered initiatives for the personal and professional advancement of academic personnel at UWT.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in HR, administration, liberal arts, or a related field, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
At least 6 years' experience in Higher Education leadership within Academic Affairs or an Academic Unit, to include supervisory experience.
Equivalent education/experience will substitute for all minimum qualifications except when there are legal requirements, such as a license/certification/registration.
Experience with and/or demonstrated knowledge of legal issues related to employment and higher education.
Exceptional analytical, written, and verbal communication skills; ability to explain complex concepts clearly to varied audiences.
Thorough understanding of and demonstrated experience managing Academic employee operations, including faculty hiring, promotion, and tenure processes.
Experience managing faculty leave, accommodations, grievances, disputes, and other issues that may arise.
Demonstrated experience with policy development, implementation, and/or interpretation.
Ability to work effectively with various levels of leaders, faculty and staff to provide clear, actionable directives and advice.
Experience working with highly sensitive and confidential information.
Ability to work independently and with others, within a complex hierarchical institution.
Exceptional skills in organization, planning, multi-tasking, and time management; demonstrated initiative, with a successful history of completing large, complex projects in a deadline-driven environment.
Demonstrated ability to realize/achieve stated goals without instruction.
Ability to work as a member of a team and to lead teams to successful outcomes.
Exceptional professionalism such that the Director can represent EVCAA and/or Chancellor, as needed, in high-level, high-stakes situations such as personnel matters, internal meetings, etc.

Nice To Haves

Master’s Degree in Human Resources/management, Administration, Public Policy, Law, Social or Behavioral Sciences, or a related field.
Knowledge of human resources best practices including conflict and dispute resolution, faculty development, recruitment, and retention of a diverse academic workforce.
Knowledge of and familiarity with higher education HR systems and processes.
Knowledge of and familiarity with international employees (based in US), including visa procurement and related federal regulations.

Responsibilities

ADMINISTRATION AND LEADERSHIP: a) Serve as head of AHR for UWT; provide leadership, guidance, and oversight in all areas of faculty employment including recruitment, promotion, retention, and employee relations. b) Respond to mid- and high-level inquiries regarding analysis of the Faculty Code, administrative policy statements, executive orders, and other policy documents governing academic employment. c) Represent AHR on various committees, task forces, and working groups as appropriate, with specific representation on issues related to Workday and data; diversity, equity, and inclusion; faculty recruitment and retention; and shared governance. d) Manage the search and hiring request process, the hiring report process, and the hiring plan submission process with the Provost’s Office. e) Coordinate and manage campus-level leadership searches, or oversee delegate in this responsibility. f) Ensure quality of faculty search processes and practices, including compliance with legal requirements and alignment with strategic priorities for UWT. g) Collaborate with and advise EVCAA on strategic planning and creative problem-solving.
POLICY AND PROCEDURE: DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION: a) Create guidelines and policy for AHR processes for UWT campus. b) Explore and disseminate information related to current issues and best practices in the profession; attend relevant conferences and trainings, as appropriate. c) Develop expertise in Faculty Code and guide Deans on implementation of its requirements; collaborate with UW Office for Academic Personnel and Faculty (APF) and UW Secretary of Faculty, as needed. d) Oversee the tenure and promotion process, setting timelines and ensuring compliance with the policies and regulations of the University of Washington and the Tacoma campus. Manage file preparation and transmission to APF. e) Oversee, provide consultation, and direct academic staff, faculty, and Deans in the recruitment and search process, faculty hiring, faculty reappointments, salary negotiations, leaves, and other personnel processes. f) Work closely and collaboratively with Faculty Assembly Chair and Vice-chair on shared governance policies and procedures. g) Advise and support the Appointment, Promotion, and Tenure Committee of Faculty Assembly in their reviews of personnel appointment matters and related processes. h) Assess, identify, and implement process improvements and efficiencies. i) Provide consultation to staff and administrators within Academic Affairs on Academic Personnel issues to ensure compliance with federal and state law and UW policy, including regarding matters of FMLA, ADA, Civil Rights compliance, etc. j) Manage database development, data collection, and reporting for faculty.
EMPLOYEE RELATIONS: a) Advise and make recommendations on faculty personnel issues to faculty, deans, the EVCAA, and the Chancellor, based on research, knowledge, and experience with the UW Policy Directory including Executive Orders, Faculty Code, Federal and State law, and other university policies or procedures. b) Advise and guide Deans through the Faculty Code process addressing faculty conduct, including participating in meetings regarding allegations of misconduct. c) Write communications regarding misconduct allegations for faculty and administration. d) Work closely with the UW Academic Personnel and Faculty, UW Attorney General’s Office, the UW Office of the Ombud, and the Civil Rights Compliance Office, as well as UWT Staff HR.
FACULTY DEVELOPMENT: a) Design and lead workshops for faculty professional development related to tenure and promotion, faculty searches, and other faculty-related topics. Collaborate with Associate Vice Chancellor for Faculty Success to identify other professional development needs for faculty and design/develop programs to meet those needs. b) Offer training and support to faculty engaged in recruiting, performance evaluation, promotion reviews, and other HR/employment processes to ensure compliance with UW policy and state and federal law. c) Collaborate with UWT office of Equity and Inclusion and UW Office for Faculty Advancement to improve the capacity of UWT to recruit and retain diverse faculty. d) Coordinate with UW APF to support Deans and faculty learning related to employee relations, HR policies, visas, and other HR/employment matters.
OPERATIONS: a) Lead and supervise the UWT AHR staff; prioritize daily work and project assignments. b) Organize working groups of dean, faculty, staff, and campus leaders to address academic human resource/employment needs. c) Support stakeholder data requests to accurately validate, analyze, report, and collaborate on academic personnel data. d) Serve as the contact for Public Records Requests for Academic Affairs and advise individuals on the process.