Director of Human Resources, College of Natural Sciences

The University of Texas at Austin • Austin, UT

1d • Onsite

About The Position

The Human Resources Director provides strategic and operational leadership for all HR functions across the College of Natural Sciences (CNS) at the University of Texas at Austin. The role oversees the full employee lifecycle, from hiring through separation, for academic research staff, administrative and operations staff, and student employees. The director will unify the college’s decentralized HR community around consistent workflows and best practices and serve as a trusted advisor to the Dean and college leadership on complex employment matters.

The position calls for a seasoned HR leader with strategic vision and hands-on expertise in a large, complex organization. The director will lead through influence, build relationships across a wide range of stakeholders, balance strategic thinking with operational execution, foster collaboration and shared accountability, and exercise sound judgment and transparency in complex situations. Higher education or research experience is preferred but not required; the university will help the successful candidate learn UT Austin policies, practices, and terminology.

The role is based on the UT Austin campus and supervises a team of HR professionals. The expected start date is December 7, 2026. The position is expected to continue. Salary is $130,000 or more, commensurate with experience and qualifications.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field and eight years of progressively responsible HR experience; or a master’s degree and six years of equivalent experience. An equivalent combination of relevant education and experience may be substituted.
• Experience leading HR operations in a large, complex organization, including managing the full employee lifecycle for multiple employee types.
• Experience leading organizational change, such as restructuring, workforce planning, or organizational effectiveness initiatives, across multiple departments, business units, or locations.
• Supervisory experience, including coaching and developing HR professionals.
• Working knowledge of federal and state employment law and HR compliance.
• Strong consultative, coaching, and conflict-resolution skills, including the ability to advise senior leaders on sensitive and escalated matters.
• Ability to interpret complex policies and regulations and assess their operational impact.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills and the ability to build trust and influence without direct authority in a decentralized, multi-stakeholder environment.

Nice To Haves

• Master’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Higher Education Administration, or a related field.
• HR certification such as SHRM-CP/SCP, PHR/SPHR, or equivalent.
• Experience in higher education or a research environment, including familiarity with academic and research personnel processes.
• Experience standardizing HR processes across a decentralized, matrixed, or multi-location organization.
• Experience supporting a mix of workforce types, such as salaried professionals, hourly staff, researchers, and student or part-time workers.
• Experience with an enterprise HR system such as Workday or similar, and using HR technology and data to improve operations.
• Familiarity with public-sector or higher education requirements.

Responsibilities

• Partner with CNS leadership to develop and implement workforce strategies, organizational structures, talent management initiatives, and governance practices aligned with college and departmental priorities.
• Lead implementation of university workforce policies, regulatory changes, and HR initiatives across departments, ensuring local practices comply with federal and state requirements and university policy.
• Identify gaps and inefficiencies, standardize and improve HR processes, and support technology enhancements to strengthen accuracy, efficiency, and employee experience.
• Use workforce data, HR metrics, and trend analysis to inform leadership decisions and evaluate the effectiveness of HR programs.
• Provide senior-level guidance on complex and high-risk employment matters in collaboration with central university offices.
• Advise leaders on performance management, restructuring, retention, and organizational effectiveness.
• Represent the college on committees, task forces, and leadership forums, and build productive partnerships with central offices and HR colleagues across the university.
• Directly supervise HR professionals; establish performance expectations, provide coaching and professional development, manage performance, and ensure accurate, responsive, service-oriented HR operations.

Benefits

• Outstanding employee benefits and total rewards packages.
• Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS) retirement plan eligibility, subject to the position being at least 20 hours per week and at least 135 days in length.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director