(Auraria) People Ops/HR Assistant Director

State of Colorado•Denver, CO

4d•Hybrid

About The Position

Auraria Higher Education Center is seeking a dynamic and employee focused Assistant Director of People Operations/HR to work alongside the Director. The Assistant Director of People Operations/HR serves as a strategic partner to the People Operations/HR Director, providing leadership, operational oversight, and subject-matter expertise across all areas of People Experience and Human Resources. This role supervises HR team members, leads complex employee relations matters, supports organizational change initiatives, and ensures a positive and engaging employee experience. The Assistant Director of People Operations/HR acts as the department’s second-in-command and serves as the primary back-up to the People Operations/HR Director in their absence. The position also plays a key role in continuous process improvement, fiscal stewardship, and effective management of our people resources.

Requirements

A bachelor's degree in public administration, public policy, business, higher education administration, social sciences, behavioral sciences, human resources, human relations, or a directly related field from an accredited institution.
Five (5) to seven (7) years of full-time professional work experience in people experience/human resources, including three (3) to four (4) of those years being in a role that supervised and directed the work and functions of the HR team.
Professional level work expertise in employee relations, including conducting investigations and advising leaders on complex performance and conduct situations.
Must be able to successfully pass a criminal background check.
Must be able to maintain confidentiality, consistently contribute to a positive environment, and professionalism.
Must be able to operate standard office equipment such as computers, phones, copy machines, virtual meeting tools, and digital filing systems.

Nice To Haves

Experience and subject matter expertise in the areas of (FLSA, FMLA, ADA, EEO, I-9, payroll taxes, etc.).
Professional full-time experience in a union setting.
Demonstrated experience and success in change management and continuous process improvement.
Experience with human capital management systems.
Knowledge of applicable local, Federal, and State of Colorado laws, rules, and regulations.
Ability to build modern, scalable HR processes and drive continuous improvement initiatives.

Responsibilities

Provide day-to-day leadership, coaching, and performance management for HR staff to ensure high-quality service delivery.
Assign and monitor work, ensuring alignment with departmental priorities, deadlines, and service standards.
Support skill-building, training, and growth opportunities for HR team members.
Serve as the department lead when the Director is unavailable, ensuring continuity of operations.
Represent the department in meetings, committees, and cross-functional initiatives as needed.
Lead investigations, coach leaders on performance and conduct issues, and ensure consistent, legally compliant practices.
Provide guidance on HR policies, contracts, and employment laws.
Partner with Director and appropriate resources (internally and externally) to reduce organizational risk and ensure fair, equitable outcomes.
Collaborate with the Director to design and implement organizational change initiatives.
Help develop and execute strategies that enhance engagement, culture, and retention.
Identify opportunities to streamline workflows, modernize HR practices, and improve service delivery.
Support workforce planning, staffing strategies, and organizational structure reviews.
Assist the Director with budget development, monitoring, and cost-effective decision-making.
Use HR metrics and analytics to inform recommendations and evaluate program effectiveness.
Support team with audits, and act as a point of contact when needed.
Performs a variety of special projects as requested by the Director.