Sr Faculty Affairs Partner

UMass Amherst•Amherst, NY

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Senior Faculty Affairs (FA) Partner serves as a senior advisor to the Dean and College leadership, providing strategic direction on faculty affairs and academic personnel matters. This role ensures the effective implementation of faculty policies and practices in alignment with university standards and serves as the primary liaison to Academic HR in the Provost’s Office. In collaboration with the Provost’s Office, the Office of Human Resources, and campus stakeholders, the Senior FA Partner advances consistent, compliant, and high-quality faculty affairs operations in support of the College’s mission and strategic priorities.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree, and seven or more years of progressively responsible academic HR or faculty affairs experience.
Advanced knowledge of academic personnel processes and collective bargaining agreements.
Demonstrated experience managing complex employee relations or policy matters.
Strong leadership, analytical, and interpersonal skills.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree.
PHR certification and/or SPHR-CP certification.
Demonstrated leadership in faculty affairs or academic HR or higher education.
Ability to collaborate effectively with academic leaders and central administration.
Proven ability to build partnerships and lead through influence in a complex organization.

Responsibilities

Serves as a strategic Faculty Affairs partner to the Dean and College leadership team to define, support, and implement operational strategies that advance the College’s academic, research, and social justice mission.
Serves as the primary point of contact within the College for all faculty lifecycle matters, including appointments, promotions, tenure, and leaves.
Partners with Academic HR in the Provost’s Office and HR Business Partners to interpret policies, resolve complex employee relations or performance issues, and advise on labor relations strategy.
Collaborates with HR Centers of Excellence (COEs) to ensure smooth facilitation of payroll and benefits administration, accommodation requests, and absence management for faculty.
Ensures compliance and consistency in all academic personnel actions and documentation with university policies, collective bargaining agreements, and applicable legal and regulatory standards.
Manages high-volume workflows and coordinates faculty searches across multiple departments.
Supports change management efforts related to new policies, collective bargaining agreements, and system upgrades.
Collects and reports faculty data for accreditation, compliance, and institutional planning.
Mentors and provides guidance to staff on faculty affairs processes.
Represents the College in university-wide Academic HR and HR partner initiatives.
Performs related duties as assigned or required to meet Department, College, and University goals and objectives.
May supervise employees as the College's administrative structure evolves.
Safeguards and maintains confidential personnel records on behalf of the College.
Travels and attends meetings, as requested.
Understands responsibilities with respect to Title IX, Clery and other compliance requirements.