Associate Director of Human Resources

Department: Human Resources
Reports To: Director of Human Resources
Supervises: Recruiter, Student Employment Coordinator

FLSA Status: Exempt (hiring range $76,468 - $86,028)

Essential Responsibilities

1. Talent Acquisition and Recruitment

• Provide leadership and oversight of staff recruitment and hiring processes to attract, select, and retain qualified employees.
• Partner with hiring managers and College leadership to identify staffing needs, develop recruitment strategies, and support effective hiring decisions.
• Supervise and collaborate with the Recruiter to evaluate and improve recruitment processes, including the effective use of Oracle Recruiting.
• Provide guidance to hiring managers on recruitment practices, candidate evaluation, selection processes, and hiring procedures.
• Identify opportunities to improve the applicant and hiring manager experience, streamline workflows, and strengthen recruitment outcomes.
• Collaborate with the Director on workforce planning, staffing priorities, and recruitment challenges requiring broader institutional consideration.

2. Employee Relations

• Serve as a primary HR resource to employees and supervisors on workplace concerns, employee relations matters, and the interpretation and application of College policies.
• Conduct confidential workplace investigations, document findings, and recommend appropriate actions consistent with College policies and applicable employment laws.
• Partner with supervisors to address employee performance and conduct concerns, including coaching, corrective action, disciplinary processes, and employment separations.
• Provide guidance on conflict resolution, workplace communication, and consistent employment practices.
• Identify emerging employee relations trends and recommend proactive strategies to address organizational concerns and mitigate risk.
• Collaborate with General Counsel on significant disciplinary actions, sensitive investigations, complex employment matters, and decisions that may present institutional risk.

3. Performance Management

• Lead the administration and continuous improvement of the College's performance management program, including annual evaluations, goal setting, ongoing feedback, and employee development.
• Provide guidance, resources, and training to supervisors on establishing performance expectations, delivering meaningful feedback, and addressing performance concerns.
• Monitor completion of performance management activities and identify opportunities to improve program effectiveness.
• Collaborate with the Director on broader performance management strategies and institutional priorities.

4. Employee Engagement and Retention

• Develop and implement initiatives that strengthen employee engagement, workplace culture, job satisfaction, and retention.
• Collaborate with campus partners to identify opportunities to improve the employee experience and address workplace challenges.
• Evaluate exit interview feedback and retention data to identify areas for improvement and recommend actionable solutions.
• Partner with supervisors to develop strategies that improve team effectiveness, employee morale, and workplace relationships.
• Provide recommendations to the Director regarding emerging employee engagement and retention concerns.

5. Student Employment Administration Oversight

• Provide leadership and supervision for the Student Employment Coordinator and oversee the administration of student employment processes within Human Resources.
• Support the development and improvement of student employment policies, procedures, systems, and services for student employees and campus supervisors.
• Collaborate with campus partners, including the Piper Center, Payroll, Finance, and Information Technology, to address student employment challenges and improve operational efficiencies.
• Ensure student employment practices align with applicable employment laws, College policies, and institutional priorities.
• Identify opportunities to improve student employment workflows, supervisor resources, and administrative processes.
• Escalate significant policy, compliance, or resource concerns to the Director of Human Resources.

6. HR Leadership and Department Operations

• Serve as second-in-command to the Director of Human Resources, providing leadership and oversight of day-to-day departmental operations.
• Supervise, coach, and evaluate designated HR staff, fostering accountability, collaboration and effective service delivery.
• Coordinate departmental workflows, monitor operational priorities, and identify opportunities to improve efficiency and responsiveness.
• Provide day-to-day leadership in the Director's absence, ensuring continuity of services and appropriate escalation of sensitive or high-impact matters.
• Assist the Director in implementing departmental goals, policies, programs, and strategic initiatives.
• Partner with HR staff and campus departments to identify and resolve operational challenges and improve the effectiveness of HR systems and processes.
• Support the development of HR procedures, training resources, and communication materials that promote consistent employment practices.
• Serve as a resource to HR team members on complex operational questions and assist in resolving issues that require cross-functional coordination.

7. General Responsibilities

• Support, respect, and contribute to a College community that values diverse backgrounds, experiences, perspectives, and points of view.
• Complete required training, participate in the College's performance management process, and meet established deadlines.
• Maintain confidentiality and exercise sound judgment when handling sensitive employee and institutional information.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Work Schedule:

Term: Year-round

Shift: Striving for work-life balance, St. Olaf College's typical work hours are Monday through Friday from 8:00am-5:00pm. Recognizing individual needs, we support flexible scheduling options.

Required Qualifications:

Education: Bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience

Experience: 5+ years experience in human resources, employment, recruiting and/or compensation, or relevant experience

Preferred Qualifications:

Education: Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources

Experience: 7+ years of recruiting experience or as a human resources generalist; experience using Infor and/or Oracle Cloud; experience with a systems implementation

Prerequisites:

Employment in this position is conditioned upon successful completion of a background check which may include criminal background checks, reference checks, verification of work history, verification of any required academic credentials, licenses, and/or certifications, a motor vehicle check, verification of DOT certification, a credit check, employment eligibility verification, and/or a pre-employment physical. Whether a background check is deemed successfully completed will be at the sole discretion of St. Olaf College. Please note, St. Olaf College reserves the right to conduct periodic background checks at its sole discretion.

Disclaimer:

• This job description is for general information purposes. It is not intended to list all duties and responsibilities of the position. This job description is subject to change at any time by St. Olaf College, with or without prior notice.
• Review of applications begins immediately and continues until the hire is complete. We only accept online applications.