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Duke University was created in 1924 through an indenture of trust by James Buchanan Duke. Today, Duke is regarded as one of America’s leading research universities. Located in Durham, North Carolina, Duke is positioned in the heart of the Research Triangle, which is ranked annually as one of the best places in the country to work and live. Duke has more than 15,000 students who study and conduct research in its 10 undergraduate, graduate and professional schools. With about 40,000 employees, Duke is the third largest private employer in North Carolina, and it now has international programs in more than 150 countries.

Assistant Dean of Human Resources

Occupational Summary 

The Nicholas School of the Environment(NSOE) seeks an Assistant Dean of Human Resources (ADHR) (Duke Job: Human Resources Departmental Director) with combined educational and on the job experience. Candidates must possess sufficient knowledge and experience to provide strategic and tactical operational leadership to these areas to ensure the School’s HR and administrative support needs are positioned for successful programs of NSOE; including a commitment to diversity and inclusion and ability to create a welcoming engaging environment for people of all backgrounds is required.

The Assistant Dean of Human Resources position is part of the senior administrative team of NSOE reporting to the CFO/Associate Dean for Finance & Administration, and has significant engagement with the Dean, other school leadership, faculty, staff and students at NSOE and the University. This position supervises a team of staff members providing HR and payroll administrative support. Optional hybrid schedule upon successfully completing on-boarding process.

Work Performed

The AD-HR will be responsible for:

Strategic Leadership

• Serve as the lead administrator in the Nicholas School for human resources functions, which include: recruitment, employee relations, compensation and classification, policy interpretation and application, internal communications, compliance, and training functions.

• Work to ensure consistent and accurate interpretation and application of human resources policies related to all types of employees, (faculty, staff, student and temporary), throughout the School.

• Lead and/or participate in human resource projects that may be unit specific, apply to the School, or entire University. Prepare reports and deliver presentations when necessary.

• Collaborate with the School’s committees, the Provost’s Office, the Assistant Dean, DEI (AD-DEI), the Office of Institutional Equity and others in the development and execution of strategies to promote excellence in diversity and inclusion.

• Identify issues, trends, or needs that apply to the Nicholas School’s human resources functions and develop strategies to address them, including those that involve international activity of PIs and others in the School.

• Routinely evaluate the effectiveness of the organizational structure and the human resource programs and make/recommend changes where needed. Ensure developmental and training programs are aligned with departmental objectives and needs. Proactively implement succession activities that promote internal growth and mitigate knowledge gaps due to attrition.

• Oversee efforts related to promoting an effective and inclusive work culture e.g., recognitions programs, social events, leadership forums and lunches, and employee surveys.

• Interpret personnel policy intent and/or acceptable management practices to ensure fair and consistent application of University policy; develop departmental policies in accordance with established University policy.

• In partnership with central Recruitment, the AD-DEI, the Office of Institutional Equity, and the Provost’s Office, develop and implement recruitment strategies that promote diversity and inclusion.

• Support and advise the Dean, CFO/Associate Dean for Finance and Administration, and academic leaders on a number of HR and administrative projects.

Operational Management

• Manage the Nicholas School’s Human Resources, Payroll Administrative functions, determining priorities, supervising and mentoring staff. Ensure consistent and accurate interpretation and application of human resources policies, practices, and guiding principles are exercised at both the Durham and Beaufort campuses.

• Advise and assist management, faculty, and staff in the handling of employee relation issues, complaints and/or grievances along with determination of appropriate disciplinary actions. Collaborate with University attorneys as needed, represent the Nicholas School at grievance hearings, dismissal conferences, and arbitration when needed.

• Implement and ensure consistent, efficient, and cost-effective office processes and procedures that support the employees throughout the Nicholas School.

• Direct and manage all major HR initiatives and oversee day-to-day operations of payroll administrative support, ensuring excellent customer service.

• Direct the performance management processes; provide reports and analysis around performance metrics, top and low performers, organizational structure, and effectiveness.

• Manage effort certification processes and collaborate closely with grants and contracts administrators on sponsored effort.

• Direct pay processes, including but not limited to: salary equity reviews, salary setting, non-compensation awards processed through payroll, and summer supplement administration.

• Determine budget impact of salary actions and assist management with salary budget planning and staffing requirements.

• Collaborate closely with the Durham and Beaufort based business office staff to insure seamless administrative, payroll and HR services are provided at the highest quality to the school’s faculty and staff.

• Collaborate closely with Director for Faculty Affairs on the HR aspects of faculty appointments and promotions, contracts, sabbaticals, leaves and other faculty HR matters are managed appropriately and according to best HR practices.

• Collaborate closely with the CFO/Associate Dean for Finance and Administration on the development of human resources reports (metrics) and analysis setting forth progress, adverse trends, faculty effort, and appropriate recommendations or conclusions.

Required Qualifications at this Level:

Education/Training

Work requires general business or personnel background generally equivalent to a bachelor’s degree in a related field.

Experience

Work requires five years of business and/or administrative experience, with exposure to human resources activities, to acquire knowledge of human resources policies and procedures necessary to manage the personnel activities of a major department or division. Or an equivalent combination of relevant education and/or experience.

Preferred

• Appropriate graduate degree; progressive experience providing HR support to an academic organization, including significant supervisory experience overseeing payroll processes.

• SHRM/HRCI certification (PHR or SPHR).

• Strong understanding of HR best practices for both faculty and staff as well as broad understanding of diversity, equity, and inclusion as it relates to employee recruitment and retention.

• A high-level understanding of the spectrum of HR matters to include employee relations, recruitment, pay, performance, contract and legal matters.

• Experience with faculty, student, national and international employment matters.

• Committed to the mission of NSOE and a willingness to be an active participant in our community.

• Skilled team builder and manager; able to establish shared mission, outcomes/goals and create strong morale.
• Ability to be thoughtful and strategic in a solution-oriented role; assessing areas of process improvement.
• Ability to think creatively to help meet operational goals while maintaining HR integrity.

• Ability to manage difficult conversations, relationships, and other challenging situations that require thoughtful and effective communication, verbal and/or written; experience and expertise in working in matrixed management environments with complicated reporting relationships.
• Discreet, diplomatic, and exhibits a commitment to engendering employee trust and maintaining confidentiality.
• Effective delegator; skilled at empowering/trusting employees as well as sharing responsibility and accountability.

Duke is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer committed to providing employment opportunity without regard to an individual's age, color, disability, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or veteran status.

Duke aspires to create a community built on collaboration, innovation, creativity, and belonging. Our collective success depends on the robust exchange of ideas—an exchange that is best when the rich diversity of our perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences flourishes. To achieve this exchange, it is essential that all members of the community feel secure and welcome, that the contributions of all individuals are respected, and that all voices are heard. All members of our community have a responsibility to uphold these values.

Essential Physical Job Functions: Certain jobs at Duke University and Duke University Health System may include essentialjob functions that require specific physical and/or mental abilities. Additional information and provision for requests for reasonable accommodation will be provided by each hiring department.