VP of Human Resources

The North Carolina Community College System (System Office) is a statewide network of 58 public community colleges. The system enrolls over 500,000 students annually. It is the 3rd largest in the nation based on the number of colleges. It also provides data to the North Carolina Learning Object Repository by collecting, contributing, and sharing digital learning resources for use in traditional or distance learning environments. The mission of the North Carolina Community College System is to open the door to high-quality, accessible educational opportunities that minimize barriers to post-secondary education, maximize student success, develop a global, multicultural, and competent workforce, and improve the lives and wellbeing of N.C. citizens.

The Vice President of Human Resources leads the unit responsible for the acquisition, development, and retention of talent and serves as a strategic member of the executive leadership team. Under the direction of the System President, the Vice President of Human Resources develops strategies and practices that support and align with the System’s goals and mission.

The position directs all Human Resources functions for the System Office, including classification and compensation, benefits, employee relations, workforce planning, recruitment, staffing, talent acquisition, performance management, professional development, employee engagement, and Human Resources policy development and implementation. This position works closely with Finance and the President to implement and execute compensation strategies and organizational staffing.

Beyond the System Office, the Vice President serves as a statewide leader and collaborator on Human Resources matters for the North Carolina Community College System, providing guidance, best practices, and various other HR expertise that strengthen Human Resources operations across the System’s 58 colleges.

DESCRIPTION OF RESPONSIBILITIES AND DUTIES

Strategic Leadership

•  Provides strategic leadership and oversight to the Human Resources function of the System Office.

•  Participates as a strategic partner with the leadership team in developing and evaluating the long- and short-term goals of the organization.

•  Brings the Human Resources perspective to the leadership team’s decision-making and policy-making processes.

•  Ensures that Human Resources strategic goals and annual objectives are aligned with the broader Agency goals.

•  Leads the Human Resources components of enterprise system modernization, including the strategy and adoption of Human Resources information systems.

•  Manages the Human Resources budget and resources to ensure effective and efficient service delivery.

•  Stays abreast of best industry and functional practices.

Statewide Human Resources Leadership

•  Leads statewide Human Resources initiatives on behalf of the System and serves as a resource and thought leader for the 58 colleges.

•  Develops and recommends, for State Board approval, statewide salary standards and scales for positions paid from funds administered by the State Board, and supports their consistent application across colleges.

•  Develops and shares Human Resources guidance, best practices, and model policies that colleges may adopt to strengthen their own Human Resources operations.

•  Provides professional development and networking opportunities for college Human Resources professionals, including support for the Community College Human Resource Association.

•  Represents the System on statewide workforce and employee matters and convenes college Human Resources leaders around shared priorities.

Classification, Compensation, and Benefits

•  Administers the State’s classification and compensation system for System Office positions, including career-banded positions subject to the State Human Resources Act (SHRA) under delegated authority from the Office of State Human Resources (OSHR) and leadership positions exempt from the State Human Resources Act (EHRA).

•  In collaboration with Finance, develops compensation strategies designed to recruit and retain highly qualified employees.

•  Monitors compensation practices for internal alignment and market competitiveness.

•  Administers State-established employee benefits, retirement, and leave programs, including the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), and develops agency-level policies in areas where the State allows discretion, such as remote work and flexible scheduling.

Talent Acquisition and Workforce Planning

•  Directs recruitment, staffing, and talent acquisition strategies to attract highly qualified employees.

•  Leads workforce planning and succession planning to anticipate and meet the organization’s current and future staffing needs.

Employee Relations

•  Advises and counsels management on employee relations matters.

•  Oversees employee grievances, workplace investigations, and disciplinary processes, ensuring fair and consistent treatment and due process.

•  Administers reduction-in-force and other organizational-change processes in accordance with applicable policy.

•  Administers equal employment opportunity, Title IX, and reasonable-accommodation (ADA) processes for the System Office.

Performance Management and Professional Development

•  Provides leadership for the Performance Management process, including goal setting, interim reviews, performance evaluations, and performance improvement plans.

•  Leads training and development, employee recognition, and rewards programs.

•  Advances initiatives that strengthen employee engagement and a positive workplace culture across the organization.

Human Resources Policy

•  Develops, recommends, and maintains Human Resources policies and procedures for the System Office.

•  Maintains the System Office’s ongoing working relationship with the Office of State Human Resources (OSHR) and serves as the employee resource on OSHR policies.

HR Systems, Analytics, and Reporting

•  Provides oversight for the Human Resources Information System and ensures the integrity and accuracy of Human Resources data.

•  Establishes and tracks critical employee metrics to monitor and influence the health and effectiveness of the agency workforce.

•  Directs Human Resources analytics and required federal and state workforce reporting, including applicable equal employment opportunity reporting.

State Board Support

•  Attends and participates in State Board meetings to provide information regarding employee actions and decisions.

Reporting and Supervision

•  This position reports to the System President and is part of the Senior Team and Executive Division.

•  Supervises the Director of Human Resources, two Agency HR Consultants, and the Agency Receptionist / HR Office Manager.

•  Hires and supervises additional staff as needed to support the System’s human resources functions.

PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS

•  Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field; Master’s degree preferred.

•  Minimum of ten years of progressive Human Resources leadership experience, including experience leading a Human Resources function at scale.

•  Senior Human Resources certification such as SHRM-SCP, SPHR, or IPMA-HR preferred; compensation certification (CCP) a plus. Public-sector Human Resources experience, including working knowledge of the North Carolina State Human Resources Act, Office of State Human Resources policy, and career banding, is also a plus, as is knowledge of the North Carolina Community College System.

•  Experience leading Human Resources across a decentralized or multi-institution structure.

•  Demonstrated expertise across classification and compensation, benefits, employee relations, talent acquisition, and performance management.

•  Experience developing and administering Human Resources policies and procedures.

•  Experience managing a Human Resources Information System (HRIS) or comparable enterprise Human Resources data systems.

•  Experience managing a departmental budget.

•  Effective communication, interpersonal, and team-building skills.

•  Superior analytical, evaluative, and problem-solving abilities.

•  Ability to establish effective working relationships with various stakeholders.

•  Collaborative leader with a demonstrated ability to unite stakeholders around a shared goal or initiative.

•  Skilled negotiator who can reach agreement among parties with competing priorities.

•  Demonstrated ability to influence decisions and build support without direct authority, including across independently governed institutions.

•  Strong presentation skills.

•  Ability to travel statewide to support the System’s colleges.

•  Ability to utilize generative AI to drive efficiency and effectiveness.

Some state job postings say you can qualify by an “equivalent combination of education and experience.” If that language appears below, then you may qualify through EITHER years of education OR years of directly related experience, OR a combination of both. See the Education and Experience Equivalency Guide for details.

The State of North Carolina is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer and dedicated to providing employees with a work environment free from all forms of unlawful employment discrimination, harassment, or retaliation. The state provides reasonable accommodation to employees and applicants with disabilities; known limitations related to pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions; and for religious beliefs, observances, and practices.

The State of North Carolina is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer and dedicated to providing employees with a work environment free from all forms of unlawful employment discrimination, harassment, or retaliation. The state provides reasonable accommodation to employees and applicants with disabilities; known limitations related to pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions; and for religious beliefs, observances, and practices.