Director, Human Resources

We are seeking a dynamic, collaborative, and forward-thinking Human Resources Director to join the Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons (VP&S) at Columbia University. This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced HR leader who is passionate about building strong partnerships, optimizing processes, and delivering innovative, service-oriented HR solutions in a complex academic medical center environment.

At VP&S, our Human Resources function operates through a collaborative, service line based model organized into five dedicated HR Pods: Basic Science; Medicine; Surgery; Clinical Diagnostic (CDX); and Specialty Pod. Each Pod provides dedicated HR leadership and support to its assigned departments while leveraging shared resources, standardized processes, centralized training, and coordinated workflows to ensure consistent and efficient service delivery across the school.

The Human Resources Director will play a key role in leading HR operations for assigned departments, partnering with leadership, and collaborating with fellow HR Directors to advance organizational priorities and strengthen HR service delivery. Through a hands-on, solutions-oriented approach, the Director will oversee a broad range of HR functions, including talent acquisition, employee and labor relations, compensation, performance management, professional development, and employee engagement.

The ideal candidate will bring strong leadership, sound judgment, creativity, and a commitment to continuous improvement, with the ability to navigate complex HR matters while fostering a culture of collaboration, accountability, and exceptional customer service.

Responsibilities

People Management and Professional Development

• Oversee the department's HR/FA team to ensure team members are meeting defined deliverables such as, quality customer service, timely and accurate delivery of information, and ensuring meeting compliance needs. Responsible for their professional development, engagement, and overall performance.
• In collaboration with the Sr. Director of HR/FA, Pod leadership and other subject matter experts, provide training and education related to HR/FA operations and develop and maintain Job Aids for operational systems and processes.
• Provide leadership training and guidance on various topics related to organizational needs.

Talent Acquisition/Recruitment

• Set Talent Acquisition and recruitment workflows and objectives in alignment with department stakeholders' goals and University guidelines.
• Liaise with internal and external constituents to resolve issues and to ensure timely processing of new-hire/appointments and other related transactions.
• Utilize HR Request/Ticketing System to review HR/FA transactions to ensure requests are processed on time and accurately.
• Manage the recruitment of staff through use of Columbia's job site (Talentlink and ASR/Interfolio) as well as use of external sites. Train staff to ensure use of best practices.
• Manage the pre-boarding and on-boarding process used by the HR/FA team to ensure use of best practices. This includes ensuring effective management and compliance of the I-9 process; completing pre-hire background checks, processing all new hires and any employment related changes.
• In collaboration with the POD Sr. Director and school leadership, develop and oversee Service Level Agreements (SLAs) for key requests.
• Work with HR/FA team to complete requests in a timely manner and in compliance with established SLAs and other Columbia University established deadlines.
• Demonstrates skills at troubleshooting problems to determine the best solution(s).
• Escalate time-sensitive or high priority issues to Sr. Director in a timely manner.
• Identify gaps and inefficiencies, provide standardization and improvement to all HR operational processes/systems. Incorporate feedback into a continuous improvement initiative to make HR transactions more efficient and more accurate; collaborate with technical teams as required for the work.
• Oversee and manage the maintenance of electronic employee files working with outside vendor.

Faculty Appointments, Reappointments & Promotions (In addition to the tasks noted under Talent Acquisition)

• Manages HR/FA team to work with the Office of Faculty Affairs to manage the onboarding process so that new faculty and other academic officers are able to on-board smoothly and function in the capacity for which they were hired.
• Oversees the reappointment process. Works with colleagues in the department to manage the reappointment process with focus on adherence to deadlines.

Compensation

• Conduct compensation reviews/analysis to ensure internal and market equity and work with departmental leadership in creating comprehensive compensation plans;
• Conducts internal reviews to ensure compensation structure meets best practices and is equitable. Raises and addresses concerns as needed.
• Work with department finance to manage salary roster process and ensure all positions, vacancies and promotions/salary increases and salary allocations are implemented in alignment with the budget and in a fair and equitable fashion.

Employee Engagement

• Manages strategic initiatives to foster a culture aligned with department and University values and mission.

Employee & Labor Relations

• Proactively responds to employee relations issues. Escalates all employee concerns, issues or complaints to Sr. Director. All issues related to harassment allegations and civil rights complaints will be escalated to Sr. Director and other key stakeholders within the department, school, CUIMC HR and medical center as relevant and appropriate.
• Builds and maintains working relationship with union delegates and CUIMC Labor Relations team and adheres to terms of labor contract by monitoring day-to-day implementation of policies concerning wages, hours and working conditions.
• Provide counsel, guidance and direction to employees/faculty and management on employee relations, conflict management, and performance management issues; conducting investigations and terminations, as appropriate.

Compliance and Immigration

• Ensure the department follows all ISSO policies and procedures. Maintain communication with ISSO as appropriate.
• Oversee and ensure compliance concerning I-9 processing, HIPPA Training, Conflict of Interest, Medical Surveillance, Upcoming/Past Visa End Date Status, etc.

Off Boarding

• Oversees and/or conducts exit interviews and follows up as appropriate. Discusses data from exit interviews with Sr. Director and Department Administrator to make recommendations to the management team for corrective action and continuous improvement.

Systems and Project Work

• Use HR Ticketing System to effectively manage all requests via reports and dashboards and communicate with the HR/FA team.
• Manage special projects as designated by the Assistant Vice Dean, Human Resources
• Other: Cross cover other related administrative positions and perform other related duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

Bachelor's degree plus five (5) years of related experience, or the equivalent in education, training and experience.

Preferred Qualifications

Master's degree in a related field preferred. HRCI/SHRM Certification desirable. Experience in university, academic environment or healthcare environment a plus. Experience in a unionized environment preferred.

Other Requirements:

Previous management experience required.

Excellent oral and written communication, interpersonal, organizational, problem-solving and analytical skills required. Proven ability to communicate collaboratively and effectively with all levels of staff and faculty.

Excellent customer service skills with an aptitude for diplomacy, building relationships, reaching consensus and collaborating, negotiation, and managing expectations. Experience using Visual Vault, and PeopleSoft strongly preferred.

Able to meet strict deadlines in a high-volume, multi-tasking environment is essential. Working well under pressure and in delicate, highly emotional situations is necessary for success in this role.

Equal Opportunity Employer / Disability / Veteran
Columbia University is committed to the hiring of qualified local residents.