Inaugural Senior Associate Vice Chancellor and Chief People Officer (CPO)

University of Colorado Boulder (CU Boulder) seeks a forward-thinking and strategic executive to serve as the inaugural Senior Associate Vice Chancellor and Chief People Officer (CPO). This is an exciting opportunity for the CPO to lead and strategically elevate the university’s human resources function in support of achieving CU Boulder’s strategic priorities. The university community is poised for new leadership in the next CPO and will welcome a collaborative, compassionate and empathetic leader to enhance the employee experience university-wide.

 

Boulder is often recognized as the number one college town in America and CU Boulder is one of America’s leading research universities and the flagship of the University of Colorado System. As a comprehensive public doctoral Research University, CU Boulder is a member of the Association of American Universities and is classified as an R1 University. The university has nine schools and colleges offering over 150 academic programs and enrolling 35,000 degree-seeking undergraduate and graduate students. The CPO is responsible for developing human resource strategy in support of the academic, research and creative mission, specifically in the areas of organizational development, succession planning, talent acquisition, talent management, change management, organizational and performance management, training and development and compensation. The CPO provides strategic leadership and demonstrates a commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion throughout the Institution.

 

Reporting directly to the Executive Vice Chancellor and Chief Operating Officer, the CPO is an active member of the Chancellor’s Cabinet and the University Executive Leadership Team and serves as the principal steward for the university’s community of employees, providing institutional leadership to sustain CU Boulder as an employer of choice. The CPO is charged with ensuring that human resources support an optimal environment for recruiting, developing and retaining faculty and staff. The CPO oversees a current budget of $6 million and a dedicated staff of approximately 100 employees. The Boulder campus has approximately 5,000 faculty, 5,000 staff and 14,000 students/temporary employees.

 

The successful candidate will possess experience leading high performing teams through organizational change within a large complex enterprise, have a strong understanding of the academic mission and possess exceptional communication and leadership skills. A bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution is required, as is eight years or more of progressively complex professional experience, including at least five years at a senior management level. Experience working in higher education, including an understanding of the challenges and collaboration present within the higher education context preferred. More information can be found at www.wittkieffer.com.

 

WittKieffer is assisting CU Boulder in this search. Please direct inquiries, nominations and applications materials to Sarah Miller or Jeff Compher via the WittKieffer Candidate Portal. Candidates should provide a resume or curriculum vitae and a letter of interest. Nominations may also be directed to the consultants through the portal or to [email protected]. For fullest consideration, applicant materials should be received by July 18, 2022.

 

The hiring range for the CPO is $250,000-$285,000. Relocation assistance and a sign on bonus are available per department guidelines. The University of Colorado offers excellent benefits, including medical, dental, retirement, paid time off, tuition benefit and ECO Pass. All University of Colorado Boulder employees are required to comply with the campus COVID-19 vaccine requirement. New employees must provide proof of vaccination or receive a medical or religious exemption within 30 days of employment.

 

The University of Colorado Boulder is committed to building a culturally diverse community of faculty, staff and students dedicated to contributing to an inclusive campus environment. We are an Equal Opportunity employer, including veterans and individuals with disabilities.