Chief People Officer

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership and operational oversight for all human resources, people, and culture functions.
• Serve as a trusted advisor to the President and Cabinet on organizational effectiveness, workforce planning, and institutional culture.
• Lead and manage the Office of Human Resources, including staff supervision and departmental goal setting.
• Develop and execute comprehensive strategies for recruitment, onboarding, retention, and succession planning.
• Oversee the administration of payroll, benefits, compensation, and employee lifecycle processes.
• Provide leadership for the College’s HRIS, ensuring data integrity, accurate reporting, and system integration.
• Ensure compliance with all federal, state, and local employment laws and regulations.
• Manage employee relations, including investigations, grievance processes, and conflict resolution.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resource Management, Business Administration, Employment Law, Organizational Leadership, or a related field.
• Minimum of five years of progressively responsible leadership experience in human resources or people and culture functions.
• Strong knowledge of HRIS, payroll systems, and workforce analytics.
• Deep understanding of compensation, benefits, classification, performance management, and employment law.
• Proven ability to lead organizational change and foster an inclusive, high-performance culture.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to handle sensitive information with discretion.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in a relevant field.
• Experience in higher education or a nonprofit environment.
• Experience administering or implementing enterprise HRIS platforms such as Paylocity or Workday.
• Professional HR certification (SHRM-CP, SHRM-SCP, PHR, SPHR, or equivalent).

Benefits

• All-inclusive medical, dental, and vision group insurance.
• 403(b) retirement plan with employer contributions.
• Generous paid time off, including 3 weeks of vacation to start and 15 paid holidays.
• Tuition waiver for full-time employees, spouses, and dependent children.
• Employer-paid life, AD&D, and disability insurance.
• Free access to campus health center, fitness facilities, and library.

About the Company

North Central College is a dedicated institution committed to fostering an inclusive and supportive environment for faculty and staff. Located in Naperville, IL, the College strives to be an employer of choice by investing in its people and driving institutional excellence through strategic workforce development.