Human Resources Director in Milwaukee, Wisconsin at MRA Recruiting Services

Founded in 1887, Alverno College is a four-year, Catholic liberal arts college for women sponsored by the School Sisters of St. Francis. The college also offers a robust array of graduate and degree completion programs for women and men. Student learning and personal and professional development are the central focus of everyone in the Alverno College community. As Wisconsin’s first designated Hispanic-Serving Institution, Alverno enrolls a highly diverse student body of virtually every demographic and experience. It is an institution that has revered tradition and encouraged innovation for more than 130 years.

At Alverno College, full-time employees are eligible for health, dental, vision, disability, and retirement plan enrollment for employees and eligible dependents. Tuition benefits are available for employees and qualified dependents.
Position Summary
The Human Resources Director provides strategic leadership and operational oversight of all human resources functions for the College. This role partners with senior leadership to align HR strategies with institutional mission, values, and strategic priorities, while ensuring compliance with all applicable laws and fostering a positive, inclusive workplace culture.

Key Responsibilities

• Serve as a trusted advisor to executive leadership on workforce planning, organizational design, and culture
• Develop and implement HR strategies aligned with institutional goals
• Lead initiatives that support employee engagement, retention, and performance excellence
• Provide guidance on employee relations matters, including conflict resolution and investigations
• Promote a culture of respect, inclusion, and accountability
• Support leadership in fostering psychological safety and effective team dynamics
• Oversee recruitment, hiring, and onboarding processes for faculty and staff
• Ensure equitable and inclusive hiring practices
• Partner with leadership to identify workforce needs and succession planning strategies
• Design and oversee performance management systems aligned with institutional mission-driven frameworks
• Support leadership development and employee growth initiatives
• Guide goal setting, feedback, and performance improvement processes
• Oversee compensation strategy, benchmarking (e.g., leveraging higher ed data sources like CUPA-HR), and internal equity
• Administer employee benefits programs and ensure competitive offerings
• Lead compensation studies and recommend adjustments
• Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local employment laws (e.g., FLSA, FMLA, ADA, Title IX considerations where applicable)
• Develop, implement, and maintain HR policies and procedures
• Oversee audits, reporting, and risk mitigation strategies
• Oversee HRIS (e.g., UKG Ready or similar systems), payroll coordination, and data integrity
• Improve HR processes for efficiency and employee experience
• Use HR metrics and analytics to inform decision-making
• Lead a team of three HR professionals
• Improve HR processes for efficiency and employee experience
• Use HR metrics and analytics to inform decision-making
• Lead a team of three HR professionals

Qualifications

Required:

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or related field
• 7–10 years of progressive HR experience, including leadership roles
• Demonstrated knowledge of employment law and HR best practices
• Strong interpersonal, communication, and leadership skills
• Strong technical aptitude and the ability to get the most out of HR systems; experience with HRIS implementation a plus
• Demonstrated experience creating, improving, and documenting HR processes, workflows, and procedures to increase efficiency, consistency, compliance, and service quality
• Demonstrated experience leading and developing a team, including setting expectations, coaching performance, building capability, and fostering accountability

Preferred:

• Master’s degree in HR, Organizational Development, or related field
• HR certification (e.g., SHRM-SCP, SPHR)
• Experience in higher education or nonprofit environments

Work Environment

• This position operates in a collaborative higher education environment
• May require occasional evening or weekend commitments

We Make it Easy

Founded in 1901, MRA is a nonprofit employer association that serves more than 4,000 employers, covering more than one million employees.

As one of the largest employer associations in the nation, MRA helps its member organizations thrive by offering the most comprehensive assortment of HR services, information, education, and resources to help build successful workplaces and a powerful workforce.

We partner with these companies working directly with their HR department and leadership to hire their talent. We are a direct line to the company, not an agency recruiter.