Vice President of Human Resources at Roberts Wesleyan University – Rochester, New York

Reports to: President
Classification: Cabinet-Level Executive
FLSA Status: Exempt

Position Summary

The Vice President for Human Resources serves as a strategic member of the President’s Cabinet and provides executive leadership for all human resource functions of the University, including talent strategy, employee relations, compliance, compensation and benefits, organizational development, payroll, and HR systems administration.

This role ensures the University attracts, develops, and retains mission-aligned faculty and staff while maintaining compliance with federal, state, and accreditation standards. The Vice President oversees payroll operations, including administration of Paylocity, and ensures accurate, compliant, and timely compensation practices.

The Vice President champions a Christ-centered workplace culture that reflects the University’s mission, values, and Statement of Faith, while advancing organizational effectiveness and financial stewardship.

Essential Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership & Institutional Partnership

• Serve as a strategic advisor to the President and Cabinet, aligning workforce strategy with institutional priorities and financial sustainability.
• Partner with the Vice President for Finance and senior leaders to align staffing models and workforce investments with budget forecasts.
• Design and oversee a comprehensive workforce planning framework to ensure talent capacity supports academic and operational goals.
• Architect institution-wide talent development and succession strategies to build leadership depth.
• Provide executive and Board-level reporting on workforce metrics and institutional risk.

Talent & Organizational Development

• Execute recruitment, onboarding, and retention strategies for faculty and staff.
• Implement performance management and leadership development programs aligned to institutional strategy.
• Operationalize succession plans and talent pipelines.
• Advance employee engagement and organizational effectiveness initiatives.

Employee Relations & Compliance

• Ensure compliance with federal and state employment laws and regulatory requirements (including but not limited to Title VII, ADA, FLSA, FMLA, and related statutes).
• Oversee employee relations matters, investigations, and policy administration.
• Maintain and update employee handbooks and institutional policies.
• Partner with external counsel as appropriate to mitigate institutional risk.

Compensation, Benefits & Payroll

• Design and administer competitive and mission-aligned compensation strategies.
• Oversee benefits strategy and vendor partnerships.
• Supervise payroll operations and ensure accurate and timely payroll processing utilizing Paylocity.
• Maintain strong internal controls related to payroll, timekeeping, tax compliance, and reporting.
• Ensure HRIS optimization, reporting accuracy, and data integrity.

HR Operations & Continuous Improvement

• Lead process improvement efforts within HR and payroll operations.
• Establish meaningful metrics that inform leadership decision-making.
• Ensure systems and processes support institutional growth, compliance, and service excellence.

Faith Integration & Institutional Culture

• Promote a Christ-centered workplace aligned with the University’s mission and Statement of Faith.
• Model integrity, service, accountability, and respect in all interactions.
• Foster an environment of dignity, trust, and shared responsibility.

Executive Competencies

The Vice President for Human Resources is expected to demonstrate the following leadership competencies:

Business Insight
Applying knowledge of business and the marketplace to advance the organization’s goals.

Financial Acumen
Interpreting and applying understanding of key financial indicators to make better business decisions.

Strategic Mindset
Seeing ahead to future possibilities and translating them into breakthrough strategies.

Builds Effective Teams
Building strong-identity teams that apply their diverse skills and perspectives to achieve common goals.

Instills Trust
Gaining the confidence and trust of others through honesty, integrity, and authenticity.

Courage
Stepping up to address difficult issues, saying what needs to be said.

Qualifications

Education

• Master’s degree in Human Resources, Organizational Leadership, Business Administration, or related field required

Experience

• 7–10+ years of progressive human resources leadership experience
• Senior-level leadership experience required
• Demonstrated experience overseeing payroll operations
• Experience with Paylocity or comparable HRIS platform required

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Deep knowledge of employment law and regulatory compliance
• Ability to integrate people strategy with financial stewardship
• Demonstrated organizational development and change management expertise
• Strong executive communication and Board presentation skills
• Ability to balance pastoral care with institutional accountability
• Demonstrated commitment to Christian higher education

Supervisory Responsibility

Oversees Human Resources and Payroll team.