Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer

Overview

California Institute of the Arts (CalArts) seeks a strategic and collaborative leader to serve as the Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer (VP & CHRO). Reporting to the President, the VP & CHRO will collaborate with academic and administrative leaders across the Institute, provide overall vision, strategic and operational leadership as well as policy guidance and direct management of the Institute’s HR area in support of CalArts’ distinctive mission. The VP & CHRO will join the leadership team of a groundbreaking and forward-thinking artistic community.

CalArts Human Resources Overview

CalArts’ HR is supported by a team of seven professionals delivering innovative and customer-focused HR services to a diverse workforce of approximately 430 faculty, 480 staff, and 500 student employees. The VP & CHRO oversees an operating budget of approximately $1.1 million and has responsibility for all HR operations, including talent management and retention; compensation and benefits; performance management; employee and labor relations; leadership and organizational development; HRIS administration; and compliance and policy administration. The VP & CHRO also manages the benefits budget (the CFO has primary responsibility for the benefits budget of $11.2 million) and oversees two brokers for workers’ compensation and health and welfare programs, plus a vendor for the 403(b) retirement plan.

The VP & CHRO serves as a trusted advisor and strategic partner to CalArts’ President and senior leadership, and acts as the principal steward for the Institute’s employees—faculty, staff and students. The role entails executing a strategic HR vision that complements financial and operational plans while ensuring innovation, transparency, collaboration and accountability to stakeholders and supporting employees’ ongoing professional growth.

President Rajan has prioritized investment in CalArts staff over the next five years and beyond. The VP & CHRO will support efforts to achieve strategic priorities and lead staff development programs and initiatives to increase employee engagement and retention. The full position description can be viewed here.

Personal and Professional Qualifications

The VP & CHRO will be a strategic leader with a deep commitment to serving the needs of faculty, staff, and student employees with accuracy and responsiveness. The role requires close work with key partners, including the offices of the Provost, General Counsel, and Facilities Development and Management to evolve CalArts’ HR operations and practices.

The qualities successful candidates will bring to the role include :

• Leadership skills to develop a clear vision and strategy, guide a team to execute at a high level, and engage the campus as partners in optimizing HR.
• Commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and access in all forms.
• Strong communication, negotiation, and conflict-resolution skills to galvanize trust and build relationships across Institute constituencies.
• Ability to deliver transparent, crisp, digestible communications regarding transformative cultural shifts and broad policy changes.
• Experience ensuring the HR department is run effectively and processes align with policies as a decisive, hands-on, results-oriented manager.
• Commitment to employee development, with experience creating development programs and fostering employee engagement across diverse talent and activities, and maintaining strong employee relationships.
• Experience fostering policies that contribute to wellness in an organization.
• Experience with compensation frameworks and establishing guidelines to support compensation and classifications.
• Experience leading negotiations with faculty and staff on salary and benefits matters.
• Knowledge of employee benefits programs, including retirement plans and ancillary benefits.
• Ability to serve as the primary contact for union leadership and members, fostering positive relationships and addressing contract terms, grievances, and labor issues.
• Knowledge to oversee interpretation and enforcement of collective bargaining agreements (CBAs) and ensure compliance and dispute resolution.
• Education : a bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree preferred.
• Credentials : SHRM-SCP or SHRM-CP preferred.
• Experience : extensive higher education experience preferred or equivalent large non-profit experience with unionized workforce.
• Familiarity with California labor and employment requirements and knowledge of labor laws and union operations.
• Experience managing complex collective bargaining activities from negotiation to contract implementation with favorable outcomes.

The annual salary range for this position is $200,000-$250,000, plus moving allowance and signing bonus. CalArts offers excellent benefits, including medical, dental, retirement, paid time off, and tuition benefits.

CalArts is an equal opportunity employer. CalArts has retained Opus Partners to support this recruitment. Inquiries, applications, and nominations should be directed to the designated contact. The search process will proceed with attention to candidate confidentiality.

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