Assistant Director of HR Operations

Thank you for your interest in working at William Paterson University.

We invite you to join William Paterson University: a wonderful community to learn, work, grow, and thrive. William Paterson University has been named to Forbes’ prestigious “Best Employers by State” list for 2024, recognizing the institution as one of the best-ranked employers in New Jersey based on nationwide surveys. WP is one of four education institutions on the Garden State’s list this year. Here is the link to the article forbes-best-in-state-employers-new-jersey-2024. William Paterson University is among more than 40 companies and organizations that will be honored with a 2024 NJBIZ Empowering Women Award for their commitment to supporting and elevating women employees.

William Paterson University employs approximately 1000 full time employees in the state who work in a variety of positions ranging from professors to administrative assistants and administrators, physical plant operations, campus police, athletics coaches, academic advisors, and more. William Paterson University supports a remote friendly hybrid work schedule for this role. William Paterson also boasts a four-day summer work week from mid-May to mid-August (Fridays off), during which all employees participate in our award-winning Summer Learning series.

Spanning more than 400 wooded acres in suburban Wayne, New Jersey – just 20 miles from New York City – our campus is one of the most diverse in the nation and it ranks in the top 4 percent of colleges for social mobility. William Paterson is a strong proponent of employees growing their careers there. More than fifty percent of the University’s roles are filled by promotions from within. We’re not only committed to social mobility for our students, but also for our employees.

Your work as a member of our team is important to our students and to the progress of our University. What you do here matters, and we value every contribution.

Position Summary:

Reporting to the Director of Human Resources Operations, the Assistant Director of HR Operations plays a pivotal role in ensuring the smooth and efficient functioning of the University’s human resources processes. This position leads a range of operational and strategic HR functions, collaborating closely with the Human Resources Leadership Team and the Vice President of Human Resources to drive key initiatives, enhance service delivery, and maintain compliance with University policies, legal requirements, and contractual obligations.

Major Duties and Responsibilities

• Administers and improves staff performance evaluation processes across civil service classifications.
• Oversees the preparation of personnel actions for Board of Trustees meetings, ensuring accuracy and compliance.
• Administers faculty and professional staff compensation, promotion, and range adjustment programs.
• Initiates and coordinates reappointment recommendations for annual and multi-year professional staff, ensuring adherence to university policies and contractual agreements.
• Supports HR Operations to deliver services aligned with institutional goals and university policies.
• Provides Tier 2 support for HR inquiries and escalate issues as necessary.
• Partners with HR leadership team to design, implement, and sustain key HR initiatives, including annual HR strategic planning efforts.
• Serves as a liaison and strategic HR advisor to the University.
• Assists in civil service employee relations matters; provides guidance on workplace conflict, disciplinary actions, grievances, and policy interpretation.
• Coordinates HR-led programs and events, including Bring Your Child to Work Day, Annual Service Awards, and supports Summer Learning & Development programs.
• Oversees the design, deployment, and analysis of the University’s employee engagement survey and leads follow-up action planning.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in human resources, Business Administration, Public Administration, or a related field.
• Minimum of three (3) years of progressively responsible experience in human resources.

Competencies/Skills Required

• Ability to work independently and manage assigned projects with minimal supervision.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office or Google Suite applications.
• Demonstrated experience in employee relations.
• Working knowledge of relevant federal and state employment laws.
• Customer-focused,