Director of Workplace Experience and Employee Relations

Job Description

Virginia Tech is seeking a transformational leader to provide strategic leadership for the university’s employee relations function. This leader serves as a trusted advisor to university leaders and embedded HR directors on workplace effectiveness, employee experience, organizational health, and workforce risk.

The Director leads a proactive, consultative, and data-informed employee relations operation that supports leaders and employees through partnership, coaching, training, analytics, and resolution of complex workplace issues. The position is responsible for advancing a culture of trust, accountability, engagement, inclusion, consistency, and organizational effectiveness while ensuring compliance with applicable laws, regulations, and university policies.

The Director develops enterprise-wide strategies that strengthen leadership capability, improve employee experience, identify emerging workforce trends, and prevent workplace issues before they escalate.

This position reports to the Assistant Vice President for Human Resources and leads the Employee Relations team. The position is also key in building trusted partnerships with campus stakeholders such as the Office for Civil Rights Compliance and Prevention Education, University Legal Counsel, Office of the Ombuds, Faculty Affairs, University Police Department, Office of Audit, Risk, and Compliance, and others.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Management, Public Administration, Organizational Leadership, or related field.
• Significant progressive experience in Employee Relations, Human Resources, Labor Relations, Organizational Effectiveness, or related fields.
• Demonstrated experience advising senior leaders.
• Experience leading complex workplace investigations and employee relations matters.
• Strong knowledge of employment law and human resource practices.
• Experience developing and delivering training programs.
• Exceptional communication and relationship-building skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree in a related field and/or a juris doctorate (J.D.)
• SHRM-SCP, SPHR, or similar certification.
• Experience in higher education or other large complex organizations.
• Experience leading organizational change initiatives.
• Experience with workforce analytics and data interpretation.
• Experience developing employee experience, engagement, or organizational effectiveness strategies.
• Experience building consultative HR service models.

Overtime Status

Exempt: Not eligible for overtime

Appointment Type

Regular

Salary Information

Commensurate with experience with a salary range of $140,000-$160,000

Hours per week

40+ Work schedule varies; primarily Monday through Friday.

Review Date

August 31, 2026

Additional Information

The successful candidate will be required to have a criminal conviction check.

About Virginia Tech

Dedicated to its motto, Ut Prosim (That I May Serve), Virginia Tech pushes the boundaries of knowledge by taking a hands-on, transdisciplinary approach to preparing scholars to be leaders and problem-solvers. A comprehensive land-grant institution that enhances the quality of life in Virginia and throughout the world, Virginia Tech is an inclusive community dedicated to knowledge, discovery, and creativity. The university offers more than 280 majors to a diverse enrollment of more than 36,000 undergraduate, graduate, and professional students in eight