Chief Human Resources Officer

Chief Human Resources Officer

The University of Maine System (UMS) seeks an experienced strategic and visionary leader to serve as its Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO). The UMS CHRO will demonstrate a commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion with a proven record of collaboration and inclusive engagement to steward a mission-driven workforce of more than 5,000 faculty and staff throughout the state of Maine. UMS’s CHRO will be responsible for aligning HR strategy with the UMS tripartite mission of teaching, research, and public service, and will work to ensure that Human Resources serves as a trusted, expert resource for UMS’s faculty, staff, and student employees. The ideal candidate will have experience in their professional work with workforce stabilization; strategic change management; and diversity, equity, and inclusive excellence, as well as a proficiency in growing environments that foster connection and deep collaboration across the varied units of a large, state-wide public organization.

The UMS CHRO will lead a Human Resources department that consists of sixty HR professionals who are hardworking and interconnected and who are geographically dispersed but centrally managed – in some cases with matrixed reporting relationships within the universities they serve as well. The CHRO will model and foster a culture of personal integrity, excellent customer service, and inclusivity both inside the department and throughout UMS. Reporting to UMS Vice Chancellor for Strategic Initiatives and Chief Legal Officer Jim Thelen, the CHRO will provide critical human resources leadership and serve a System made up of seven universities and a Law School that together serve more than 30,000 students annually. More than 2,000 full-time and part-time faculty, more than 3,000 regular full-time and part-time staff, and a complement of part-time temporary (adjunct) faculty together carry out the System’s mission.

Approximately 80 percent of UMS’s faculty and staff are represented by labor organizations. For this reason, a compelling candidate would have labor relations experience.

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ABOUT THE UNIVERSITY OF MAINE SYSTEM

Established in 1968, the University of Maine System is the state’s largest educational enterprise.

The University of Maine System (UMS) unites Maine’s distinctive public universities, comprising 10 campuses and numerous centers, in the common purpose of delivering on its traditional tripartite mission of teaching, research, and public service. Reaching more than 500,000 people annually through educational and cultural offerings, the University of Maine System also benefits from more than two-thirds of its alumni population residing within the state – more than 123,000 individuals.

The System has an estimated $1.5 billion total statewide economic impact each year, a return of $7.50 for every dollar of State appropriation.

The University of Maine System Chancellor’s office is located in Estabrooke Hall on the University of Maine campus in Orono. System-wide services and governance employees work from campuses across the state and HR employees work from offices on each campus.

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UNIVERSITIES

The System consists of the University of Maine (UM), including its regional campus the University of Maine at Machias (UMM); the University of Maine at Augusta (UMA); the University of Maine at Farmington (UMF); the University of Maine at Fort Kent (UMFK), the University of Maine at Presque Isle (UMPI); and the University of Southern Maine (USM). The System also includes the University of Maine School of Law, which itself is part of the University of Maine Graduate and Professional Center, which brings graduate business and public policy programs from UM and USM together with law for cutting-edge inter-curricular graduate and professional degree and certificate opportunities. In addition, eight university college outreach centers, 31 course sites, and 34 cooperative extension locations span the state.

University of Maine The University of Maine is the state’s land grant, sea grant and space grant research university. As Maine’s flagship public university, the University of Maine has a statewide mission of teaching, research and economic development, and community service. The University of Maine is the state’s only public research university and among the most comprehensive higher education institutions in the Northeast, where undergraduate and graduate students have opportunities to participate in groundbreaking research with world-class scholars. The University of Maine offers bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees.

University of Maine at Machias The University of Maine at Machias is the regional campus of the University of Maine. Offering quality baccalaureate programs with an emphasis on experiential and community-engaged learning, UMM’s distinct campus environment and strong regional identity are enhanced by a partnership with the state’s flagship university.

University of Maine at Augusta With campuses in Augusta and Bangor, eight UMA Centers across Maine, and expertise in online and distance learning, the University of Maine at Augusta, a recognized Military Friendly School, is considered the university of choice for Mainers who want to receive a quality and affordable education without uprooting their lives. University of Maine System Chief Human Resources Officer Page 4

University of Maine Farmington Established in 1864 as Maine’s first public institution of higher education, the University of Maine at Farmington is UMS’s public liberal arts college, offering quality programs in teacher education, human services, and arts and sciences.

University of Maine at Presque Isle UMPI is a nationally recognized institution of innovation and opportunity, providing students with an affordable and personalized education, a caring, small-university environment, and life-changing experiences that prepare them to be career-ready graduates. Established in 1903, UMPI now offers bachelor’s, associate’s, online, and Competency-Based Education degree programs, as well as its first master’s degree program. UMPI was recognized in 2020 by The Chronicle of Higher Education’s Great Colleges to Work For list and as a National Honor Roll Institution.

University of Southern Maine The University of Southern Maine is northern New England’s outstanding public, regional, comprehensive university, dedicated to providing students with a high-quality, accessible, affordable education. From campuses in Portland, Gorham, and Lewiston-Auburn, USM offers baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs.

The University of Maine School of Law The University of Maine School of Law is committed to justice and leadership in a changing world. As the state’s public and only law school, Maine Law provides an accessible and affordable student-focused program of legal education through a rigorous doctrinal and experiential curriculum. Focused on addressing rural access to justice, Graduates in the class of 2020 contributed over 2,500 hours of pro bono service during their time at Maine Law.

LOCATION The University of Maine System and its flagship, the University of Maine, recognize that they are located on Marsh Island in the homeland of the Penobscot Nation, where issues of water and territorial rights, and encroachment upon sacred sites, are ongoing. Penobscot homeland is connected to the other Wabanaki Tribal Nations — the Passamaquoddy, Maliseet, and Micmac — through kinship, alliances and diplomacy. UMS and the University of Maine also recognize that the Penobscot Nation and the other Wabanaki Tribal Nations are distinct, sovereign, legal and political entities with their own powers of self-governance and self-determination. More about the Memorandum of Understanding between the Penobscot Nation and the University of Maine System can be found here.

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The University of Maine and the executive offices of the University of Maine System are located in Orono, five miles north of Bangor, the state’s third-largest city and home to Bangor International Airport. Orono, named for Chief Joseph Orono of the Penobscot Nation, was settled in 1774. Currently, the population is approximately 11,000 (not counting University of Maine students). Part of the town, including the University of Maine, is located on Marsh Island, bounded by the Penobscot and Stillwater rivers. Orono is about 1.5 hours from Acadia National Park, the Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument and Mount Katahdin and Baxter State Park — the northern terminus of the Appalachian Trail. Sugarloaf and Sunday River ski resorts are within three hours of Orono.

Situated on more than 500 acres, the University of Maine’s Orono campus consists of 37 academic buildings, 30 administrative buildings, 20 residence halls, 18 research-specific facilities, 13 Greek life houses, four dining facilities, and ten sports facilities, including the nationally-ranked, 87,000-square-foot New Balance Student Recreation Center. The University of Maine’s newest buildings are LEED-certified. The centerpiece of the campus, Fogler Library, is the state’s largest library and has long been a leader in ensuring digital access and collaboration across all libraries in Maine.

UNIFIED ACCREDITATION

Proposed in September 2019 by University of Maine System Chancellor Dannel Malloy and approved by the Board of Trustees in January 2020, UMS is in the early stages of implementing an innovative “unified accreditation” model for academic collaboration between its universities. The first multi-university institution of higher education in the nation to obtain system-level accreditation, the University of Maine System’s unified accreditation preserves the geographical and educational integrity of each university campus but opens the door to strategic academic collaboration and resource sharing between universities to ensure the viability of all campuses and create the potential for students to access the System’s entire academic portfolio no matter where they are enrolled. With unified accreditation, the System’s universities no longer have to independently meet all of the New England Commission for Higher Education’s Standards for Accreditation but will instead work together to meet them as a unified institution of higher education.

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DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION

The University of Maine System believes that a diverse workforce and an equitable, respectful, and inclusive workplace culture enhance the performance of the organization and its ability to fulfill its educational, scholarly, healthcare, and community-based missions. UMS is committed to fostering a culture of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging and to supporting employees regardless of their race, ethnicity, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, marital status, age, physical abilities, political affiliation, religious beliefs, and any other factor irrelevant to a person’s ability to successfully perform the responsibilities of the office, so that all employees feel valued and supported.

The CHRO will be a critically important strategic partner with the Chancellor and others in the System’s executive office, along with colleagues on each campus, in driving diversity, equity, inclusion and anti- racism initiatives dedicated to the enhancement of the human dignity of all members of the System’s university communities. In advancing these efforts, the CHRO must also be able to articulate and respond to strategies and ideas based on UMS’s values.

OFFICE OF HUMAN RESOURCES AND ITS MISSION

The University of Maine System’s Human Resources Department provides leadership and partnership with the System’s universities and UMS leadership to meet the changing human resource needs of the enterprise and its faculty and staff as they provide the educational opportunities that transform students’ lives and the research and outreach that contribute to the growth of our state, the nation and the world.

The Office of Human Resources develops, implements, and administers a comprehensive program that provides:

• Services, human resources development and management strategies to support the University’s teaching, research, and public service mission, and • Leadership in change management and organizational development.

Fair and respectful treatment of employees, recognition of the contributions and dignity of employees, and compliance with employment laws are core values.

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THE ROLE OF THE CHIEF HUMAN RESOURCES OFFICER

The CHRO will report to James B. Thelen, the UMS Vice Chancellor for Strategic Initiatives and Chief Legal Officer who also serves as the UMS Chancellor’s Chief of Staff. The CHRO will join an outstanding, talented and energetic team. The CHRO will be responsible for supervising and developing a collaborative, high- performing HR leadership team tasked with the strategic leadership and supervision of the UMS HR enterprise. This includes establishing supervisory responsibilities for each HR function and campus leadership in alignment with UMS’s overall business strategy and objectives. The CHRO will lead an HR team numbering sixty total and nine direct reports, manage an operating budget of $6.4 million , and supervise the management of a benefits program of approximately $500 million.

The CHRO provides vision and creative leadership for all human resources activity for the University of Maine System and its universities in all areas of strategic human resources management. The CHRO will work closely with UMS Senior Leadership and General Counsel, Presidents, University HR Leaders, and other UMS Senior Managers to ensure strategic HR practices, perspectives and trends remain a System priority. The CHRO leads a system-level operation responsible for organizational development, policies and programs covering employment, equal opportunity, compensation, benefits, performance management and training, employee relations, wellness programs, labor relations, staff recruitment and retention, HR management information systems, and compliance with all applicable federal and state laws and UMS policies. As Chair of the UMS HR Leadership Team, the CHRO is responsible for strategic human resource policy, planning, and resource management in order to provide UMS with the best workforce talent and strategies available and give UMS a competitive institutional advantage in workforce development in its service to the people of Maine.

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OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES

Embody and promote strong commitments to diversity, equity, and inclusion. The Chief Human Resources Officer will work to create an intentional community and ensure the University System's commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusive excellence. The CHRO will promote an environment of inclusivity through initiatives within the Division of Human Resources and across UMS. Building on initiatives in place, the Chief Human Resources Officer will lead strategy development to expand faculty and staff searches, partner with University leadership to develop faculty and staff diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, and facilitate meaningful staff opportunities to engage in mission-critical work.

Analyze, reinforce, and strengthen the HR structures, policies, and procedures of UMS. The CHRO will work in partnership with the senior administrators at each System university to provide system-wide leadership in addressing the University of Maine System's human resources needs. The CHRO will provide strategic vision and leadership for a dynamic, effective, and highly functional central human resources team. The incoming CHRO will join an extended senior UMS leadership team as a collaborative partner providing solutions and guidance as the organization continues to enhance its service orientation, create opportunities for alignment across the universities, and ultimately shape the strategic future of UMS. This challenge presents an opportunity for the CHRO to modernize the UMS’s HR functions and build an adaptable infrastructure. The CHRO will also have the opportunity to assess the human resource functions, processes, and staffing and augment and develop the central HR team. These efforts will be supported and appropriately resourced within the institutional budget.

Serve as a key partner and lead in change management processes associated with UMS’s unified accreditation initiative. The successful placement will play key roles in the first-in-the-nation effort to bring together previously separate institutions within the University Maine System in a unified institutional accreditation. While the effort will take years to bring to fruition, it is already a hallmark of what is possible in higher education innovation and viewed by onlookers across the country. With this opportunity to support and help lead large-scale innovation in higher education comes a commitment to creating a work environment of empowerment, self-direction, and continuous learning, as well as the ability to focus leadership development programs around change to produce agile leaders and resilient employees who will thrive in an environment of continuing and sometimes rapid change.

Provide expert insight and overall strategic leadership for the department. The CHRO will bring broad and deep experience to the process of reviewing and assessing the Department’s current strengths, opportunities, needs, and risks. Drawing upon an understanding of national best practices, particularly within higher education, the CHRO will design, articulate and implement a strategy for optimizing the department’s resources and performance. In doing so, the CHRO will prioritize the overarching mission and needs of the University of Maine System.

Work effectively and collaboratively to facilitate strong cooperation and communication between the six labor unions and the University of Maine System and System leadership. The CHRO will offer guidance to both sides, identifying common goals and strategic forward momentum as one key in successful cooperation between unions and Human Resources. UMS and the represented groups have a long history of successful partnership, and the CHRO will play an important role in extending this history during a time of change designed to serve the evolving needs of the State of Maine and its residents in the years, and decades, ahead. University of Maine System Chief Human Resources Officer Page 9

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS AND CHARACTERISTICS

The successful candidate will be an activist and advocate for strategic human resources and a successful, experienced change champion, capability builder, strategic positioner, HR innovator and integrator, and proponent for the effective application of technology. Additionally, the successful candidate will be an approachable and collaborative leader able to forge a vision for the University of Maine System as an intentional community and employer of choice. The individual will be a creative and agile expert in designing, implementing, and administering human resources programs, processes, and initiatives.

The ideal candidate will possess:

• Visionary leadership, able to see ahead clearly; ability to anticipate future consequences and trends accurately; broad knowledge and perspective, future-oriented; ability to create competitive and breakthrough strategies and plans; • Experience successfully collaborating with diverse partners including an organization’s senior-most management team; • Significant experience in leading and managing complex human resources organizations and activities through periods of change; • Expertise in talent acquisition, engagement and retention strategies; • Demonstrated success in strategic planning, project management, and change management; • A demonstrated ability to build effective and cohesive teams and to lead, coach, mentor and develop employees; • Direct experience with labor relations and experience working in a multi-union environment. • Demonstrated commitment to inclusiveness and shared governance in leadership and decision making; • Proven experience in coaching and guiding institutional leadership, to include academic administration and conflict management; • Strong facilitation, communication and presentation skills, including the ability to deliver difficult messages; • Understanding of current issues and implications for human resources; • Expertise in creating environments of trust and transparency and championing a diverse, modern workforce; • Strong business-specific knowledge and financial acumen, strategic thinking, and organizational behavior/design/effectiveness skills; • Ability to leverage data and metrics to inform and shape strategy; • A management style that builds trust and is open and inclusive, while requiring accountability and metrics-driven results; • The ability to manage change with high levels of self-confidence; a keen ability to “sell” new ideas and initiatives; a willingness to take calculated risks; • Strong listening skills, comfort and skill working at and across all levels of the organization; • The ability to communicate a compelling and inspired vision or sense of core purpose, discuss possibilities, and motivate others; • A demonstrated high level of integrity, guided by a sound set of ethical principles; • An understanding of and hands-on experience with personnel management in a matrix organizational structure and through significant organizational change; University of Maine System Chief Human Resources Officer Page 10

• Knowledge of policies, principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, retention, regulatory and legal compliance including EEO, AA and ADA, compensation, benefits, HRIS, training, organizational development, performance management, leadership development and succession strategy, and employee relations; and, • Experience in higher education.

More information about the University of Maine System can be found at https://www.maine.edu/. The job description can be linked here. For best consideration, please send all nominations and applications to:

Jim Sirianni, Partner Amy Sugin, Managing Director Mark Halligan, Senior Associate Sara Swisher-Anderson, Senior Associate [email protected]

The University of Maine System is an EEO/AA employer, and does not discriminate on the grounds of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, transgender status, gender expression, national origin, citizenship status, age, disability, genetic information or veteran’s status in employment, education, and all other programs and activities. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding non- discrimination policies: Director of Equal Opportunity, 101 North Stevens Hall, University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469-5754, 207.581.1226, TTY 711 (Maine Relay System).