Assistant Vice President for Human Resources (ECP)

About City College Since 1847, The City College of New York has provided a high quality and affordable education to generations of New Yorkers in a wide variety of disciplines. CCNY embraces its role at the forefront of social change.

POSITION DETAILS

About City College Since 1847, The City College of New York has provided a high quality and affordable education to generations of New Yorkers in a wide variety of disciplines. CCNY embraces its role at the forefront of social change. Located in the heart of New York City, CCNY is home to such important 'firsts' as: The first college explicitly founded on the ideal of educating the 'whole people', the first documentary film program in the U.S., the first intercollegiate lacrosse game played in the U.S., first student government in the nation, and the longest running Alumni Association in the U.S. It is ranked #1 by The Chronicle of Higher Education out of 369 selective public colleges and on the overall mobility index. This measure reflects both access and outcomes, representing the likelihood that a student at CCNY can move up two or more income quintiles. In addition, the Center for World University Rankings places CCNY in the top 1.2% of universities worldwide in terms of academic excellence. More than 17,000 students pursue undergraduate and graduate degrees in seven professional schools and divisions, driven by significant funded research, creativity and scholarship. CCNY is as diverse, dynamic and visionary as New York City itself. Outstanding programs in architecture, engineering, education, liberal arts and sciences prepare our students for the future, and produce outstanding leaders in every field. Whether they are drawn to the traditional, like philosophy or sociology, or emerging fields like sonic arts or biomedical engineering. CCNY boasts over 50 master's programs and have leading doctoral programs in engineering, the laboratory sciences, and psychology. Our undergraduates have unique opportunities to conduct research with professors and, publish and present their findings. In our science, engineering and social science programs, more than 300 undergrads work alongside senior researchers in funded projects. Leading CUNY in funded research, we house a number of research centers, with our two $700M advanced research centers leading the way. Nearly all of our full-time faculty hold PhDs or like our architecture faculty, maintain professional practices. Art professors exhibit their work, film professors make films, and music professors perform in venues around the country. The campus is alive with student activity. City College fields 16 varsity teams that compete in NCAA Division III -and students work out in an equipment rich fitness center and socialize in more than 100 student clubs. Our students come from all over the world, representing more than 150 nationalities. City College is an integral part of the civic, urban and artistic energy of New York and inseparable from its history. We are the City that built this city. The City College of New York (CCNY) seeks a dynamic, strategic, and collaborative leader to serve as the Assistant Vice President of Human Resources. As a key member of the college's executive operational leadership team, the Assistant Vice President of Human Resources reports directly to the Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. The Assistant Vice President will oversee the full lifecycle of human capital strategy, service delivery, and operational excellence across the campus and in close partnership with the CUNY Central office. Areas of responsibility include, Talent Acquisition/Recruitment, Benefits, Training, Employee Relations, HR Operations (HRIS, Time-Keeping, Time & Leave Management, Compensation, Project Management), and Strategy Development. The Assistant Vice President of Human Resources is a strategic, hands-on people leader responsible for building and scaling the human capital infrastructure of a growing campus. Operating as a senior stakeholder in the organization, this role requires the ability to develop and advance human capital strategies that support institutional priorities while fostering an equitable and inclusive campus culture. The ideal candidate will be a transformative leader capable of modernizing traditional HR workflows, fostering an equitable and inclusive campus culture, and managing labor relations within a complex public university framework. The Assistant Vice President of Human Resources will lead a comprehensive human resources operation serving instructional, professional, administrative, and support staff at CCNY. Responsibilities encompass strategic talent management, civil service compliance, employee onboarding, benefits administration, professional development, and compensation management, ensuring absolute integration with university-wide policies, state mandates, and local collective bargaining agreements. Strategic HR Leadership Serve as the principal advisor to the CCNY COO, President, Cabinet, and Academic Deans and chairs regarding personnel and workforce strategies. Participate in the college’s strategic and operational planning by prioritizing HR’s objectives to ensure alignment. Provide direct supervision, mentorship, and operational leadership to a professional and innovative HR team. Manage the comprehensive department budget. Facilitate organizational design, change management, and strategic workforce planning. Align campus HR initiatives directly with the college’s multi-year strategic vision. Set clear goals, priorities, and operating rhythms for the HR function; hold the team accountable to measurable outcomes and service-level expectations. Provide leadership and mentorship across all HR disciplines while developing and supporting HR team members. Partner with Finance to manage the HR department budget, including headcount, systems, and program spend; identify efficiency opportunities as the function scales. Perform other duties as assigned by the Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. Serving and leading various governance bodies as appropriate. Employee/Labor Relations & Collective Bargaining Strong partnership with CCNY’s General Counsel (GC), administering and interpreting collective bargaining agreements for multiple public sector unions (e.g., PSC-CUNY, DC37, Teamsters). Work with GC to represent the college in grievance procedures, labor-management consultations, and disciplinary hearings where applicable. Serve as the primary escalation point for complex, sensitive, or high-risk employee relations matters including misconduct allegations, harassment complaints, and performance disputes. Advise managers and executives on handling performance issues, disciplinary actions, and involuntary separations in a manner that is legally sound and consistent with College policies and values. Partner closely with General Counsel on matters that carry litigation risk, regulatory exposure, or require formal legal guidance. Civil Service & Regulatory Compliance Oversee compliance with New York State and New York City Civil Service rules, CUNY Bylaws, FLSA, FMLA, ADA, and Title IX. Act as the primary liaison to the CUNY Central Office of Human Resources Management and the New York City Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS). Talent Acquisition As part of a larger function, oversee the Talent Acquisition team on all aspects of recruitment and retention. Partner with CCNY’s Chief Diversity Officer to design and execute equitable recruitment strategies that attract and retain world-class faculty and staff. Champion comprehensive onboarding initiatives that accelerate organizational integration. Build and manage relationships with executive search firms, recruiting agencies, and sourcing partners, including those supporting employment sponsorship and immigration-related processes. Partner with Finance and department heads on annual workforce planning, headcount modeling, and strategic staffing analysis. Develop recruitment and outreach strategies that position CCNY as an employer of choice in competitive talent markets. Operations, Systems & Analytics Oversee HR Information Systems (HRIS), including CUNYfirst (PeopleSoft), CUNYWork (Workday) leveraging workforce data, analytics, and reporting to support strategic decision-making. The campus is currently going through a large-scale ERP transition from PeopleSoft to Workday, with a go-live date of January 2027. This role will have executive oversight over all HR related aspects of this implementation. Employee Relations & Engagement: Direct programs aimed at fostering a positive workforce environment, resolving cross-departmental conflicts, administering performance evaluation metrics, and delivering robust professional development and wellness programs. Ensure compliance with all federal, state, and local employment laws; maintain and update employee handbook, policies, and procedures. Ensure the accuracy and consistency of HR policies, communications, reporting, and metrics; lead the strategic use of HR data by overseeing staff who develop reports, dashboards, and analytics, and apply insights to inform decisions and drive continuous improvement. Oversee all data analytics including, analyzing turnover data to implement retention strategies, particularly for high-need subject areas and support roles. Benefits Administration Lead the strategic design, administration, and continuous improvement of all employee benefits programs, including health and welfare plans, retirement programs, leave policies, wellness initiatives, and voluntary benefits. Ensure full compliance with federal, state, and local regulations governing employee benefits, including ERISA, ACA, COBRA, HIPAA, FMLA, and related reporting and disclosure requirements. Provide enterprise-wide leadership for benefits communications, employee education, enrollment processes, and issue resolution while leveraging data analytics to drive informed decision-making and enhance workforce engagement and retention. Qualifications This position is in CUNY’s Executive Compensation Plan. All executive positions require a minimum of a Bachelor’s degree and eight years’ related experience. Preferred Qualifications Master’s degree in Human Resources, Public Administration, Business, Law, or a related discipline. Minimum of ten years of progressively responsible HR experience, including at least five years in a senior leadership role leading HR function. Proven success in unionized, public-sector, or higher education environments. Demonstrated ability to lead large, cross-functional HR teams and drive complex organizational change. Advanced knowledge of HRIS platforms, data reporting tools, employment law, and labor relations. Expertise in business process mapping, redesign, and implementation of scalable systems that promote operational excellence and efficiency. Skilled in using data and metrics to guide strategic planning, assess performance, and inform continuous improvement initiatives. Outstanding interpersonal, communication, and organizational skills with a track record of building trust and fostering collaboration. Tangible experience developing strategies, mobilizing resources, and executing with intended consequence. Meticulous attention to detail, accuracy in matters of proofreading, document processing, and relaying messages. Candidate must have seasoned competence in project management with ability to toggle between day-to-day service delivery and advance long-term objectives. Ability to successfully navigate within a complex governance model.

CUNY TITLE

Assistant Vice President Compensation And Benefits Salary Range: $180,000 - $195,000 CUNY's benefits contribute significantly to total compensation, supporting health and wellness, financial well-being, and professional development. We offer a range of health plans, competitive retirement/pension benefits and savings plans, tuition waivers for CUNY graduate study and generous paid time off. Our staff also benefits from the extensive academic, arts, and athletic programs on our campuses and the opportunity to participate in a lively, diverse academic community in one of the greatest cities in the world.

CLOSING DATE

August 23, 2026

JOB SEARCH CATEGORY

CUNY Job Posting: Executive

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

CUNY encourages people with disabilities, minorities, veterans and women to apply. At CUNY, Italian Americans are also included among our protected groups. Applicants and employees will not be discriminated against on the basis of any legally protected category, including sexual orientation or gender identity. EEO/AA/Vet/Disability Employer. Job ID: 32539 Location: City College of New York Job Type: Full-Time #J-18808-Ljbffr The City University of New York