Director of Human Resources

Davidson, NC, United States

Davidson College seeks an agile, hands‑on, and forward‑thinking Director, Employee Experience to serve as a key operational leader and strategic thought partner for internal stakeholders, including constituents, direct reports, and the broader HR Team. This role is built for a seasoned HR leader who thrives both in developing proactive, high‑level strategy and working directly  in the weeds —managing modern HR operations, driving digital workflows, and fostering an inclusive, high‑performing workplace culture.

Leading a team of three (two HR Generalists and a Front Desk/Operations Coordinator), this position will directly oversee end‑to‑end employee life cycles, talent acquisition, employee relations, and offboarding, all key functions in engaging our employees at Davidson College. The ideal candidate brings proven leadership experience, deep familiarity with modern HR technology, and a track record of elevating employee engagement across a diverse community.

• Operational Leadership:Partner closely with the CHRO to lead day‑to‑day HR operations, driving process efficiency, compliance, and continuous improvement across all functions.
• Team Management & Mentorship:Lead, develop, and empower direct reports (two HR Generalists and front desk staff), establishing cross‑training practices and clear professional growth paths.
• Forward‑Thinking Strategy:Act as a thought partner across the campus community, anticipating emerging workplace trends and translating them into actionable talent strategies.
• Cross‑Functional
  
  Collaboration:
  
  Partner seamlessly across functional areas—aligning HRIS data integrity, benefits strategy, and Learning & Development initiatives to deliver an integrated, high‑touch experience across the full employee lifecycle/

• Talent Strategy:Support recruiting best practices to source, attract, and hire exceptional, mission‑aligned talent.
• Learning & Development:Oversee professional development programs, manager trainings, and onboarding experiences that promote career growth across the institution.
• Recruitment & Retention:Drive initiatives that attract, grow, and retain a diverse workforce from all backgrounds and experiences.

• Strategic Talent Partnership:Elevate the Talent Acquisition function from transactional posting and offer execution to true talent consulting—proactively sourcing, talent mapping, and building robust candidate pipelines, of exceptional, mission‑aligned talent.
• Hiring Manager Enablement:Serve as a strategic advisor to hiring managers across campus, coaching them on search strategy, interview design, candidate evaluation, bias mitigation, and competitive closing techniques.
• Onboarding & Experience Design:Build holistic candidate engagement touchpoints, pre‑boarding and post‑boarding journeys that maintain candidate and manager excitement to ensure a seamless transition into the Davidson community.

• Candidate‑to‑Employee Lifecycle:Drive the end‑to‑end employee experience from the moment an applicant applies, creating meaningful connections to Davidson College's mission, values, and community long before day one.
• Manager & Employee Lifecycle Support:Champion the ongoing employee journey by partnering with Learning & Development to curate targeted manager training and high‑impact onboarding experiences for employees that promote continuous career growth, active engagement, and a deep sense of belonging across the institution.
• Culture & Engagement:Design and execute holistic engagement, retention, and recognition initiatives that…