Chief People Officer

At Oakton College, we know education changes lives - and that starts with the people who make it happen. For more than 50 years, we've built a welcoming and inclusive community where students from all backgrounds and experiences thrive.

We're looking for passionate educators, professionals and leaders to join our team. Whether in the classroom, student support, or behind the scenes, your talents and expertise will make a difference and shape the future.

We provide dynamic learning environments that empower students and employees alike with campuses in Des Plaines and Skokie and a Health Careers Education Center in Evanston.

As a proud institution accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, Oakton is more than a college - it's a place where innovation, equity and lifelong learning drive everything we do. We value diverse perspectives and embrace new ideas and are dedicated to fostering an inclusive and student-centered culture.

The Chief People Officer is responsible for leading and executing the College's strategy to attract, develop and retain talent that supports the College's strategic goals. As part of shaping a thriving people-centered culture throughout the College, the Chief People Officer contributes to the development of equity-minded practices and policies to advance talent acquisition and retention and support a culture grounded in equity and inclusion.

Responsibilities include the oversight of the College's regulatory compliance on HR related matters, employee recruitment and hiring, performance management, employee development and training, compensation and benefit programs, HR information and records management, and employee and labor relations, ensuring a high-quality experience for all employees.

• Plan, organize, and direct work of the Human Resources department, providing transformational leadership and strategic direction in alignment with the college's mission and vision. Establish and implement HR initiatives that effectively communicate and support institutional objectives.
• Advise the President and Administrative team on policy, procedures, rules, regulations, labor union contract interpretation and negotiations, legal requirements, and impacts of legislation regarding issues pertaining to human resources.
• Develop comprehensive strategic recruiting and retention plans to meet the human resources needs in alignment with institutional goals, including ways to identify and eliminate barriers to access, opportunity, and advancement for all individuals.
• Collaborate with members of the President's Council to establish an institutional succession plan that corresponds to the strategy and objectives of the College.
• Oversee all employee matters related to Title IX and non-Title IX matters of sexual harassment, and other forms of harassment and discrimination, as defined by Board of Trustees and College policy including receiving and acting on complaints and ensuring mandatory training for employee compliance.
• Serve as the lead member of the negotiation team during collective bargaining contract negotiations and Memoranda of Understanding, promoting effective labor/management relations.
• Oversee all HR related data, including the completion of internal and external data requests.
• Analyze, interpret, and ensure compliance with state and federal laws, and Board policies and procedures. Liaise with outside legal counsel regarding all matters pertaining to HR as necessary.
• Assure the effective and efficient operation of the Human Resources department. Responsible for the development of accountability measures and tracking mechanisms to demonstrate productivity and progress of initiatives.
• Develop and manage the Human Resources budget, demonstrating accountability and good stewardship of funds.
• Perform other job-related duties as assigned.

Direction is received from the President.

Administrative and functional supervision is exercised over assigned administrative and professional staff.

• Bachelor's degree in human resource management, industrial relations or a related field or the equivalent combination of education and experience from which comparable knowledge and abilities can be acquired is necessary. Master's degree in one of the above fields and/or Professional Human Resources (PHR), Senior Professional Human Resources (SPHR), or other relevant human resources related…