Job Openings >> Central New Mexico Community College - Chief Human Resources Officer
Central New Mexico Community College - Chief Human Resources Officer
Summary
Title:Central New Mexico Community College - Chief Human Resources Officer
ID:1211
Description
Central New Mexico Community College
Chief Human Resources Officer

Academic Career & Executive Search is pleased to assist Central New Mexico Community College (CNM) in their search for a Chief Human Resources Officer.

This is a remarkable opportunity for a results-driven leader skilled in best HR practices to serve as the Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) in this newly created position.

Central New Mexico Community College shines as an exceptionally strong and innovative institution well-positioned to meet the demands of the changing higher education landscape. With significant capital investments geared towards student success including building a new student services facility, and the implementation of a new ERP/SIS, CNM is committed to the development of an even stronger student experience. The Chief Human Resources Officer will lead and organize CNM’s workforce in meeting their mission that furthers student and community success and strives for organizational excellence and innovation. The CHRO will be responsible for helping the CNM enterprise – including the College, the College’s 501(c)(3) economic development organization (CNM Ingenuity) and the Foundation – maintain its compliance standards while creating a culture that effectively attracts, supports, develops, and retains top talent. The successful candidate is responsible for the overall administration, coordination and evaluation of compensation and benefits, talent management and development, performance management, and employment policy development. 

The position reports directly to the President and works closely with the general counsel who leads labor efforts with the College’s 3 unions (5 collective bargaining units). The CHRO will provide important strategic and tactical guidance to the leadership team as the Human Resources Department moves beyond compliance to one who helps its workforce adapt to an evolving and competitive environment of hybrid work, with modern technology and analytics, and adaptive compensation programs. Consistent with the College’s status as a Hispanic-serving and Native American-serving institution, the CHRO works closely with students, faculty and staff and community leaders to promote the success of all students, particularly underserved populations, and foster a diverse workforce. 


Essential Duties and Responsibilities

General 
  • Serve as a strategic partner to the President and Executive Team on all matters pertaining to College, Ingenuity and Foundation employees.  
  • Promote a climate committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion with individuals and leaders across the College; works with the Executive Director of the DEI Office and the DEI Leadership Team (which includes a dedicated Human Resources Department staff member) to ensure policies and procedures align with the College’s equity goals. 
  • Communicate effectively ensuring broad buy-in and commitment to action, based on effective working relationships with others at all levels in the organization, including designated leaders of employee groups and people of diverse backgrounds 
  • Create and contribute to a culture of collaboration, mutual respect, timely response, and creativity in addressing initiatives and issues. 
  • Provide quality service to all who engage with the Human Relations Department 

Coordination and Representation 
  • Serve as CNM’s primary representative at the Collaborative for Higher Education Shared Services (CHESS) steering committee and operational committees on human capital management (HCM) shared system; recommend operational changes (CHESS and college levels) to increase efficiency, effectiveness, and equity of human resources across the College. 
  • Represent the Human Resources Department to the Governing Board; provide technical expertise, information, and assistance to the President, communicate with college enterprise administrators, staff, and contractors to coordinate activities, programs, and services; provide leadership consistent with the mission and function of the College; and lead or participate on college committees, initiatives, teams, or ad-hoc groups.  
  • Develop and coordinate employee communication programs that contribute to employee morale and understanding of the College’s mission, vision, values, policies, and practices.  

Leadership and Supervision 
  • Hire, train, supervise, mentor and develop, counsel, discipline, and evaluate HR team; promote a culture of quality customer service. 
  • Lead collegewide efforts in leadership development and career pathways, which includes coordinating, hosting, and evaluating supervisor and executive leadership training.  
  • Coordinate succession plans across the College enterprise, from director level and up.  

Budget Administration 
  • Plan, develop and administer the Human Resources Department’s annual budget; review, analyze, and make recommendations on budget for the office and the College enterprise’s total workforce; monitor, control, and authorize the Department’s expenditures; maintain appropriate records and documentation consistent with college policies and procedures.  
  • Develop a college enterprise strategic workforce needs analysis and staffing plan; work with the Budget Office, department, and school leaders to develop the college enterprise’s budgeted staffing levels. 

HRIS/HR Metrics 
  • Manage and direct the HRIS strategy, testing and development of information systems that support business processes of the New Mexico Collaborative for Higher Education Shared Services (CHESS) and the College enterprise; develop and implement the vision for optimizing use of the new human capital management (HCM) and payroll systems at CHESS and the College; use HRIS data to make informed recommendations and decisions.  

Classification and Compensation 
  • Develop and maintain a comprehensive classification plan for positions; conduct or oversee classification and compensation studies (master salary schedule and contract positions); audit positions, recommend new classifications as needed, and allocate positions using established methods of job evaluation; and gather, analyze, and interpret compensation and benefits data.  
  • Assess and develop classification and compensation scenarios and systems for component units of the College to help units meet their purpose. 

Benefits Administration 
  • Manage staff that administer employee health and welfare benefit programs; work with Director of Benefits to evaluate and recommend plan modifications that ensure the employee value proposition is robust and understandable; ensure compliance with applicable state and federal laws and collective bargaining agreements; and manage staff that administer the College’s workers’ compensation and reasonable accommodation programs.  

Labor and Employee Relations 
  • Work with College General Counsel to develop and prepare strategies for bargaining for labor negotiations; on communications to keep stakeholders informed about the status of negotiations; research, write, and interpret contract language to achieve the goals set by the Board and President; ensure compliance with the bargaining units.  
  • Plan, coordinate, and direct employee relations services; provide guidance and advice on performance and conduct issues; administer grievance processes; conduct or direct employment investigations; coordinate employee relations matters with legal counsel and make recommendations to the President and Governing Board; develop and implement policies and procedures to effectively support and management academic and classified staff; ensure compliance with state and federal laws and regulations, and College policies and procedures; and mediate workplace conflict.  

Talent Acquisition, Recruitment and Retention 
  • Manage staff that assist with sourcing, attracting, recruiting and interviewing candidates and employee on-boarding work; work with stakeholders to determine current staffing needs and staff forecasting; develop recruitment (talent acquisition) strategies and hiring plans; perform sourcing to fill open positions and anticipate future needs; plan and conduct recruitment and selection processes; ensure positive candidate experience; ensure fair, consistent, efficient application of recruitment/EEO processes; and use of metrics to create reports and identify areas of improvement. 

EEO and Title IX Compliance 
  • Manage staff that assist with faculty, staff, or student EEO complaints and investigations (discrimination and harassment); evaluate investigation reports, advise individuals and departments on appropriate action(s); collaborate with general counsel and risk manager, as appropriate; serve as the Title IX coordinator for faculty and staff; and provide mediation, if needed. 

Record Retention 
  • Manage staff that maintain human resources/employee records, files and data required by state and federal laws and regulations; in coordination with College’s records custodian, develop appropriate records retentions systems and schedules.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Skills and Abilities:
 
  • Exhibits highly developed work and personal qualities demonstrating seasoned experience in leading a college HR department 
  • Effective oral and written communication skills 
  • Strong interpersonal skills 
  • Ability to innovate, plan for change, and lead continuous improvement, while maintaining the integrity of the HRIS and functions 
  • Fluency in primary human resources functions including recruitment, equal opportunity, Title IX, compensation, and benefits, HRIS and data metrics, collective bargaining, grievance and discipline procedures, performance appraisal, and records management. 
  • Plan, organize, coordinate, and direct employer-employee relations programs and activities for academic and classified staff 
  • Interpret, apply, and explain complex policies and legal requirements 
  • Provide technical expertise and assistance to enterprise staff regarding assigned functions 
  • Select, assign, orient, train, supervise, counsel, discipline, and evaluate employee performance of staff. 
  • Aid in planning, negotiation, and implementing collective bargaining agreements. 
  • Oversee, use, and administer a complex human resource information system (HRIS) 
  • ensure the accurate and timely preparation, maintenance and retention of employee files, data, reports, and documentation 
  • Prepare and present comprehensive written and oral reports and recommendations in a professional and effective manner. 
  • Ensure the integrity of College HRIS functions 
  • Encourages professional development and excellence in employee performance 
  • Establish and maintain effective and cooperative working relationships with others, including people of diverse socioeconomic, cultural, ethnic and disability backgrounds. 
  • Demonstrates strength of personal character: high ethics and integrity; objective and fair approach to decision-making; tact, patience, and diplomacy in all actions and communication; expectation for accountability in self and others; and courage to lead effectively and expeditiously in an environment with competing needs and perspectives. 

Knowledge:
  • Principles and practices of human resources management, including recruitment, classifications, and compensation in the public sector 
  • State and federal laws and regulations related to human resources management, collective bargaining, and community college administration 
  • Human resources information systems function, particularly Workday. 
  • Wage and hour administration 
  • Techniques and legal mandates pertaining to recruitment, selection, employee classification and records management. 
  • Principals of administration, supervision, performance evaluation and training 
  • Principles and practices of budget preparation and administration 
  • Progressive discipline procedures and documentation. 
  • Strategic workforce planning and relation to organizational strategic plan 

Minimum Qualifications
  • Bachelor's degree in field or subject area that relates to the knowledge, skills, and abilities required for the successful completion of the position, job duties and responsibilities. 
  • Five years of varied and increasingly responsible human resources management experience.  
  • Demonstrated sensitivity to and understanding of the diverse academic, socioeconomic cultural, ethnic, and disability backgrounds of community college students and employees.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
  • Master’s degree
  • Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR), Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM) Certification, or other related specific human resources education and training. 
  • Experience working with or for complex enterprise entities, ones that include component units with varied workforce groups and compensation systems. 
  • Public educational or public sector experience in interest-based bargaining. 


About Central New Mexico Community College: 

Founded in 1964 as Albuquerque Technical Vocational Institute, a locally supported vocational school, the College was accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (now the Higher Learning Commission) in 1978. Degree-granting power was approved by the New Mexico Legislature in 1986, signaling the College’s transformation into a comprehensive community college. In 2006, the institution changed its name to Central New Mexico Community College (CNM) to better reflect the breadth of offerings and the service area. CNM currently offers Associate of Arts, Associate of Science and Associate of Applied Science degrees, as well as many certificate programs and non-credit certifications and licensures. Over the last decade, CNM has consistently enrolled the largest undergraduate student body in the state. 

In U.S. Department of Education statistics, CNM regularly ranks among the top five two-year colleges nationwide for the number of associate degrees and certificates awarded to both Hispanics and Native Americans. CNM also regularly ranks among the top 10 for total associate degrees and certificates awarded to all students. 

CNM served more than 33,100 students during the 2019-20 academic year – there were 23,096 students taking credit classes in the 2019 Fall Term. Despite the various impacts and challenges presented by the pandemic, more than 20,000 students took credit classes in the 2020 Fall Term. In the 2019-20 fiscal year, CNM also served more than 4,100 individuals through non-credit workforce training and industry testing for credentials/licensures; and more than 1,800 individuals participated in CNM’s Adult Basic Education non-credit programs, such as English as a Second Language and High School Equivalency prep courses. 

CNM’s student body reflects the diversity of the community it serves. CNM is both a Hispanic Serving Institution and a Native American Serving Institution. CNM also serves more than 1,000 military veteran students who receive federal education benefits, the most in the state. 

In 2014, CNM started CNM Ingenuity, Inc., a non-profit 501(c)3 organization created under the New Mexico Research Park Act. CNMI supports a new approach to education that provides accelerated educational and training opportunities in key workforce areas, wrap-around support for aspiring entrepreneurs, and cooperative ventures that foster economic development and job creation in the region. Through CNMI, the College has been providing an innovative, non-traditional higher education environment that helps spur economic growth in New Mexico. National higher education publication “Education Dive” named CNM the 2018 “Innovator of the Year” for becoming the first community college in the country to issue digital diplomas to graduates through blockchain technology, an effort driven by CNMI. 

In 2020, CNM Ingenuity’s 12-week Deep Dive Coding program was selected as the 2020 Higher Education Program of the Year for the New Mexico Excellence in STEM Awards, which is managed by the Air Force Research Lab New Mexico. 

Also in 2020, CNM was presented with the Excellence in Workforce Development Award from Albuquerque Economic Development for the outstanding impacts of the College’s longstanding and highly regarded Nursing program. CNM is heavily relied upon to support the regional economy’s workforce development needs across many sectors, from the healthcare industry to the state’s booming film industry to the IT industry to the trades.
 
CNM also has a well-earned reputation for providing outstanding service to our students, both in the community and nationally. In 2013, CNM won the national Student Success Award from the American Association of Community Colleges for significant gains in graduation numbers and the implementation of an innovative student support model. 

The CNM Foundation, a 501(c)3 organization, has raised more than $44.8 million dollars to fund 33,000-plus student scholarships and program support since its inception in 1992. CNM formed the Foundation to leverage private funding resources and opportunities to support students and the College. 

CNM has nine locations for easy student access across CNM’s District, including five campuses. The campuses are located in each quadrant of Albuquerque, and one in nearby Rio Rancho. The campuses include Main Campus near downtown Albuquerque and the University of New Mexico; the Joseph M. Montoya Campus in the Northeast Heights; the Westside Campus; the South Valley Campus; and the Rio Rancho Campus. The College also offers programs and services at the Advanced Technology Center and Workforce Training Center in north Albuquerque, and the STEMulus Center and FUSE Makerspace in downtown Albuquerque. Each of the locations has had recent upgrades to facilities, technology, and signage. 

The largest classroom building, Max Salazar Hall located on Main Campus, recently reopened after a major renovation. In addition, a new Education Collaborative building opened on Main Campus in August 2019. This building represents an exciting collaboration among CNM, Albuquerque Public Schools (APS) and the Native American Community Academy (NACA) charter school. The College & Career High School (CCHS), a highly successful dual-credit high school that’s operated through a partnership between CNM and APS, is located in the new building, as is CNM’s Teacher Education programs and NACA’s high school students. 

CCHS students typically spend half of their day taking APS classes, and the other half taking CNM classes that count for both college credit and high school elective credit. Many CCHS students graduate from the high school with a CNM associate degree and enough college credits to enter a university as a junior. For the 2018-19 school year, CCHS posted a 98.5 percent graduation rate, the highest in APS and one of the highest in the state. The high school’s graduation rate and overall performance has consistently ranked among the state’s best since it opened in August 2013. CNM’s dual credit courses are available to high school students across the region. 

CNM operates on an annual budget with a fiscal year beginning on July 1. However, the budget and resource allocation processes are a multi-year activity which assures that funding from all sources is continuously consistent with long-range policies, programmatic goals and specific campus roles and objectives of the College. The budget process is based on criteria established by the New Mexico Higher Education Department for the purpose of ensuring consistency in the development and reporting of budget information among institutions of higher education. 

CNM’s major sources of operating revenue are state appropriations (41%), local mill levy (39%) and tuition and fees (17%). In 2013, the HED implemented a performance–based funding formula model which now serves to distribute state appropriations to institutions of higher education in New Mexico. The College budget is developed with input from the College and is guided by financial policies approved by the CNM Governing Board. 

CNM is in sound financial health and fiscally responsible. In the most recent review of CNM’s finances for a bond rating in summer 2018, Moody’s Investors Services, Inc. reaffirmed the college’s credit rating as Aa1, and Standard and Poor’s Corporation reaffirmed CNM’s AA+ rating. For four straight years from the FY2016 through FY2019 fiscal years, the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada awarded the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting to CNM for its comprehensive annual financial reports (CAFR). CNM’s well-managed cash balances and strong budgetary management contribute to and are indicators of a positive financial direction and strong, stable management. 

 
Living in the Area

Albuquerque, New Mexico’s largest city, sits in the high desert. Set in the high desert of Central New Mexico, Albuquerque is New Mexico’s largest city and gateway to the striking natural beauty and cultural diversity of the state. With over 300 days of sunshine a year, low humidity, short commute times, and a relaxed pace, Albuquerque is easy to live in and offers an endless mix of Native culture, lively entertainment, dining, and shopping. Adding to that are a favorable tax climate and the state’s strong fiscal health and a cost of living nearly 9% below national average. 
 
Its modern Downtown core contrasts with Old Town Albuquerque, dating to the city’s 1706 founding as a Spanish colony. Old town is filled with historic adobe buildings, such as San Felipe de Neri Church, 5 museums, and shops selling Native American handicrafts. Nearby, the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center traces the area’s tribal history. 
 
From the Sandi Mountains bordering Albuquerque’s eastern edge to the Natural Center State Park near the Rio Grande River, the area offers exceptional outdoor recreation. From the modern sensibilities of downtown to historic Old Town, history, culture, and nightlife await. And from proud traditional ranging from the annual International Balloon Fiesta to the luminaria walk each holiday season, Albuquerque is a unique place with varied treasures. 

To Apply 

Please do not email applications. 

Applications will be reviewed as they are received and should include a cover letter and curriculum vita. Cover letter should not exceed two pages. All applications are treated confidentially.

Inquiries, referrals, and nominations are treated confidentially:

Inquiries and questions: Please send to cnmchro@acesrch.com 
Nominations and referrals: Please send to nominations@acesrch.com 

Equal Opportunity Statement
 It is the policy of Central New Mexico Community College (the “College”) to provide equal employment opportunity without regard to age, ancestry, color, mental or physical disability, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, serious medical condition, sex, sexual orientation, spousal affiliation, veteran status, or any other protected class in any of its policies, practices, or procedures in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws, nor will it condone any act of illegal discrimination or harassment on the part of its employees.  This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment and prohibits any form of workplace harassment based on an employee’s protected class. 

The College confirms that this provision of the handbook by its reference to applicable federal, state, and local laws prohibits and condemns any retaliation or interference of any kind against any employee engaging in the exercise of free speech or in activities protected by federal, state, or local laws. 

Upon request, the College will provide reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities with regard to conditions of employment as provided by applicable federal, state, and local laws
. 

 
This opening is closed and is no longer accepting applications
ApplicantStack powered by Swipeclock