The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is seeking a strategic, transformational leader to serve as the inaugural Vice Chancellor and Chief Human Resources Officer (VC-CHRO). Collaborating with leaders across the campus and UCLA Health, the VC-CHRO will be among the most impactful leaders of this distinguished institution.
Campus HR offers comprehensive Human Resource services to approximately 23,600 non-academic employees,approximately 47% of whom are across nine bargaining units. Services include staff recruitment and employment, job classification and compensation, benefit counseling, employee and labor relations, personnel policy and contract administration, staff diversity and equal employment opportunity/affirmative action compliance, staff development, training, organizational development services, and the Staff & Faculty Counseling Center.
The VC-CHRO role encompasses both Campus Human Resources (Campus HR) and UCLA Health Human Resources (Health HR), each with its own distinct operations and cultures but which both support the UCLA missions of teaching, research, and patient care. Health HR is overseen by its Chief Human Resources Officer (Health CHRO), who reports directly to the Vice Chancellor of UCLA Health Sciences and maintains dotted-line relationships with the President of UCLA Health and the Dean of the David Geffen School of Medicine. In addition, the Health CHRO will have a direct line report to the VP-CHRO. UCLA Health has approximately 20,600 full-time employees, approximately 43% of whom are across eight bargaining units.
Reporting directly to Chancellor Julio Frenk and Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost Darnell Hunt, the VC-CHRO will serve as a member of the Chancellor’s cabinet representing both the Campus and Health senior leadership teams, functioning as the chief strategic HR business advisor and participating in strategic and business planning, policy formulation, and program development. Additionally, it is expected that the VC-CHRO will sustain direct and continuous collaboration with the Vice President, Systemwide Human Resources and Chief Human Resources Officer, University of California System Office of the President, who is responsible for HR across the ten-campus system, including medical centers.
Serving in a highly interactive and inclusive position, the VC-CHRO must forge key relationships with university leaders, including vice chancellors, the provost’s senior team, deans and their senior staff across UCLA’s schools and colleges, and faculty, students, and UCLA supporters and volunteers. Moreover, given the position’s scope vis-à-vis Health HR, it is critical for the VC-CHRO to establish a partnership with the leadership of the UCLA Health enterprise. The VC-CHRO will also build relationships with system-wide colleagues. Overseeing human resources policies, practices, and operations management, the VC-CHRO provides guidance and strategic direction to campus and medical center leadership and management on human resource issues facing a complex, large-scale public employer.
In alignment with the UCLA Strategic Plan 2023-2028, which has a specific goal aimed at institutional effectiveness, the overarching opportunity for the VC-CHRO is to champion across UCLA the development and use of new operational and management practices to create alignment around an innovative, sustainable, and strategic human resource framework for the entire UCLA enterprise. In this context, beyond the important leadership and managerial activities of directing a large central administrative function, the VC-CHRO will embrace a set of organizational and institutional priorities that together over time will have a significant impact on UCLA and make a measurable contribution to its success.
The full position description for the role, the required and preferred qualifications, and the process for becoming a candidate can be found here.
The University of California, Los Angeles is required to provide a reasonable estimate of the compensation range for this role. This range takes into account the wide range of factors that are considered in making compensation decisions, including but not limited to experience, skills, knowledge, abilities, education, licensure and certifications, and other business and organizational needs. It is not typical for an individual to be offered a salary at or near the top of the range for a position. Salary offers are determined based on final candidate qualifications and experience. The full salary range for this position is $342,400 to $770,400.
UCLA has retained Opus Partners to support this recruitment. Craig Smith, Senior Partner, Ann K. Adams, Associate Partner, and Marisea Rivera, Senior Associate, are leading the search. Confidential inquiries, applications, and nominations should be submitted by email to Marisea Rivera at marisea.rivera@opuspartners.net. To be considered by the University’s search committee, candidates must provide a CV/resume and a letter of introduction that addresses the specific responsibilities, expectations, and qualifications described above. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. Those who apply before May 24th will receive full consideration.
The University of California is an Equal Opportunity. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, or other protected status under state or federal law.