• Assistant Vice President, Human Resources
  • New Mexico State University

Position Information

  • New Mexico State University (https://nmsu.edu/) seeks a transformational and experienced human resources executive to serve as its Assistant Vice President for Human Resources. This is an exceptional opportunity for a solution-oriented and future-focused leader to elevate and reimagine the role of human resources, positioning it as a modern and strategic resource for the institution in fulfilling its mission of education, research, extension, outreach, and public service.

    New Mexico State University (NMSU) was founded in 1888 and is New Mexico’s land grant institution and a comprehensive research university dedicated to teaching, research, public service, and outreach at all levels. New Mexico State University’s main campus is located in Las Cruces, NM, and sits on 900 acres. NMSU’s campuses and online programs serve more than 22,000 students from across the U.S. and 89 foreign countries. NMSU is a NASA Space Grant College, a Hispanic-serving institution (HSI), a minority-serving institution (MSI), and home to the first Honors College in New Mexico. Additionally, NMSU recently achieved both R1 status, a prestigious designation awarded to the top research universities in the U.S., and the Carnegie Community Engagement designation by the American Council on Education (ACE, https://www.acenet.edu/Pages/default.aspx and Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching (https://carnegieclassifications.acenet.edu/). NMSU has a commitment to shared governance and serves a multi-cultural population of students and community members across the state at four campuses, a satellite learning center in Albuquerque, locations in each of New Mexico’s 33 counties, and 12 agriculture research and science centers. NMSU truly reflects the region’s vibrant communities – an exciting place to tackle challenges, find answers to important issues, and prepare for the future.

    The Assistant Vice President for Human Resources (AVPHR) will join the University at a time of forward momentum and change. With the recent appointment of President Valerio Ferme (https://president.nmsu.edu/index.html), and an institutional strategic planning process on the horizon, the AVPHR has the opportunity to collaborate with and support the President and other senior leaders in the development and implementation of a bold vision for the future of the University.

    The AVPHR will be charged with shaping a service and solution-oriented strategy for human resources that charts a path for the future and further establishes the function as a value-added and strategic resource for the community. Areas of opportunity include but are not limited to creating efficiencies, optimizing technology, and elevating service delivery, building and deepening collaborative relationships across the academic enterprise, advancing a comprehensive classification and market-driven compensation program, establishing training and development opportunities for managers, enhancing onboarding programming, and shaping a performance management strategy grounded in a framework of coaching, development and accountability.

    The incoming AVPHR will serve as an institutional change agent, crafting a culture of collaboration and agility within the human resources organization and advancing its capacity to grow and evolve to meet the human capital needs of the University. The successful candidate will bring experience envisioning, designing, and implementing strategies to enhance service delivery, streamlining business processes, optimizing technology, and cultivating connections with colleagues across the organization. An understanding of best practices and having an eye for new possibilities and emerging challenges in the rapidly changing higher education environment will be critical to this leader's success. As a result, the AVPHR will establish human capital partnerships, programs, and services to meet the needs of today's NMSU employees and anticipate and prepare to meet tomorrow's workforce needs in support of the institution's strategic priorities.

    In addition, the AVPHR will be skilled in influencing and encouraging constituents, colleagues, and leaders to promote ideas and advance change where authority may reside with others. Possessing managerial courage and the ability to speak with candor, as well as experience making difficult or unpopular decisions and demonstrating the resilience and willingness to hold others accountable, will be important competencies and experiences for this leader, given the time of transformation for the organization. The executive should demonstrate self-awareness and be viewed as a highly collaborative bridge builder who establishes trust through transparency and consultation with stakeholders across the organization.

    The NMSU community seeks a leader who has unquestionable integrity. In addition, the executive will embody NMSU's values of leadership, excellence, and access, and a reputation for being both a leader committed to excellent service delivery and creative solutions in meeting organizational human capital needs. At least 10 years of progressive leadership in human resources in a complex mission-driven environment and an earned bachelor's degree from an accredited institution of higher education are required. Prior experience in higher education and a master's degree in human resources, business administration, or a related field are preferred.

    All applications, nominations, and inquiries are invited. Applications should include, as separate documents, a CV or resume and a letter of interest addressing the themes in this profile found at https://apptrkr.com/6208912. WittKieffer is assisting New Mexico State University in this search. For consideration, candidate materials should be received by June 2, 2025. Applications, nominations, and inquiries can be directed to Sarah Palmer and Tyler Workman at NMSU_AVPHR@wittkieffer.com.

    New Mexico State University is a proud and dedicated land-grant, space-grant, Hispanic-serving, and minority-serving institution located in the borderlands and tribal lands regions. With priorities centering on equity and inclusion, NMSU is committed to practices that leverage the insight emerging from the intersectional diversity of our students, staff, faculty, and communities that we serve and support through outreach and Extension, research, and teaching.

    New Mexico State University (NMSU) does not discriminate on the basis of age, ancestry, color, disability, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, retaliation, serious medical condition, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, spousal affiliation or protected veteran status in its programs and activities, including admissions, as required by state and federal law and University policy. NMSU’s Office of Institutional Equity is designated as the office that receives and processes internal complaints of unlawful discrimination, harassment, retaliation, and sexual misconduct on behalf of NMSU.

    NMSU has designated William Nutt as the Title IX Coordinator, responsible for ensuring compliance with Title IX and other state and federal laws addressing sexual and gender-based harassment, including sexual assault, dating and domestic violence, stalking, and other forms of sexual misconduct based on sex, gender, sexual orientation, or gender identity. NMSU recognizes that individuals with disabilities are entitled to access, support, and, when appropriate, reasonable accommodation. William Nutt is also assigned to coordinate compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Section 504, and other state and federal laws that prohibit discrimination on the basis of disability in admission, treatment, and/or access to its programs and activities.

    Inquiries may be directed to the Executive Director, Title IX and Section 504 Coordinator, Office of Institutional Equity, P.O. Box 30001, E. 1130 University Avenue, Las Cruces, NM 88003; 575.646.3635; 575.646.7802 (TTY) equity@nmsu.edu

Organization Information

  • https://www.nmsu.edu
  • https://apptrkr.com/6208912