Job Description

HR Business Partner Strategic Growth Advisor

About The River

TheRiveris not just a college. We are a nationally recognized award-winning institution at the forefront of transforming education and opportunity. As the 2019 Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence co-winner The River has been recognized nationally for innovation equity and student success.

We are expanding boldly:

• The Promise Program guarantees tuition-free associate degrees for eligible local high school graduates breaking down barriers toeducationand accelerating social mobility.
  

• Our partnership with the Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine (VCOM) is launching a full medical school pathway at our Pruitt Campus bringing advanced health education to our region.
  

• We are investing in AI automation and digital learning ecosystems to disrupt the traditional higher education model and prepare students with skills for tomorrows workforce.
  

• Our rallying cry GO FAST. THINK BIG. drives everything we do: speed in execution boldness in vision and excellence in outcomes.
  

At The River we are designing the future of learning and work one that connects academic growth workforce readiness and life success. And we know this: student success starts with employee success.

Our Transformation Journey

At The River HR is not a back-office function. We are building a strategic AI-enabled People & Culture function that sets the pace not only for higher education but for any purpose-driven organization that wants to grow with speed and excellence.

This is an invitation to build notmaintain. Together we are:

• Professionalizing HR with the systems processes and leadership practices of the worlds best companies.
  

• Embedding AI automation andpeopleanalytics into every dimension of HR to make work faster smarter and more human.
  

• Designing a culture of belonging performance and accountability where people thrive leaders grow and teams deliver.
  

• Creating organizational clarity through workforce design succession and leadership enablement.
  

• Proving our value with data dashboards and ROI HR at The River is measured by impact not activity.
  

The HR Business Partner role is central to this journey. You will be a strategic advisor culture shaper and execution catalyst helping leaders translate strategy into workforce designpeoplepractices and measurable results.

About The River & Our Transformation Story

At The River (Indian River State College) we are reimagining what higher education can be for our students our employees and our community. As a nationally recognized institution and recipient of the Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence The River has long been known for academic excellence access and impact. But we are not standing still.

We are building the future of learning and the future ofworktogether. That means:

• Transforming HR into a Future-Ready Engine
  

• We are elevating HR from administrative to strategic making it a growth driver culture architect and enabler of student and institutional success.
  

• Professionalizing & Scaling
  

• We are strengthening our HR systems processes and talent to match the best-run organizations in the world while honoring our mission-driven roots.
  

• Designing for the Future of Education
  

• We are preparing forwhatsnext: AI-powered solutions new models of student success and innovative ways of connecting education to meaningful careers.
  

• Driving Cultural Renewal
  

• We are embedding leadership principles creating accountability and ensuring every employee experiences belonging growth and impact.
  

This is not maintenance work it is transformation work. We are seeking leaders at every level who want to roll up their sleeves innovate and execute leaders who will help us build something bold and lasting. At The River HR is not only supporting themission butleading the way in shaping the future of higher education.

Why Join Us

Joining The River as an HR Business Partner is more than a career move itsan opportunity to make history in higher education this is a uniquely compelling role:

• Mission with Meaning
  

• Every initiative you lead directlyimpactsstudent success and community transformation. Your work will ripple far beyond HR it will shape futures.
  

• Leadership Opportunity
  

• You will sit at the table with executives shaping strategic decisions and influencingleaders atscale. This is a role designed for growth visibility and impact.
  

• Build From Scratch BuildForScale
  

• Youllhave the freedom and responsibility to designnew programs systems and practices. We want builders not maintainers.
  

• Innovation & AI-Powered HR
  

• From HRIS modernization topeopleanalytics you willleverageleading-edge tools to create a smarter faster more human HR function.
  

• A Culture of Belonging & Excellence
  

• We are creating a workplace where employees thrive leaders are accountable and innovation is celebrated. You will help shape that culture every day.
  

• Career Growth & Successor Development
  

• Wedontjust want you to succeed in this role we want to prepare you for your next one. This is alaunchingpad for future HR executives and enterprise leaders.

We value the well-being and professional growth of our employees. Our comprehensive benefits package includes:

Health & Wellness: Medical dental vision flexible spending accounts life insurance supplemental plans and access to our Employee Assistance Program (EAP).

Affordable Coverage: PPO/HMO options starting at just $50/month for individual coverage and $180/month for family coverage.

Retirement Security: Participation in the Florida Retirement System (FRS) plus tax-deferred annuities and Roth 403(b) options.

Time for You: Generous paid vacation personal and sick leave to support work-life balance.

Perks & Discounts: Reduced rates on services and tickets to local attractions.

Growth & Development: Professional development programs leadership training and opportunities to advance your career.

At The River you will not just have a job. You will have a purpose a platform and a chance to leave a legacy.

Purpose of the Role

The HR Business Partner (HRBP) at The River is more than a policy advisor this is a strategic seat at the table. You will partner with executives deans and leaders to design the workforce of the futureembedleadership standards and accelerate transformation.

This role is about:

• Strategic alignment ensuring every HR practice directly supports institutional strategy student success and our mission to disrupt higher education.
  

• Culture shaping coaching leaders to model behaviors of excellence inclusivity and accountability; ensuring our values are lived not laminated.
  

• Leadership enablement providing leaders with the tools insights and frameworks to drive performance build trust and deliver results.
  

• Change leadership guiding leaders and teams through transformation with clarity energy and resilience.
  

• Execution at speed rolling up your sleeves to turn bold ideas into scalable practices policies and programs.
  

The purpose of this role is not just to support leaders it is to help them succeed in leading people so that The River succeeds in transforming lives.

Impact You Will Make

As an HRBP at The River your impact will be visible measurable and lasting. You will:

• Elevate Leadership Impact
  

• Coach andadvise leaders tostrengthen decision-making communication and team engagement.
  

• Build leadership capability frameworks and embed them into performance succession and promotions.
  

• Advance Workforce Strategy
  

• Partner with leaders to design org structures workforce plans and staffing strategies aligned to growth.
  

• Enable workforce agility by aligning talent to the highest-priority initiatives and future skill needs.
  

• Shape a Culture of Belonging & Performance
  

• Activate our values of integrity respect service growth and community in daily practices.
  

• Drive initiatives that strengthen engagement belonging and accountability at every level.
  

• Accelerate Change & Transformation
  

• Translate business priorities into HR strategies that move at the speed of The River.
  

• Lead transformation projects across automation employee experience and service redesign.
  

• Deliver Measurable Business Outcomes
  

• Tiepeoplestrategy to key results: student outcomes employee retention productivity leadership effectiveness.
  

• Use analytics and metrics todemonstrateROI on leadership programs engagement strategies and workforce design.
  

This is a role where your fingerprints will be on the future of The River on the leaders we grow the culture we build and the transformation we achieve together.

Key Capabilities & Mindset

To thrive as an HR Business Partner at The River you must bring both strategic capability and a builders mindset. We are nothiring forcaretakers of existing systems; we are seeking architects and accelerators who can both imagine and implement the future of HR.

You will succeed here if you bring:

• Strategic Foresight
  

• Ability toanticipateworkforce cultural and leadership needs 25 years ahead.
  

• Capacity to design people strategies that not only solve todays challenges but also prepare us for tomorrow.
  

• Execution Excellence
  

• Track recordof turning concepts into tangible programs policies or systems that work at scale.
  

• Comfort with ambiguity resourcefulness in limited-resource environments and a drive to deliver results quickly.
  

• Influence & Relationship Mastery
  

• Ability to build trust with leaders at every level from frontline supervisors to executives.
  

• Skilled at influencing decisions with data storytelling and courage to challenge the status quo when necessary.
  

• Culture & Values Leadership
  

• Deep commitment to fostering equity inclusion and belonging as non-negotiable aspects of leadership.
  

• Role-model behaviors of integrity accountability collaboration and service.
  

• Growth Mindset & Resilience
  

• Passion for continuous learning and developing yourself as a future successor.
  

• Ability to thrive in a fast-moving transformative environment adapting quickly staying resilient and energizing others.
  

This is a role for leaders who are builders not just maintainers people who wake up inspired by the chance to make HR leadership and culture stronger every day.

What You Will Build at The River

As part of The Rivers transformation the HRBP will playa central rolein building systems practices and mindsets that will outlast this decade. You will:

• Leadership Playbook
  

• Define andembedleadership expectations across all levels of management.
  

• Build coaching feedback and development systems that prepare leaders for scale and succession.
  

• Future-Ready Workforce Architecture
  

• Partner with leaders to design org structures that maximize efficiency and agility.
  

• Build workforce plans and role architectures thatanticipatefuture skill needs.
  

• Employee Experience Framework
  

• Design and roll out initiatives that make The River a place where employees feel supported inspired and able to do their best work.
  

• Create shared service practices and HR support models that are modern simple and consistent.
  

• Change Leadership Toolkit
  

• Build tools and frameworks for leaders to navigate transformation effectively.
  

• Train leaders in how to communicate engage and execute through change.
  

• Data-Driven Insights & Metrics
  

• Create dashboards and scorecards that tiepeoplestrategies to measurable results.
  

• Use analytics to surface opportunitiesidentifyrisks and guide leadership decisions.
  

By building these systems you will shape the DNA of The Rivers future workforce and ensure that HR is a driver of both institutional excellence and human impact.

Measures of Success

Your impact as an HR Business Partner at The River will not be measured by activity alone but by the tangible difference you create in leadership culture and performance. Success in this role will beevidencedby:

• Leadership Effectiveness
  

• Leaders across your assigned division consistentlydemonstratestronger capability accountability and alignment with The Rivers values.
  

• Leadership development plans and succession pipelines are built activated and yielding results within 1224 months.
  

• Culture & Employee Experience
  

• Measurable increases in employee engagement belonging and retention in your division supported by visible initiatives you design and execute.
  

• Reduced friction in HR processes employees and leaders report higher satisfaction and speed in accessing HR services.
  

• Strategic Partnership & Influence
  

• Business leaders see you as a trusted advisor and proactive problem solver not only a support resource.
  

• Your influence leads to stronger organizational design better decision-making andpeoplestrategies tied directly to outcomes.
  

• Operational & Transformation Impact
  

• New systems processes or programs you help design are adopted broadly scaled effectively and deliver measurable efficiency.
  

• Clear evidenceof your ability to balance strategic vision with hands-on execution projects move from idea to reality with speed.
  

• Data & Results Orientation
  

• You usepeopleanalytics and workforce data to diagnose issues and guide action with improvements traceable in metrics such as turnover promotion readiness engagement and performance.
  

• You set clear goals for each initiative and track progress adapting strategies where needed to deliver results.
  

In short: you will be successful if leaders employees and peers feel the differenceofyour impact in their performance in their culture and in their future readiness.

Experience & Qualifications

We are seeking builders strategists and advisors with the following experiences and capabilities:

• Strategic HR Partnership
  

• 5 to 7 years of progressive HR or people leadership experience preferably within medium to large organizations with complex structures.
  

• Proven ability to partner with senior leaders as a trusted advisor guiding organizational and workforce decisions.
  

• Culture & Employee Experience
  

• Demonstrated success in embedding culture values and leadership expectations into daily operations.
  

• Experience designing initiatives that improve employee engagement retention and belonging.
  

• Organizational Design & Workforce Planning
  

• Background in workforce architecture role design and succession planning.
  

• Ability to diagnose structural challenges and propose solutions that balance efficiency agility and growth.
  

• Change Leadership & Execution
  

• Experience leading or supporting major transformations systems processes or cultural shifts.
  

• Comfort in environments that require building from scratch witha track recordof creating order out of ambiguity.
  

• People Analytics & Data Orientation
  

• Familiaritywith HR metrics dashboards and data-driven decision-making.
  

• Ability to turn workforce data into actionable insights that shape leadership priorities.
  

• Preferred Backgrounds
  

• Prior experience in highly respected organizations (e.g. Fortune 500 award-winning workplaces or industries known for HR excellence).
  

• Exposure to technology manufacturing services or other sectors where innovation andpeoplestrategy intersect.

Education

• Bachelors degree in Human Resources Business Organizational Development or related fieldrequired.
  
• Masters degree preceded or equivalent
  

• Mindset & Values Alignment
  

• Growth mindset passion for continuous learning and resilience to drive change in a fast-paced environment.
  

• Commitment to The Rivers values of service excellence innovation inclusion and accountability.
  

Classification

Supervisory

FLSA Exempt

Employment Type

Compensation and Application Deadline