Assistant Associate Vice President for Human Resources, Training and Performance

James Madison University (JMU) invitesnominations and applications for the position of Assistant / Associate Vice President for HR Training and Performance.

James Madison University

Founded in 1908 James Madison University is a public university located in Virginias Shenandoah Valley. JMU is fast becoming one of the nations leading lights in higher education because students enjoy unusually engaged relationships with world-class faculty who are here because they want to pursue knowledge and make teaching their No. 1 priority.

As an R2 institution JMU is committed to creating and sustaining an environment where faculty can invest deeply in their identities as teachers scholars and creatives. As teacher-scholars faculty embrace discovery and exploration across disciplines and borders in support of real-world impact.

JMU offers our faculty and staff the flexibility to grow and evolve across a career and understands that student-centered teaching research and service are core to our educational mission. They can be integrated and should be celebrated. As JMU grows into the R2 space the mission and vision remain the same but opportunities expand as JMU reimagines the ways the work supports teaching scholarship creative activity and service.

Teaching: JMU values many forms of teaching that intersect withand are enhanced byresearch scholarship and creative activity. Inclusive high-impact pedagogies bolster student learning and critical thinking with respect to disciplinary content as well as supplement skills development and workforce readiness.

Scholarship/Creative Activity: JMU involves students at all levels in scholarship and creative activity in collaboration with faculty and staff. All forms of research and creative activity are valued including community-driven and interdisciplinary scholarship that responds to the needs of the community commonwealth and beyond.

Service: JMUs service contributes to the operation of the institution and the well-being of its people. Academic expertise is also shared with organizations and community partners beyond the university and contributes to the betterment of our disciplines and fields.

Mission
We are a community committed to preparing students to be educated and enlightened citizens who lead productive and meaningful lives.

Vision
To be the national model for the engaged university engaged with ideas and the world. For JMU engagement means:

• Engaged Learning: Developing deep purposeful and reflective learning while uniting campus and community in the pursuit creation application and dissemination of knowledge.
• Civic Engagement: Advancing the legacy of James Madison the Father of the Constitution by preparing individuals to be active and responsible participants in a representative democracy dedicated to the common good.
• Community Engagement: Fostering mutually beneficial and reciprocal partnerships ranging from local to global that connect learning to practice address critical societal problems and improve quality of life.

Values

• Academic Quality
• Community
• Diversity
• Excellence
• Integrity
• Student Focus

Strategic Plan

In 2025 JMU launched a new strategic planning process The Madison Promise outlining its bold commitment to transformational education pioneering research and belonging.

BEING THE CHANGE

Being the Change is not just a slogan; its a way of life at JMU. Anyone here will tell you that using ones intellect heart and action is what being a member of this community is all about.

JMUs vision is to be the national model for the engaged university: engaged with ideas and the world. This vision signifies the foundation of our brand: Intellect Action.

When Intellect engages with Action around the mission of preparing students to be enlightened citizens who lead meaningful lives it catalyzes the essence of our brand: Being the Change. Being the Change is the rallying cry at the heart of the JMU educational experience and the common bond among our students alumni faculty and all members of our exceptional community.

The Role

Reporting to the Vice President for Administration and Finance the Assistant / Associate Vice President for HR Training and Performance provides strategic leadership to the Human Resources and Talent Development departments ensuring alignment with the universitys mission and high standards of service and performance. The role also includes supporting the VP for Administration and Finance with special projects and serving on various university committees to drive policy compensation and engagement initiatives. Because of the collaborative nature of this role the successful candidate is expected to be on-site at our Harrisonburg campus.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Provides leadership supervision performance evaluation coaching guidance and encouragement to the Director for Human Resources (HR) and Director of Talent Development (TD).
• Provides leadership supervision performance evaluation coaching guidance and encouragement to an Administrative Assistant and a Policy and Compliance Specialist.
• Lead the implementation of collective bargaining agreements including establishing institutional processes and timelines to ensure effective and compliant roll-out through strategic leadership and advising on collective bargaining obligations contract interpretation and employee relations in a unionized environment. Guide and support campus stakeholders through labor-relations change ensuring consistent understanding and application of union agreements across academic and administrative units by fostering constructive labor-management relationships and engagement strategies development that promotes communication trust and collaboration as collective bargaining relationships are established. Ensure institutional compliance with collective bargaining agreements and applicable federal state and local labor laws working closely with legal counsel as needed. Direct or support contract negotiations and administration as appropriate including preparation for bargaining coordinating institutional responses and ensuring alignment with university priorities.
• Provides support and assistance to the VP for Administration and Finance coordinating special projects as needed.
• Provides strategic guidance to the Human Resources Director ensuring the departments strong commitment to the university and divisional mission as well as a high level of customer service performance and effectiveness. The Human Resources department oversees recruitment onboarding benefits administration classification compensation employee relations and compliance with applicable laws and policies for all university employees. The Human Resources team is comprised of four A&P faculty members 26 classified staff two wage employees one graduate assistant and one student employee.
• Provides strategic guidance to the Talent Development Director ensuring the departments strong commitment to the university and divisional mission as well as a high level of customer service performance and effectiveness. The Talent Development department created in 2004 designs develops and delivers professional development opportunities for A&P faculty classified staff and wage employees. The work of the team is based on a competency model that includes eight competencies important for success at JMU. The Talent Development team is comprised of two A&P faculty members two classified staff one wage employee one graduate assistant one intern and three student employees.
• Serves as the chair of the University Policy Committee (UPC) the JMU Compensation AdvisoryCouncil (CAC) chair of the A&F Engagement Council a member of the Institute for the Stewardship of the Natural World (ISNW) the University Planning Team (UPT) and the Reengineering Madison Steering Committee.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications

• Undergraduate degree in Human Resources or a related field coupled with proven leadership experience in supervising and guiding human resources management talent development or a related field.
• Experience within a college or university system a closely related field or an organization of equal or greater complexity and understanding higher education administration and governance structures.
• In-depth knowledge of HR practices policies and procedures and talent development strategies and programs.
• Demonstrated significant leadership experience in labor relations and collective bargaining preferably within a higher education or public-sector environment with strong knowledge of employment and labor laws applicable to unionized workplaces. Proven ability to advise executive leadership and work collaboratively with academic and administrative stakeholders with demonstrated skill in change management stakeholder engagement and conflict resolution during periods of organizational transition.
• Candidates must possess a fundamental understanding of all relevant laws regulations and practices to ensure compliance with governing agencies.
• The successful candidate will provide evidence of effective leadership to include operating in a culture of teamwork including trust respect and dignity. Candidates must possess a proven ability to create an environment where others are motivated to achieve shared goals.
• Demonstrate the ability to establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with superiors subordinates and colleagues.
• Excellent project management skills with the ability to coordinate special projects and initiatives.
• Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills with a high level of customer service.
• Ability to effectively manage and guide departments to align with organizational missions and goals.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to review and improve programs and processes.

Preferred Qualifications

• Masters degree in Human Resources Labor Relations Business Administration Organizational Development or a related field preferred.
• Professional HR certifications such as SHRM-CP SHRM-SCP PHR or SPHR are preferred.
• Experience supporting or implementing collective bargaining and labor-relations practices in a newly unionized or transitioning organization including developing policies procedures training and labor-management structures from the ground up.
• Experience managing or overseeing multiple bargaining units or employee groups.
• Experience partnering with legal counsel on labor-relations strategy and compliance.

The rank of the position will be determined based on the qualifications and experience of the successful candidate.

Application Process

While applications and nominations will be accepted until a successful candidate has been appointed interested parties are encouraged to submit their materials by July 24 2026 to receive optimal consideration.

Nominations and application materials which should include a letter indicating the applicants interest experience and qualifications for the position and resume must be submitted electronically to:

Buffkin/Baker

Martin Baker Managing Partner

Sharon Hansen Senior Associate

To learn more about this opportunity please view the full Leadership Profile.

Required Experience:

Exec