(Hybrid) Strategic HR Partner - Talent and Culture

Reporting to the Director of Strategic HR Partners, the Strategic HR Partner (Consultant) plays a pivotal role in delivering proactive and strategic human resources support to assigned units. As a seasoned HR professional, this role serves as a key advisor to unit senior leadership and management teams, contributing to the development and implementation of HR solutions aligned with unit and university strategies.

About the role

The Strategic HR Partner operates as a collaborative partner, ensuring high-quality customer service, fostering employee engagement, and contributing to the positive culture of the unit. In conjunction with the Director, the Strategic HR Partner is responsible for a key segment of the Strategic Partner function (EE Engagement, Talent Planning & Management, Performance Management Advising, Retention/Talent Excellence, or Strategic Management).

Responsibilities

• Assignment of Units: Serve as the Strategic Partner-Consultant for a portfolio of areas with higher-level complexity of organizational and/or HR-related needs. Assignments may change at the discretion of the Director. Utilize the support of Specialists to deliver services in employee life cycle events such as onboarding, offboarding, and delivering training.
• Strategic Partnership and Alignment:
  • Align work with the overall strategic vision and goals of the leaders and units supported, as well as the larger University.
  • Provide strategic HR and project support to leaders and their units.
  • Collaborate with unit leadership to understand and support the strategic vision of the unit.
  • Define, build, and implement value-added HR strategies and solutions to align with the unit's goals.
• Strategic Advisory Role:
  • Serve as a strategic advisor to unit senior leadership and management teams.
  • Provide guidance on strategic organizational needs, driving change, building high-performing teams, and growing leadership capability aligned with unit strategy.
  • Lead strategic Talent & Culture projects and/or project teams as assigned by the Director or AVP, T&C.
  • Lead development opportunities for other members of the Strategic HR Partner Team and/or other T&C colleagues to build strategic skills within the group.
• Employee Engagement Strategy:
  • Evaluate and advise on activities that correlate with successful employee engagement, including:
    • Onboarding & Offboarding: Assess current practices and find opportunities for improvement within colleges, divisions, and units.
    • Engagement Surveys & Focus Groups: Partner with leaders to conduct surveys and focus groups, assess engagement levels, and identify opportunities for improvement, including follow-up and action plans.
    • Appreciation and Recognition: Work within units to assess and recommend activities and actions related to appreciation and recognition at the college/division level, often in collaboration with a unit-based committee.
  • Collaborate with the Strategic Partner Team, T&C Centers of Expertise, Shared Services, and other internal partners to ensure seamless support for the organization’s people needs.
  • Ensure high-quality customer service to all employees in assigned client areas by maintaining a high level of engagement with direct employee impact.
• Talent Planning & Management:
  • Advise and counsel leadership on advanced talent strategies and work with T&C subject-matter experts to develop plans and initiatives.
  • Translate organizational needs into a people strategy that will advance organizational goals, including:
    • Aligning anticipated workforce changes with strategies to meet unit objectives.
    • Identifying opportunities for leadership and talent development and coordinating with leadership and subject-matter experts to plan and implement development offerings.
    • Attracting, developing, and retaining top talent.
    • Assisting leaders in building strong, effective organizational structures/models that meet the goals of the organization.
    • Proactively engaging in succession planning and identifying high-potential and critical talent development plans with leadership.
• Performance Management Advising:
  • Develop strategies for managing low performers as well as development planning for high performers, including advising on addressing behaviors that may impact performance.
  • Provide coaching for success to people leaders and individual contributors.
  • Assist leaders with goal-setting techniques, monitoring, and tracking goal progress.
  • Coach people leaders through the performance review process, including performance rating calibration and alignment, avoiding rating errors, and applying consistency in evaluation.
• Retention/Talent Excellence:
  • Assess current conditions, identify best practices, and advise on proactive solutions to address retention and talent excellence, including:
    • New Hire Check-ins: Inform the organization on best practices and areas for improvement related to onboarding and new hire orientations.
    • Employee Experience Discussions: Engage in and coach people leaders on implementing this practice to gather input and feedback on daily best practices and opportunities to improve employee engagement.
    • Exit Interviews: Review exit interview data, identify trends for improvement, and address red flag concerns with other T&C subject-matter experts.
    • Compensation Partnership: Develop awareness of compensation concerns and partner with the Compensation team and leadership to develop strategies to address them.
• Strategic Management:
  • Utilize available data and expected variables to address upcoming workforce needs in partnership with college and division leadership, including:
    • Change Management Practices: Study and apply change management practices to assist leadership in developing strategies to approach and integrate changes within their units.
    • Business Acumen: Exhibit a strong understanding of successful business practices within the units, including advising on people strategies that align with business goals, operational initiatives, and financial objectives.
    • Current and Future Organizational Planning: Understand the current organizational structure and talent needs, aid in developing organizational charts, and work strategically with leaders on future organizational structures.
    • Analyze trends within the unit and provide recommendations for Talent & Culture programs or initiatives.
• Client Connections:
  • Develop successful relationships and partnerships with employees and people leaders in supported client areas through:
    • Relationship Development: Maintain a presence in client areas to build strong relationships with people leaders and individual contributors.
    • Leadership Coaching: Conduct regular meetings with unit leaders for trust-building, relationship fostering, and leadership coaching and development.
    • Action Management: Track tasks and actions related to T&C objectives and goals discussed and committed to with organizational leaders.
    • Facilitate leadership meetings with T&C support teams.
• Other Duties: Complete other duties as assigned by the Director or AVP of Talent & Culture.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Organizational Development, Business, or a related field.
• A minimum of six (6) years of relevant professional experience in human resources, with at least 3 years’ experience as a human resources partner or comparable experience.
• Demonstrated successful experience delivering strategic human resources support and consultation to leaders.
• Any equivalent combination of related education and/or experience will be considered. All qualifications must be met by the time of employment.
• Maintain a physical presence on campus at least 60% of the time to better understand the culture of the departments supported.

Skills

• Strong strategic planning skills.
• Experience in leading multiple projects with strong prioritization skills.
• Ability to work closely and collaboratively with all levels of management.
• Excellent interpersonal skills.
• Effective written and verbal communication skills.
• Consultative approach to delivering human resources services.
• Exceptional analytical, reporting, and presentation skills.
• Knowledge of employment laws and practices.
• Ability to handle sensitive confidential information.
• Solid data-gathering and problem-analysis skills.
• Ability to apply judgment to solving both HR issues and business problems.

Preferred Qualifications

• SHRM-CP, SHRM-SCP, or SPHR certification is preferred.

Benefits

• 37.5-hour work week.
• 13 paid holidays (staff holiday calendar).
• 24 annual leave (vacation) days per year.
• 18 sick days per year (for personal illness, caring for sick family, or regularly scheduled medical appointments for self or family).
• Comprehensive health insurance and other benefits.
• 401(a) retirement savings with a 6% employee contribution match, eligibility to continue health insurance, and other retiree perks.
• Wellness programs.

About WVU

West Virginia University is a place of purpose and community. We take pride in our profound impact on the state of West Virginia and are committed to the personal and professional growth of our employees. From the groundbreaking R1 research at our flagship campus in Morgantown to the career-oriented programs at WVU Potomac State in Keyser, and the technology-intensive programs at WVU Tech in Beckley, the contributions of WVU employees resonate across the state, touching lives and shaping futures.