Director, Human Resources

Director of Human Resources 

Gallatin School of Individualized Study – New York University

NYU’s Gallatin School of Individualized Study is seeking a dynamic and strategic Director of Human Resources to lead the School’s HR operations, ensuring excellence in service, compliance, and alignment with Gallatin’s mission. As the senior HR leader at Gallatin, the Director will serve as a trusted advisor to senior leadership, driving initiatives that support talent acquisition, retention, professional development, and employee engagement across a diverse workforce—including administrators, faculty, staff, adjuncts, researchers, and student employees. Reporting to the Chief Administrative Business Officer, with accountability to the Vice President/CHRO, the Director will play a pivotal role in shaping HR strategies, implementing best practices, and ensuring compliance with university policies and employment laws. This leader will be instrumental in fostering a collaborative, inclusive, and high-performing work environment that reflects the values of Gallatin’s vibrant academic community.

Key Responsibilities:

• Provide strategic HR expertise and operational leadership to ensure a high-functioning, people-first workplace.
• Lead talent acquisition, workforce planning, compensation, performance management, training, and employee relations to foster a thriving workforce.
• Collaborate with Gallatin and NYU leadership to enhance recruitment, retention, and professional development initiatives.
• Utilize HR analytics and data-driven insights to inform leadership decisions and optimize HR services.
• Ensure compliance with university policies, employment laws, and collective bargaining agreements while maintaining the highest levels of discretion and integrity.
• Champion a diverse, inclusive, and engaging culture, identifying opportunities for collaboration across NYU schools to enhance HR operations and efficiency.

The ideal candidate is a proactive problem-solver with exceptional judgment, credibility, and discretion, capable of navigating complex workplace challenges with confidence and integrity. As a collaborative leader, this individual will build strong partnerships across the institution, driving HR initiatives that align with organizational goals and enhance the employee experience. They will be a data-driven strategist, leveraging HR analytics to inform decision-making, optimize processes, and measure the impact of key initiatives. Beyond technical expertise, this leader will be a champion of workplace culture—committed to fostering an environment of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. With a passion for employee engagement and organizational effectiveness, they will play a pivotal role in shaping a positive and inclusive workplace where all employees can thrive.

Why Join Gallatin? 

NYU Gallatin is a one-of-a-kind academic community where students design their own interdisciplinary studies. As Gallatin’s HR leader, you’ll help shape an environment where faculty, staff, and students can thrive. This is a great opportunity if you’re looking to make an impact in a highly respected, mission-driven institution.

Apply now to be a part of the future of HR at NYU Gallatin!

Required Education:
Bachelor's Degree.

Preferred Education:
Master's Degree in Human Resources Management or related field.

Required Experience:
7+ years relevant experience as a Human Resources manager/director or an equivalent combination of education and experience. Must include in-depth knowledge of a variety of areas in human resources, HR systems and reporting, and experience managing staff, administrative processes, and strategic initiatives and projects.

Preferred Experience:
7+ years experience supervising, developing, and overseeing the implementation of policies and practices in an academic and/or nonprofit environment. Project management certification (EX: Six Sigma)and/or Design Thinking/Systems thinking training/experience. Ability to interpret, analyze, and organize large sets of data and experience working with Excel and data visualization tools (Tableau) a plus.

Required Skills, Knowledge and Abilities:

• Strong analytical, planning, and conceptual abilities, along with sharp problem-solving skills, and excellent written and verbal communication skills are required.
• Operates with impeccable integrity and confidentiality, builds trust.
• Proven ability to analyze complex business issues, and identify effective strategic, operational and fiscally responsible solutions is required.
• Strong influencing, collaborating, and consulting skills is required.
• Demonstrates strong financial business acumen and facilitate a work environment that encourages knowledge of, respect for, and development of skills to engage with those of other cultures or backgrounds.
• Makes fiscally prudent decisions that demonstrate an understanding of the school/unit and/or University’s value proposition.
• Navigates conflicts and/or changes in an objective manner with agility, diligence and ethical consistency.
• Appropriately distinguishes relevant vs irrelevant information.
• Utilizes emotional intelligence to understand stakeholders’ objectives and potential impediments; maintains positive working relationships even amidst differing points of view.
• Influences and encourages others to reach successful resolutions/conclusions for school/unit.
• Identifies issues and/or patterns amongst seemingly unrelated or disparate items and proactively utilizes root cause and data analysis, input collected from various stakeholders, and information garnered from University subject matter experts (as applicable) to identify intrinsic, fundamental issues affecting school/unit.
• Ability to draw proper conclusions and make informed judgments and decisions for the school/unit.
• Cultivates trust and maintains credibility through effective consultation and delivering on commitments.
• Establishes thought partnerships with school/unit stakeholders (and others) based on influence vs. authority, generating effective long-term business strategies and solutions for school/unit.
• Relays oral and/or written information with transparency, discretion and with audience sensitivity and stakeholders’ interests in mind.
• Ensures school/unit HR communications are consistent with University (and/or school/unit) vision, mission and culture.
• Actively engages stakeholders, both internal and external to school/ unit (as appropriate), to address issues.
• Mediates and resolves conflicts by way of consensus where/whenever possible.
• Actively and constructively engages with those holding diverging viewpoints, for the betterment of the University and in the interest of adhering to its core values.
• Encourages inclusivity and diversity of thought by soliciting and incorporating multiple viewpoints when solving problems, managing conflicts and/or driving innovation.
• Possesses broad knowledge of various HR and other systems (ex: Workday, iCims, Interfolio, MS Office, Google Suite).

Preferred Skills, Knowledge and Abilities:
Human Resources certification (SHRM or other accredited certificate program). Working knowledge of HRIS/HRMS systems.

NYU Gallatin provides a distinctive liberal arts education for a diverse student body. Our faculty foster passionate intellectual commitments from learners and prepare them for a world in which managing knowledge is key to success. Guided by the philosophy that self-directed learning is the key goal, the faculty seek to cultivate an environment conducive to intellectual exploration across traditional academic disciplines, and they insist on active student engagement in developing the direction of their own education. Our highly specialized and deeply engaged advisers guide students in their intellectual explorations toward an interdisciplinary approach to problem solving.

In compliance with NYC's Pay Transparency Act, the annual base salary range for this position is USD $110,000.00 to USD $150,000.00. New York University considers factors such as (but not limited to) scope and responsibilities of the position, candidate's work experience, education/training, key skills, internal peer equity, as well as, market and organizational considerations when extending an offer. This pay range represents base pay only and excludes any additional items such as incentives, bonuses, clinical compensation, or other items.

NYU aims to be among the greenest urban campuses in the country and carbon neutral by 2040. Learn more at nyu.edu/nyugreen.

EOE/AA/Minorities/Females/Vet/Disabled/Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity.