State Role Title: Administrative and Professional Faculty
Position Type: Administrative & Professional (Non-teaching Faculty)
Position Status: Full-Time
FLSA Status: Exempt: Not Eligible for Overtime
College/Division: Human Resources, Training and Performance
Department: 100572 - AVP HR Training and Performance
Pay Rate: Commensurate with Experience
Is this a JMU only position? No
Is this a grant-funded position? No
Is this a Conflict of Interest designated position? Yes. This successful candidate must complete a statement of personal economic interest prior to their first day of employment.
Beginning Review Date: 07/24/2026
About JMU:
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.
Who We Are
Situated in the heart of Virginia’s beautiful Shenandoah Valley, the city of Harrisonburg is a vibrant community with a population of approximately 52,000. Harrisonburg is conveniently located approximately 120 miles from Washington, D.C. and Richmond, VA.
JMU is a selective, public institution with a growing national reputation for offering experiences that lead to an outstanding education and supportive environment for students, faculty and staff. The student body includes approximately 21,000 undergraduate and 1,800 graduate students, with over 1,000 full-time instructional faculty.
JMU offers thriving programs in the liberal arts, science and technology, and professional disciplines at the undergraduate, master’s and doctoral levels. JMU has achieved national recognition for the high quality of its academic programs, focus on maintaining strong student/faculty interaction, and innovative faculty research.
General Information:
Reporting to the Vice President of Administration and Finance, the Assistant / Associate Vice President of HR, Training and Performance, provides strategic leadership to the Human Resources and Talent Development departments, ensuring alignment with the university's 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.
How To Apply:
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 applicant’s interest, experience and qualifications for the position, and resume, must be submitted electronically to:
Buffkin/Baker
[email protected]
Martin Baker, Managing Partner
Sharon Hansen, Senior Associate
To view the full posting and leadership profile please visit: https://jobs.crelate.com/portal/buffkinbaker/job/omjn4hjjfw7k1g38qppwkcj7zy?crt=1782158375465
Duties and Responsibilities:
- Provides leadership, supervision, performance evaluation, coaching, guidance and encouragement to the Director of 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 department’s 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 department’s 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 Advisory Council (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:
- Master’s 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.
Additional Posting Information:
JMU’s Dual Career and Community Resources Program is available for candidates that will be relocating to the area. For more information, please visit https://bit.ly/2OTF1NG.
Conditions of Employment:
Employment is contingent upon the successful completion of a criminal background check.
E-Verify Notice: After accepting employment, new hires are required to complete an I-9 form and present documentation of their identity and eligibility to work in the United States. James Madison University uses the E-Verify system to confirm identity and work authorization.
EEO Statement:
James Madison University is committed to creating and supporting a diverse and inclusive work and educational community that is free of all forms of discrimination. This institution does not tolerate discrimination or harassment on the basis of age, color, disability, gender identity or expression, genetic information, national origin, parental status, political affiliation, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation or veteran status.
We promote access, inclusion and diversity for all students, faculty, staff, constituents and programs, believing that these qualities are foundational components of an outstanding education in keeping with our mission. The university is interested in candidates whose experience and qualifications support an ongoing commitment to this core quality.
Anyone having questions concerning discrimination should contact the Office for Equal Opportunity: (540) 568-6991.
Reasonable Accommodation:
If you are an individual with a disability and need assistance searching or applying for jobs please contact us at (540) 568-3597 or [email protected]. You may also visit the JMU Human Resource Office, located at 752 Ott Street, Harrisonburg, VA 22807 and we will be happy to assist you.
