Vice President, Human Resources, Equity and Risk and Chief People Officer
Job Description
Reporting to the President, the VP/CPO will serve as the University's senior administrator responsible for advancing a people-centered culture aligned with the University's mission, values, and strategic priorities. The VP comprehends the critical synergies among human resources, justice, equity and inclusion, compliance, risk management, and organizational effectiveness essential for fostering a thriving people and relationship-centered culture. In addition, the VP/CPO will have responsibilities that report to the Chief Operating Officer, particularly related to institutional risk assessment and progress on strategic priorities.
As the Chief People Officer (CPO) at Dominican, this position will be instrumental in cultivating a culture of belonging, accountability, engagement, and organizational effectiveness for our employees. The incumbent will provide leadership in three primary areas: People and Culture, Justice, Equity and Inclusion, and Risk and Compliance, ensuring alignment and collaboration across people-centered functions of the University.
The successful candidate will be critical in advancing our culture as a Catholic, Hispanic-Serving Institution and continuing to drive progress on our equity and inclusion goals outlined in our strategic plan. In addition, the candidate will bring a desire and expertise to build a collaborative, institutional framework for Risk and Compliance with the COO. An early priority in the first two years will be to revise our faculty and staff handbooks in partnership with other senior leaders and governance representatives.
The direct reports of the VP/CPO include: Chief Diversity Officer (who currently oversees Title IX) and the Executive Director of the Office of People and Culture. The successful candidate will finalize the organizational structure for this new unit.
For full description, and to apply for this position, visit here.
About Dominican University
Dominican University is a Catholic, comprehensive teaching university located in River Forest, a suburb of Chicago, with an additional campus in the Pilsen neighborhood of Chicago. Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, Dominican University offers associate, baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral degrees. It is highly regarded for its academic rigor, thoughtful accompaniment of students, intentional affordability, and values-based, relationship-centered learning environment.
Dominican currently enrolls over 3,800 students, including 2,690 undergraduates and 1,114 graduate students. Sixty-eight percent (68%) of undergraduate students identify as Latinx, 5% as Black or African American, and 3% as Asian. Under-represented minority students comprise 77% of the undergraduate enrollment and 38% of the graduate enrollment. Over 90 percent of undergraduates receive some form of financial aid. Nearly half of all undergraduates are first-generation college students; over half are federal Pell Grant recipients, illustrating their families’ level of income; and 58% are eligible for low-income MAP grants from the State of Illinois.
Recognized since 2011 as a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) by the U.S. Department of Education, Dominican is committed to expanding and enhancing educational opportunities for Latinx students and all students from historically underrepresented groups. For more information, visit www.dom.edu.
Expectations for all Dominican Employees:
To support the University's mission of preparing students to pursue truth, give compassionate service, and participate in the creation of a more just and humane world, engage in university service work that promotes collaboration and community building. This includes participating in organizational initiatives, supporting campus events, contributing to community outreach, and fostering a diverse and inclusive environment through involvement in various staff-driven activities and groups.
Institutional Statement
Dominican University is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive academic community. We encourage applications from individuals of all backgrounds. Upon request, reasonable accommodations in the application process will be provided to individuals with disabilities.
Equal Employment Opportunity Statement
Dominican University is an equal opportunity employer and encourages applications from women, minorities, individuals with disabilities, protected veterans, and candidates from diverse backgrounds. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, or any other characteristic protected by law.
If you need accommodations due to a disability, you may contact us at [email protected] for assistance
