Vice President, Human Resources

The University of Illinois Foundation (Foundation), located in Champaign, IL, is seeking a Vice President for Human Resources. Established in 1935, the Foundation is the official fundraising and private gift-receiving entity for the University of Illinois System and its three universities: University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, University of Illinois Chicago, and University of Illinois Springfield.  The Foundation’s Investment Office oversees and manages a $3.06 billion endowment and leads efforts that focus on performance and the long-term, strategic management of the endowment, as well as the Foundation’s investment policies. The funds generated from the endowment are distributed annually to each university to support world-class faculty, staff, and students today, tomorrow, and into the future.

In May 2022 the Foundation broke ground on an innovative new Philanthropy Center to serve as its headquarters on the campus of the University of Illinois Urbana -Champaign. The Center was completed in February 2024 and—true to its design concept and intent—celebrates the rich history of donor generosity, brings Foundation staff together in a single location, and serves as a learning hub for the advancement community. to serve as its headquarters

Reporting to the Foundation’s CEO, the Vice President of Human Resources (VP HR) provides strategic leadership to develop and execute the HR strategy aligned with the organization’s business objectives. This role champions organizational culture, talent management, and compliance, ensuring that the Foundation remains a great place to work while driving performance and engagement.  Responsibilities include, but are not limited to, designing and implementing  HR strategies that support business goals and foster a high-performance culture; leading talent acquisition, retention, and succession planning for critical roles; overseeing performance management systems and leadership development programs; evaluating and managing a competitive compensation structure and benefits programs; and mentoring and developing HR team members to achieve professional growth and organizational impact.

For additional information please visit https://uif.uillinois.edu/ .

The successful candidate will have a bachelor’s degree in human resources, business administration, or related field (master’s preferred), along with 10+ years of progressive HR leadership experience, including at least five years in a senior role. This exceptional communicator will possess the proven ability to influence executive leadership and drive strategic initiatives, as well as a strong knowledge of employment law, compliance, and HR best practices.