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Ithaca College is a residential campus where nearly 4,700 students find life-changing academic pathways, powerful career networks, and lifelong community. Founded in 1892 by violinist W. Grant Egbert, Ithaca College (https://www.ithaca.edu/) had humble beginnings as a music conservatory in rented rooms in downtown Ithaca, New York. Over the ensuing decades, the institution continued to diversify its curriculum, and, in 1931, the conservatory was chartered as a private college. By the 1960s, with 2,000 students, construction of IC’s modern campus began on South Hill, overlooking downtown Ithaca and offering breathtaking views of Cayuga Lake.

Recognized by U.S. News & World Report as #8 Most Innovative Schools in the North, the College now offers 140 majors, minors, and interdisciplinary programs in its undergraduate offerings and over a dozen graduate degree programs at five schools: School of Business (https://www.ithaca.edu/academics/school-business) , Roy H. Park School of Communications (https://www.ithaca.edu/academics/roy-h-park-school-communications) , School of Health Sciences and Human Performance (https://www.ithaca.edu/academics/school-health-sciences-and-human-performance) , School of Humanities and Sciences (https://www.ithaca.edu/academics/school-humanities-and-sciences) , and School of Music, Theatre, and Dance (https://www.ithaca.edu/academics/school-music-theatre-and-dance) .

Reporting to the Senior Vice President for Strategic Services and Initiatives (https://www.ithaca.edu/staff/dweil) , the CHRO provides strategic leadership and direction for all aspects of human resources at Ithaca College. This role serves as a key institutional leader and strategic partner to the President, Cabinet, and senior leadership team, shaping and advancing a people-centered strategy that supports the College’s mission, values, and long-term sustainability. The CHRO leads a hard-working human resources team of approximately 11 collaborative, resilient, and exceptionally dedicated professionals serving an employee base of about 1,363 professionals, inclusive of 476 faculty (385 full-time, and 91 part-time), 887 staff and administrators (702 full-time and 185 part-time) and two collective bargaining units, Public Safety (UGSOA) and Contingent Faculty (SEIU).

At a time of significant change in higher education, the CHRO will be charged with reimagining the role, structure, and impact of IC's HR organization, designing contemporary, efficient, and human-centered approaches to service delivery that enable the College to be more efficient while maintaining excellence and cultivating a culture of care, trust, and transparency. In doing so, the CHRO will lead a comprehensive portfolio including talent acquisition, organizational design, workforce planning, compensation and benefits, employee engagement, learning and development, employee and labor relations, performance management, HR technology and analytics, compliance, and risk management.

This is a unique opportunity for a passionate and forward-thinking human resources professional to join a collaborative, innovative, and future-focused institution and lead a workplace transformation that will have a lasting impact on the community. Bringing an equity lens to their work and decision-making, the CHRO will play a critical leadership role in advancing institutional areas of focus, as the College approaches the end of its current strategic plan, Ithaca Forever (https://www.ithaca.edu/ithaca-forever) , to determine and maintain an appropriate, sustainable size for their programs, structures, and associated resources at every level and to shape a strategy and action plan to realize the goal of being an employer of choice. In addition, as the College undertakes a comprehensive strategic planning process during the 2026–27 academic year, this will provide the CHRO with an exciting opportunity to help shape the College’s next strategic plan.

The Ithaca community desires a collaborative, equity-focused bridge builder to proactively support and engage with a diverse and multigenerational workforce of faculty, staff, and students, each of whom requires a leader who seeks to learn and understand their nuanced needs and how to best support them. Most of all, this opportunity is an invitation to join an institution that authentically believes in the value of a people-centered approach.

Successful candidates will bring a record of creatively and nimbly reimagining HR services, processes, or organizational models in environments with constrained resources; experience with broad functional areas of human resources, with notable experience and expertise in compensation strategy, benefits strategy and administration, workforce planning, and employee relations; and record of designing, leading, implementing and communicating organizational change, service redesign, and cross-functional collaboration. In addition, experience with and comfort in leveraging technology, data, and analytics to improve outcomes, with a clear commitment to the human-centered and ethical application of these tools, will be paramount. Demonstrated experience in labor relations, including direct involvement in collective bargaining negotiations, contract administration, and dispute resolution, is desired. A bachelor's degree is required, as is at least eight years of progressively responsible senior-level human resources leadership experience, including supervisory experience, preferably in higher education or a similarly complex mission-driven organization. An advanced degree and/or professional HR certification, as well as prior experience in a private undergraduate/master's institution, are preferred.

All applications, nominations, and inquiries are invited. Applications should include, as separate documents, a CV or resume and a letter of interest addressing the themes in the leadership profile available at www.wittkieffer.com (https://wittkieffer.com/positions/201816) .

WittKieffer is assisting Ithaca College in this search. For fullest consideration, candidate materials should be received by February 25, 2026. The anticipated salary range for this role is $180,000 - $210,000, commensurate with experience and qualifications.

Application materials, nominations, and inquiries can be directed to: Sandra Chu and Sarah Palmer at [email protected].

The College recruits, hires, and promotes individuals based on their qualifications and performance. It is the policy of Ithaca College that discrimination on the grounds of age, disability, marital status, national origin, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or military status will not exist in any activity, area, or operation of the College. Any inquiries concerning the application of Title IX may be made to Ithaca College’s Title IX Coordinator, Linda Koenig, at 953 Danby Road, Ithaca, NY, 14850, (607) 274-7761, [email protected], or to the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Civil Rights. For more information on the Office of Civil Rights, please visit

https://www.ed.gov/about/ed-offices/ocr.

At Ithaca College, a comprehensive residential campus community of approximately 5,000 students, we strive to be at the forefront of the higher education landscape. We offer a distinct integrative learning experience that makes students ready for the personal, professional, and global challenges of our age.

We seek candidates who embrace integrative learning and want to be a part of this exciting time in Ithaca College history. We encourage creative collaboration and innovation in our faculty and staff, providing support and resources for them to grow in their fields and lead students to their own innovative ideas and achievements.

We welcome different ways of thinking and look for candidates with unique points of view and life experiences. We are inclusive of individuals with a wide range of cultural, personal, and professional backgrounds, talents, and skills. Our campus is a vibrant and rewarding community where diverse minds can learn, succeed, and excel.

When reviewing candidates, we are looking for indicators of a number of core competencies. Prospective candidates must be adaptable, collaborative, inclusive, respectful, responsive, results driven, and sustainable. They must communicate effectively, demonstrate leadership, exhibit professional integrity and ethics, take initiative, value personal and professional development, and show that they will engage in the college.

Nestled in the heart of New York State’s scenic Finger Lakes region, Ithaca College sits atop South Hill overlooking picturesque Cayuga Lake and is just minutes away from the city center. Combining small town warmth and charm with the vibrancy of a college community, the thriving and culturally diverse city of Ithaca has been rated by Kiplinger’s as one of the top 10 places to live in the United States.

In an effort to promote campus safety and the security of College resources, Ithaca College will, consistent with the requirements of the law and prudent practices, conduct criminal background investigations per College policy.  This position is subject to a criminal background check. All offers of employment are contingent upon the successful completion of the criminal background check.

To learn more about Ithaca College, visit us at http://ithaca.edu