Salary : $135,000.00 - $175,000.00 Annually
Location : Aurora, IL
Job Type: Full-Time Staff
Job Number: College/School: Office of People & Culture
Department: Office of People & Culture
Opening Date: 10/03/2025
Aurora University (AU) is committed to the transformative power of learning by creating a student-centered environment and an equity of experience and opportunity, to ensure that students, faculty, and staff of all backgrounds feel welcome and included. Our culture of collaboration, generosity, and belonging make it a special place for students, faculty, and staff.
AU is grounded in the transformative opportunity it provides to a diverse student body. As a private university with a public mission and a commitment to making a difference in peoples' lives, AU has a long history of resilience and of providing access to an education that values innovation, focuses on continuous improvement, and has a positive impact on the communities we serve. We are proud of our service to and economic impact on the state of Illinois, where over 80% of our students stay to live and work, where 90% of our students come from, and where we foster strong community partnerships to develop the workforce in areas such as nursing, education, business, technology, and social work.
We are looking for passionate and purposeful individuals who represent the full diversity of Aurora and who demonstrate a sensitivity to and understanding of the diverse academic, socioeconomic, cultural, ability, identity, and ethnic backgrounds present in our community. When you join the team at AU, you can expect to be part of an inclusive, innovative, and equity-focused community that approaches higher education as a matter of social justice requiring broad collaboration among faculty, staff, students, and community partners.
At AU we believe that continuous learning is a fundamental part of working life, and our goal is for all colleagues on our campus to feel supported and equipped to realize their full potential. We actively support our community by providing all employees with opportunities to engage in professional development activities, as well as a range of tuition and employee benefits that can be found
Position Purpose: Aurora University (AU) invites nominations and applications for the position of Associate Vice President for People and Culture (AVPPC). Located in Aurora, Illinois, AU is a four-year, private, nonprofit higher education institution offering baccalaureate, master's, and doctoral degrees to nearly 4,000 undergraduate and 1,800 graduate students. AU is home to approximately 425 full-time faculty and staff and another 1,000 part-time faculty and student workers. The new AVPPC is expected to take office in Fall 2025.
. Please review the position profile for more information. Essential Job Functions: Reporting to the Senior Vice President for Business and Finance, the AVPPC serves as the Chief Human Resources officer for Aurora University with responsibility for university-wide strategic, people-centered human resources leadership. As a strategic partner to the leadership team, the incumbent will spearhead the university's evolution toward becoming an employer of choice, and this role represents a pivotal position in advancing President Rivera-Mills' vision of transforming AU into an institution renowned for its exceptional treatment of faculty and staff. Leading a team of four individuals, the AVPPC will provide direction and thought leadership across the university on matters involving recruitment and retention, comprehensive onboarding experiences, leadership development and succession planning, employee relations, total rewards, performance management, and human resource technology and data.
AU seeks a visionary leader who understands that effective people and culture work transcends traditional HR functions. The AVPPC's foremost responsibility is to ensure delivery of timely, effective, responsive, and customer-focused HR services, and the AVPPC will play a key role in providing strategic leadership and transformational vision for leading the human resources team as a high-functioning office of people and culture. Central to this role will be the implementation of AU's strategic plan's "Engage and Value" pillar, which provides a clear framework for the AVPPC's work in establishing AU as an employer of choice through comprehensive management strategies, policy improvements that support shared governance, and the creation of an inclusive learning and working community where all members thrive. The successful candidate will be a proven administrator who brings strong leadership capability and a steady focus on delivering excellence in people and culture services that aligns with AU's strategic goals and commitment to making the institution an employer of choice.
Essential Job Requirements: - Bachelor's degree in human resource management, business administration, employment law, organizational leadership, or a closely related field is required
- Five or more years of progressive HR leadership experience with strong preference for experience in the higher education sector or nonprofit organization.
- Prior experience in an HR leadership role such as director, vice president, or assistant/associate director is essential.
- A master's degree in a related field is preferred, along with SHRM Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP), SHRM Certified Professional (SHRM-CP), or Senior Professional in HR (SPHR) certification
Skills: The search for Aurora University's next Vice President for Philanthropy and Engagement is being assisted by Maya Ranchod Kirkhope at Academic Search. Applications, nominations, and expressions of interest can be submitted in confidence to Applications should consist of a detailed letter of interest that describes the candidate's alignment with President Rivera-Mills' vision for transforming Aurora University into an employer of choice, along with specific examples of how the candidate has successfully invested in employee growth and development in previous roles.
A current curriculum vitae should accompany the letter, with both documents sent as separate PDFs. The Search Committee will begin reviewing applications on a rolling basis and will continue to review applications as they are received until the position is filled. The anticipated pay rate for this position is $135,000 - $175,000 per year. This compensation is subject to change at the sole discretion of the university, based on institutional needs. The pay range referenced in the job posting is the budgeted amount the university reasonably expects to pay for this position. The final pay rate will not be below the lowest pay rate listed herein.
Benefit-eligible positions offer excellent benefits including health, dental, life, vision, long term disability, a 403(b) retirement plan through TIAA, and tuition remission.
Aurora University is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
Aurora University offers competitive, flexible benefits to eligible employees.
- Health Insurance
Choice of HMO or PPO offered through BlueCross BlueShield of Illinois. - Dental and Vision Insurance
Choice of two dental plans and vision insurance offered through Blue Cross Blue Shield. - Life Insurance and AD&D
1.5 times annual salary, dependent on age. Additional life insurance also may be purchased for self, spouse, and children. - Long Term Disability
60% of salary, taxable and nontaxable options. - TIAA Retirement Account
The University offers a 403b retirement plan, administered by TIAA. Matching contributions offered first day of employment to eligible employees, at the discretion of the University and Board of Directors. - Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)
FSAs are available for medical costs and dependent care costs. - Paid Time Off
Vacation, personal, and sick leave are provided to eligible employees. - Holidays
The university observes nine major holidays where the university is closed. - Tuition Assistance
Tuition assistance for AU undergraduate courses is available to eligible employees and eligible family members beginning the term following one (1) year of regular, full-time employment. Tuition assistance for graduate programs paid at 60% for employee following Senior Leadership approval. - Tuition Exchange Consortiums
AU is a member of the Tuition Exchange (TE) and the Council of Independent Colleges Tuition Exchange Program (CIC-TEP) enabling full-time employees and eligible family members to be eligible for tuition assistance at more than 600 universities nationwide. Eligibility for the CIC-TEP and TE programs is one (1) year of regular, full-time employment as of 8/31.
To see more benefits details and breakdowns please see our benefits guide
