Director Human Resources- University of Colorado Denver, Hyderabad, India

Director – Human Resources

Location: University of Colorado Denver (CU Denver) – Hyderabad India Campus
Reports to: Chief Business Officer / Provost
Type: Full-time | On-site | Leadership Role

Role Summary

The Director – Human Resources will lead the people strategy for CU Denver’s Hyderabad India Campus during its establishment and scale-up. The role will build a high-performing, inclusive, and mission-aligned culture across faculty, academic-support, administrative, and operations teams, with local execution aligned to CU Denver and CU System standards.This is a strategic and operational role requiring a deep understanding of HR practices in academic environments, compliance with Indian employment laws, and alignment with global university standards. This role will work to manage a team that focuses on service and communication.

Key Responsibilities

Talent Strategy & Workforce Planning

• Define and execute workforce planning aligned with campus launch milestones, programme delivery, student enrollment, faculty requirements, and operational scale in Hyderabad.

• Lead end-to-end recruitment for faculty, administrative, and leadership roles.

• Establish a robust onboarding and orientation program for a diverse, multicultural workforce

Performance, Engagement & Learning

• Develop and manage performance appraisal frameworks that balance academic and operational outcomes.

• Drive employee engagement initiatives, assessments, and well-being programs to foster a vibrant campus culture.

• Design professional development pathways, and training modules for staff and faculty.

• Build and maintain learning and development programs that provide professional growth and skill building for all employees that align with operational and strategic goals

Policy, Governance & Compliance

• Create, implement, and continuously improve HR policies in line with applicable Indian and Telangana employment requirements, CU Denver and CU System policies, and the needs of an international campus.

• Ensure compliance with applicable diversity, equity, inclusion, prevention of sexual harassment (POSH), safeguarding, accessibility, workplace conduct, and other statutory and institutional frameworks.

• Manage employee relations, grievance redressal, and disciplinary processes with sensitivity and fairness.

Leadership & People Operations

• Lead a team of HR professionals managing operations such as payroll, leave, benefits, and contracts.

• Advise the Provost and CBO on people risks, workforce trends, and organizational health.

• Collaborate with CU Denver and CU System stakeholders on global HR alignment, faculty appointments, visiting faculty and exchange arrangements, cross-border hiring, mobility, and consistent employee experience.

Qualifications & Experience

• Master’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or related field.

• 15+ years of HR experience, including at least 5 years in a senior leadership role in higher education, an international campus, a multinational organization, or a similarly complex environment.

• Deep knowledge of Indian labour law, employee lifecycle management, and faculty-specific HR practices.

• Strong interpersonal, negotiation, and crisis management skills.

• Experience with HRMS platforms, analytics, and reporting.