Associate Director of Human Resources

Job Description

The Department of Family Medicine has an outstanding opportunity for an Associate Director of Human Resources to join their team.

About this Opportunity

Reporting to the Vice Chair for Finance & Administration, the Associate Director of Human Resources serves as the senior human resources and workforce strategy leader for the Department of Family Medicine. This position provides strategic direction and oversight for workforce planning, organizational design, human resources governance, employee relations, and faculty and staff workforce operations across the department’s clinical, research, and education missions.

As a member of the department’s senior leadership team, the Associate Director advises the Department Chair, Vice Chair for Finance & Administration, Section Heads, and other senior leaders on complex workforce decisions, organizational change, risk mitigation, and long-range workforce strategy. The position also serves as the department’s primary liaison to the School of Medicine’s Integrated Resources Shared Services teams, central UW Human Resources, Academic Human Resources, and other institutional partners.

The Department of Family Medicine is a large and complex academic department with an annual budget of approximately $60 million. Its workforce includes approximately 280 paid faculty, 30 residents, six fellows, 120 staff, and more than 1,400 volunteer faculty working across diverse programs, clinical sites, and academic settings throughout the WWAMI region.

Key Responsibilities

• Human capital strategy and HR governance (20%): Provide strategic guidance to the Department Chair, Vice Chair for Finance & Administration, and senior leadership regarding workforce planning, organizational design, staffing models, talent management, compensation, employee relations, and workforce risk.

• Organizational planning and implementation (15%): Participate in departmental strategic planning and independently develop workforce strategies, implementation plans, governance recommendations, and organizational structures that align operational resources with departmental priorities.

• Integrated Resources and institutional partnership (10%): Serve as the department’s primary liaison to School of Medicine Integrated Resources and central UW Human Resources. Align departmental workforce needs with shared-services delivery, monitor service effectiveness, and escalate complex or high-risk matters when necessary.

• Administrative governance and compliance (10%): Lead departmental implementation of institutional workforce policies, regulatory changes, and human resources initiatives. Ensure departmental practices comply with federal and state requirements, University policies, Faculty Code provisions, ethics requirements, and collective bargaining agreements.

• Process improvement and risk mitigation (10%): Identify operational risks, process inefficiencies, service gaps, and compliance concerns. Develop and implement standardized systems, policies, and corrective strategies that improve service delivery, operational consistency, and audit readiness.

• Academic workforce strategy and oversight (10%): Partner with Academic Human Resources on faculty and academic personnel recruitment, appointments, promotions, reappointments, merit reviews, academic pathways, and faculty lifecycle processes. Serve as an ex officio member of the department’s Appointments and Promotion Committees.

• Staff workforce and employee relations leadership (10%): Provide senior-level guidance on complex staff human resources matters in collaboration with Integrated Resources, Employee Relations, and Labor Relations. Advise leaders regarding performance management, organizational restructuring, workforce optimization, employee engagement, retention, and high-risk personnel matters.

• Leadership recruitment and workforce analytics (5%): Lead recruitment efforts for key faculty and staff leadership positions and provide reports, workforce data, trend analysis, and actionable recommendations to support leadership decision-making.

• Departmental leadership and institutional engagement (5%): Represent the department on committees, task forces, and leadership forums. Participate in the Department Leadership Council and Department Administrative Leadership Team and contribute to long-range planning, organizational effectiveness, and workforce sustainability.

• Team leadership and supervision (5%): Directly supervise two Human Resources Department Managers. Establish performance expectations, provide coaching and professional development, manage performance, support succession planning, and ensure accountability for high-quality and service-oriented human resources operations.

This position manages employees: two Human Resources Department Managers.

Required Qualifications

To be considered for this opportunity your application must demonstrate you meet both the minimum qualifications and additional qualifications listed below. Equivalent education and/or experience may substitute for minimum qualifications except when there are legal requirements, such as a license, certification, and/or registration.

Minimum Qualifications

Applicants who do not meet these qualifications WILL NOT be forwarded to the Hiring Manager.

• Master’s degree in healthcare, business, or a related field.

• Minimum of four years of experience in a healthcare or higher education environment managing complex programs, activities, or organizational units.

Additional Qualifications

• Demonstrated understanding of state and federal requirements related to human resources.

• Demonstrated ability to provide executive-level consultation and actionable recommendations to senior organizational leaders.

• Demonstrated experience handling highly confidential and sensitive information with sound judgment and discretion.

• Proven success leading large, complex projects in a deadline-driven environment.

• Demonstrated organizational, planning, time-management, and problem-solving abilities, including the ability to work independently from broadly stated goals.

• Demonstrated ability to establish collaborative partnerships across diverse stakeholder groups and organizational functions.

• Demonstrated supervisory experience leading, developing, and managing a diverse team.

• Demonstrated ability to interpret complex policies, regulations, and organizational requirements and assess their operational impact.

• Demonstrated ability to exercise independent judgment in ambiguous or high-risk situations with potential legal, financial, operational, or reputational consequences.

Preferred Qualifications

• Knowledge of University of Washington administrative and management procedures.

• Experience managing human resources functions at the University of Washington departmental level.

• Experience supporting a large, complex academic department with integrated clinical, research, and education missions.

• Experience operating within a centralized or shared-services human resources model.

• Experience advising senior leadership on organizational design, workforce strategy, employee relations, and change management.

Working Conditions

• This position operates in a hybrid remote and in-office environment, with in-person work determined by departmental leadership and operational needs.

• Must be able to manage multiple competing responsibilities, changing priorities, and time-sensitive deadlines in a complex environment.

• May require schedule flexibility to meet operational demands and address urgent workforce matters.

• Work involves highly sensitive and confidential personnel matters requiring discretion and sound judgment.

• The position works both independently and collaboratively with departmental leadership, faculty, staff, and institutional partners across multiple programs and locations.

Application Requirement

Applicants must submit a cover letter describing how their experience and qualifications align with the responsibilities and requirements of this position.

About the Team

The University of Washington Department of Family Medicine advances the health and well-being of individuals, families, and communities through leadership in clinical care, education, research, and service. The department supports a broad portfolio of programs across eight sections: Residency, Sports Medicine, Palliative Care, the Osher Center for Integrative Health, Research, Medical Student Education, MEDEX Northwest, and the Family Medicine Residency Network. The department also maintains close affiliations with the UW Medicine Primary Care Network.

The Associate Director of Human Resources joins a collaborative senior leadership structure and works closely with departmental leaders, human resources professionals, School of Medicine Integrated Resources, and University administrative offices. Together, these teams support an inclusive, engaged, compliant, and high-performing workforce across the department’s programs and locations.

Compensation, Benefits and Position Details

Pay Range Minimum:

$140,004.00 annual

Pay Range Maximum:

$165,000.00 annual

Other Compensation:

-

Benefits:

For information about benefits for this position, visit https://www.washington.edu/jobs/benefits-for-uw-staff/

Shift:

First Shift (United States of America)

Temporary or Regular?

This is a regular position

FTE (Full-Time Equivalent):

100.00%

Union/Bargaining Unit:

Not Applicable

About the UW 

Working at the University of Washington provides a unique opportunity to change lives – on our campuses, in our state and around the world.  

UW employees bring their boundless energy, creative problem-solving skills and dedication to building stronger minds and a healthier world. In return, they enjoy outstanding benefits, opportunities for professional growth and the chance to work in an environment known for its diversity, intellectual excitement, artistic pursuits and natural beauty. 

Our Commitment 

The University of Washington is committed to fostering an inclusive, respectful and welcoming community for all. As an equal opportunity employer, the University considers applicants for employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, citizenship, sex, pregnancy, age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, disability, or veteran status consistent with UW Executive Order No. 81.

To request disability accommodation in the application process, contact the Disability Services Office at 206-543-6450 or [email protected]. 

Applicants considered for this position will be required to disclose if they are the subject of any substantiated findings or current investigations related to sexual misconduct at their current employment and past employment. Disclosure is required under Washington state law.