(Auraria) Director of People Ops/Human Resources

Salary: $125,000.00 - $145,000.00 Annually
Location : Denver, CO
Job Type: Full Time
Job Number: AHEC-4199-10.2026
Department: Auraria Higher Education Center
Division: Auraria Business Services Division
Opening Date: 10/05/2026
Closing Date: 10/12/2026 12:59 PM Mountain
FLSA: Determined by Position
Primary Physical Work Address: Auraria Campus
FLSA Status: Exempt; position is not eligible for overtime compensation.
Department Contact Information:
Type of Announcement: This announcement is not governed by the selection processes of the classified personnel system. Applications will be considered from residents and non-residents of Colorado.
How To Apply: Please submit an online application for this position at https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/colorado. Reach out to the Department Contact to apply using a paper application, including any supplemental questions. Failure to submit a complete and timely application may result in the rejection of your application. Applicants are responsible for ensuring that application materials are received by the appropriate Human Resources office before the closing date and time listed.

Department Information
This is a Non-Classified position, performing the outlined duties with the Auraria Higher Education Center.
This position is eligible for hybrid work after an initial training period and based on business needs/operations. Hybrid work schedule may include up to 2 days remote and will include at least 3 days in office.

Description of Job
Job Summary:
Auraria Higher Education Center is seeking a dynamic Director of People Operations/HR providing overall strategic human resources leadership for the agency, including providing information and guidance to managers, supervisors, and employees in accordance with the AHEC Strategic Plan. The Director oversees the development, implementation, and maintenance of human resource policies, programs and services; including recruitment, selection, retention, legal compliance, employee benefits, employee relations, performance management, training, and service awards. The Director also provides overall administration and management of the staff and operations of the Human Resources Department, ensuring a customer-driven and responsive program. In addition, the Director supervises the functions of the AHEC payroll program and provides oversight of the systems associated with the operations of the Human Resources Department.
Essential Job Functions: The Director of Human Resources will be responsible for the following duties:

• Lead and oversee the staff, operations, and service delivery of AHEC's Human Resources Department, providing comprehensive HR services and supporting multi-department reception operations.
• Oversee employee wage and salary administration, ensuring compensation practices are administered accurately and consistently.
• Direct and supervise the AHEC payroll function, ensuring accurate and timely administration of biweekly and monthly payroll and related pay advice. Oversee benefit deductions, year-end W-2s and related reporting, payroll processing within the MIP system, and integration of automated payroll systems with the overall financial system.
• Serve as a strategic advisor to senior leaders on performance management, organizational development, workforce initiatives, and other high-level organizational priorities. Evaluate internal and external operations and collaborate with executive leadership to identify opportunities for efficiency, improvement, and organizational development.
• Advise AHEC management on employee relations and employment matters that may require corrective or disciplinary action. Provide guidance regarding employee terminations and oversee the termination process to ensure compliance with applicable requirements and AHEC policies.
• Administer AHEC's Colorado delegation agreement in the areas of recruitment and selection, job evaluation, performance management, personal services, corrective and disciplinary actions, compensation, and benefits. Educate and advise employees and supervisors on performance management, planning, and evaluation processes.
• Oversee employee and personnel-related training programs, including training on sexual harassment, workplace violence, and other required or agency-specific topics.
• Lead and administer an effective agency-wide performance management program. Monitor departmental compliance and ensure performance planning and evaluations are completed in a timely and consistent manner. Develop and refine evaluation tools, processes, and methodologies to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of performance management.
• Develop and recommend AHEC personnel policies and procedures and oversee the implementation, administration, and ongoing maintenance of approved policies and procedures.
• Advise AHEC management on compliance with federal and state employment, benefits, compensation, and training laws and regulations. Represent AHEC in legal hearings and coordinate with legal counsel and appropriate executive staff on high-exposure and high-risk employment matters.
• Serve as the AHEC Trustee for the Colorado Higher Education Insurance Benefits Alliance (CHEIBA) Trust for non-classified staff employee benefits, including plan design, rate setting, contract renewals, and policy development. Coordinate these efforts with the CEO to ensure benefits programs align with AHEC's organizational requirements.
• Review and approve AHEC Personal Services Agreements to ensure compliance with applicable state requirements and AHEC policies and procedures.
• Serve as AHEC's Equal Employment Officer, conducting and overseeing employee investigations and coordinating appropriate disciplinary actions in accordance with applicable laws, regulations, and AHEC policies.
• Lead and administer comprehensive human resources programs and functions, including workers' compensation, disability, FAMLI, FMLA, FLSA, PERA, employee training and orientation, unemployment, and exit interviews.
• Lead the administration of employee benefit programs, including medical, dental, insurance, 401(k), and leave programs, including leave balance tracking and leave requests.

Minimum Qualifications, Substitutions, Conditions of Employment & Appeal Rights

Application Requirements:

• Completed online application. The determination of whether an applicant meets the minimum qualifications will be based on the information provided in the work experience and job duties sections of the online application in conjunction with the complete and thorough answers to the pre-screening questions.
• Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of completed online application. Cover letter and a Resume required. The cover letter must specifically describe how your education and professional experience meet the minimum qualifications and any preferred qualifications listed in this posting.
• Failure to submit a cover letter or provide sufficient information in the application materials may result in removal from further consideration.

Minimum Qualifications:

• A bachelor's degree in Personnel Administration, Business Administration or a directly related field from an accredited institution.
• Seven (7) years of full-time professional work experience that includes interpreting rules, determining salaries in accordance with compensation plans, coordinating selection and classification activities, and advising supervisors and managers on corrective and disciplinary issues.
• A minimum of three (3) years supervising other HR professionals.
• Additional professional HR experience may be substituted for the required education on a year-for-year basis, There is no substitutions for the specific required experience.
• Experience with the Colorado State Personnel System.
• Experience using the UKG human resources information system.
• Please provide full responses to all required supplemental questions. Your answers will be used as part of the application screening.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Prior HR experience with a State of Colorado entity or Institution of Higher Education.
• An advanced degree in Personnel Management.
• Professional full-time experience in a union setting.
• Demonstrated experience and success in change management and continuous process improvement.

Conditions of Employment:

• Must be a state of Colorado resident at the time of application.
• Must be able to successfully pass a criminal background check.
• Must be able to maintain confidentiality, consistently contribute to a positive environment, and professionalism.
• Must be able to work on-site 3-5 days/week, Monday through Friday, between the hours of 8am - 5pm. Additional or broader hours may be required based on operational and business needs.
• Must be able to operate standard office equipment such as computers, phones, copy machines, virtual meeting tools, and digital filing systems.

Attributes and Abilities:

• Proven experience in establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with a diverse population at all levels throughout the institution-and into the community.
• Ability to communicate in a positive and effective manner, across various modalities.
• Ability to balance multiple projects and tasks in parallel to maintain attention to detail.
• Outwardly contributes to a respectful, positive, and professional workspace.
• Ability to establish work priorities, follow through, and meet established deadlines.
• Strong judgment and critical thinking skills.
• Ability to deliberately listen and communicate relevant information, anticipate problems, and offer suggestions for resolution.
• Experience driving strategic HR operational initiatives.
• Experience with human capital management systems.
• Knowledge of applicable local, Federal, and State of Colorado laws, rules, and regulations.
• Ability to build modern, scalable HR processes and drive continuous improvement initiatives.

Supplemental Information
Colorado Partnership for Quality Jobs and Services Act information

After careful review of this position and the duties that it performs, it has been designated in accordance with the Colorado Partnership for Quality Jobs and Services Act as a "Not Covered" position, it does not fall in the category of employees that are eligible for representation by COWINS, also known as the union. To learn more about this designation please visit this link: http://coloradowins.org/
Applicant Checklist & Minimum Qualifications
We request that you include the following in your application:

• Cover Letter (Required) detailing how your experience & education meet minimum and preferred qualifications.
• Resume (Required) detailing a summary of work history.

E-mail Address
All correspondence regarding your status in the selection/examination process will be conducted by email.

Minimum Qualifications
Your application as submitted is used to determine if you meet Minimum Qualifications. Please read the Minimum Qualifications and ensure that information in your application "draw correlations" to the Minimum Qualifications. Human Resources Analysts will not infer that you meet the Minimum Qualifications if information isn't detailed in your application.

*Years of experience will be expressed in terms of full-time equivalent service with full-time workload equal to one (1) Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) year. No more than 1.00 FTE year may be credited in any twelve (12) month period. Positions working 40 hours or less per week will be pro-rated (30 hrs/wk=0.75 FTE=9 mos credit; 20 hrs/wk=0.5 FTE=6 mos credit; 10 hrs/wk=0.25 FTE=3 mos credit.)*