Director of HR Strategic Programs & Initiatives

Job Summary

Under the direction of the Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO), the Director of HR Strategic Programs & Initiatives provides enterprise leadership for the design, execution, and governance of high-impact HR strategies, programs, and initiatives. The role is instrumental in advancing Michigan Medicine's ability to proactively address current and future workforce needs through data-driven planning, disciplined project execution, and strong cross-functional partnerships across a complex academic health system.

Under the direction of the Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO), the Director of HR Strategic Programs & Initiatives provides enterprise leadership for the design, execution, and governance of high-impact HR strategies, programs, and initiatives. The role is instrumental in advancing Michigan Medicine's ability to proactively address current and future workforce needs through data-driven planning, disciplined project execution, and strong cross-functional partnerships across a complex academic health system.

The Director is accountable for leading complex, discrete strategic programs that span multiple HR functions and stakeholder groups. Working in close partnership with HR Centers of Excellence (COEs), HR Business Partners, and institutional leaders, the role provides strategic insight, analytical rigor, and project leadership across key priorities including workforce planning, talent management and planning, compensation strategy and planning, employee experience and performance management, engagement and recognition, talent acquisition, and HR service delivery and support.

This role also leads HR due diligence and enterprise HR project management related to mergers, acquisitions, key business alliances, and the development of new businesses and facilities, ensuring workforce readiness, seamless integration, and alignment with Michigan Medicine's strategic and operational priorities.

The Director leverages data, metrics, and dashboards to assess current-state performance, track progress, and inform future-focused workforce and organizational planning. Success in this role requires the ability to operate both independently and collaboratively within a large, matrixed environment while navigating ambiguity, competing priorities, and complex governance structures.

The Director leverages data, metrics, and dashboards to assess current-state performance, track progress, and inform future-focused workforce and organizational planning. Success in this role requires the ability to operate both independently and collaboratively within a large, matrixed environment while navigating ambiguity, competing priorities, and complex governance structures.

Why Join Michigan Medicine?

Michigan Medicine is one of the largest health care complexes in the world and has been the site of many groundbreaking medical and technological advancements since the opening of the U-M Medical School in 1850. Michigan Medicine is comprised of over 30,000 employees and our vision is to attract, inspire, and develop outstanding people in medicine, sciences, and healthcare to become one of the world’s most distinguished academic health systems.  In some way, great or small, every person here helps to advance this world-class institution. Work at Michigan Medicine and become a victor for the greater good.

What Benefits can you Look Forward to?

• Excellent medical, dental and vision coverage effective on your very first day
• 2:1 Match on retirement savings

Responsibilities*

Strategic Planning & Partnership

• Serves as a strategic member of the Michigan Medicine HR leadership team, identifying emerging workforce issues and advancing actionable, future-focused solutions.
• Partners with HR leaders and stakeholders across Michigan Medicine to design and deliver integrated HR strategies aligned with enterprise priorities.
• Builds and sustains trusted relationships with leaders, faculty, staff, and HR colleagues across the organization.
• Promotes collaboration, innovation, and diverse perspectives to challenge the status quo and drive continuous improvement.

Operations & Program Execution

• Partners with HR and business leaders identify workforce trends, organizational development needs, and improvement opportunities.
• Leads the design and implementation of streamlined HR processes, systems, and workflows that improve operational effectiveness and the employee and leader experience.
• Oversees the planning, execution, and evaluation of HR programs, initiatives, and policies that enhance organizational effectiveness, engagement, and accountability.
• Applies change management principles to advance complex initiatives and ensure sustainable adoption.
• Supports senior leaders in the development of department-specific HR standards, competencies, policies, and standard operating procedures.

Leading Enterprise Project Management

• Provides enterprise-level leadership for HR project and program management, establishing clear governance, accountability, timelines, and success metrics for strategic initiatives.
• Leads and oversees complex, cross-functional HR initiatives with significant organizational impact, ensuring alignment with enterprise strategy, resource availability, and risk mitigation.
• Serves as the HR lead for workforce-related planning and implementation associated with mergers, acquisitions, affiliations, joint ventures, and the launch of new businesses and facilities.
• Directs HR due diligence activities, including workforce assessments, labor and regulatory considerations, organizational design, and integration planning.
• Establishes standardized project management tools, methodologies, and reporting to improve consistency, transparency, and execution across the HR organization.
• Anticipates dependencies, constraints, and risks, proactively escalating issues and recommending solutions to senior leadership.

Financial Management

• Provide oversight to designated staff and serve as a liaison with Finance partners on department-wide and system-wide HR budgeting matters.
• Establishes and documents standardized approaches to budget development, monitoring, and vendor management across the HR organization.
• Collaborates with Finance and HR functional leaders to develop and manage annual operating budgets.
• Supports the annual new-initiative request process, including idea intake, analysis, and development of decision-support materials.
• Oversees efforts to monitor and report on monthly and ad-hoc budget performance, identifying variances, risks, and areas requiring intervention.
• Leads development and maintenance of tools to track vendors, contracts, and payments, providing transparency and real-time insights to HR leaders.

Reporting & Analytics

• Leverages quantitative and qualitative data to inform strategy, including engagement surveys, culture of safety results, workforce analytics, employee relations trends, belonging and inclusion dashboards, physician and patient experience metrics, and other feedback sources.
• Develops and delivers dashboards and reports that enable leaders to analyze workforce trends, make informed decisions, and take targeted action.

HR & People Leadership

• Leads, coaches, and develops HR project managers and cross-functional project teams responsible for executing strategic initiatives.
• Builds internal project and program management capability within HR.
• Oversee HR department workforce tracking, including staffing levels, new hires, departures, role changes, and budget alignment.
• Partners with HR functional leaders to assess, prioritize, and justify hiring needs across the organization.

Core Competencies

• Business Acumen: Deep understanding of organizational strategy, operations, and metrics within a complex health system.
• Consulting & Influence: Trusted advisor who provides practical, strategic guidance to leaders navigating complex people and organizational challenges.
• Leadership: Translates strategy into action, aligns stakeholders, and drives change with clarity, accountability, and agility.
• Process Improvement: Applies systematic approaches to eliminate inefficiencies, reduce variability, and enhance value.
• Problem Solving: Uses data, sound judgment, and critical thinking to diagnose issues and implement effective solutions.
• Courage & Integrity: Takes ownership of difficult issues and consistently acts in alignment with organizational values.

Required Qualifications*

Technical & Professional Qualifications

• Demonstrated expertise in enterprise project management, strategic HR initiatives, workforce planning, and program governance within complex organizations.
• Strong working knowledge of HR policies, practices, and applicable state and federal employment and labor laws (e.g., FLSA, EEO, ADA).
• Broad HR experience across HR strategy, HR business partnership, talent management, compensation, HR operations, employee and labor relations, and belonging and inclusion.
• Exceptional facilitation, stakeholder management, and consensus-building skills.
• Proficiency with PeopleSoft and Microsoft tools (Excel, PowerPoint) for data analysis, reporting, and executive communication.

Education

• Bachelor's degree required.

Experience

• 7-10 years of progressive HR experience, including at least 5 years leading complex, enterprise-level projects or programs.
• Minimum of 5 years in a strategic business partnership role driving HR strategy, large-scale change, and data-informed decision-making.
• 5-7 years of experience in HR leadership or highly accountable role.

Desired Qualifications*

Technical & Professional Qualifications

• Healthcare industry experience strongly preferred.

Education

• Master's degree preferred.

Work Schedule

• Hybrid work environment with an on-site presence of at least three (3) days per week, or more as operational needs require.
• Occasional evening or weekend work related to supporting organizational priorities, strategic initiatives or operational exigencies.

Modes of Work

Positions that are eligible for hybrid or mobile/remote work mode are at the discretion of the hiring department. Work agreements are reviewed annually at a minimum and are subject to change at any time, and for any reason, throughout the course of employment. Learn more about the work modes.

Background Screening

Michigan Medicine conducts background screening and pre-employment drug testing on job candidates upon acceptance of a contingent job offer and may use a third party administrator to conduct background screenings.  Background screenings are performed in compliance with the Fair Credit Report Act. Pre-employment drug testing applies to all selected candidates, including new or additional faculty and staff appointments, as well as transfers from other U-M campuses.

Application Deadline

Job openings are posted for a minimum of seven calendar days.  The review and selection process may begin as early as the eighth day after posting. This opening may be removed from posting boards and filled anytime after the minimum posting period has ended.

U-M EEO Statement

The University of Michigan is an equal employment opportunity employer.