The Assistant to the Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) is an administrative professional position reporting to the CHRO with the primary role of directly supporting the CHRO in their initiatives, operations, daily activities, calendar/events, projects, documents and communications within HR organization. The position works independently and with the CHRO to provide support, professional direction, guidance, and serves as an interface between the CHRO and internal and external constituents.

The Assistant to the CHRO provides proactive administrative support for the CHRO and plans, organizes and prioritizes projects and events as they occur. The person in this position manages HR’s budget, contracts, expenses and purchase approvals and oversees Mines Community Alliances budgets. The Assistant is responsible for confidential and time-sensitive materials and communications. Necessary skills for success in this role include high-level decision-making, planning, calendaring, note-taking, organizing, and monitoring. The successful individual is detail-oriented person with the ability to build relationships and collaborate across all levels of the University. Success in this role requires a proactive mindset, excellent organizational skills, and a keen sense of prioritization.

If you possess a positive attitude, the desire to contribute to a team, and have a proven track record of supporting leaders and teams, apply today! This is a hybrid work environment. Incumbents must live within commuting distance of Colorado School of Mines and should plan to work on our beautiful campus 2-3 times a week or as events require.

Human Resources values collaboration, confidentiality, teamwork and work-life balance. They deliver value to the Mines community by aligning the work they do with the institution's strategic goals and they are committed to diversity, inclusion, and top-notch customer service. For more on the team and the work they do, please visit https://www.mines.edu/human-resources/.

Specific responsibilities include:

Administrative Support

The Assistant provides support to the CHRO, their initiatives, projects, day-to-day calendar management and activities, and other matters. The person in this role supports the CHRO in a proactive, organized, detail-oriented, collaborative, and effective manner with the goal of minimizing the administrative affairs of the CHRO and keeping them apprised of related and relevant issues. The Assistant coordinates and submits the CHRO’s expense reports and reviews expense reporting that requires the CHRO’s approval prior to the CHRO’s review The Assistant serves as the staff liaison to various internal and external constituents who may include executive leaders, cabinet members, deans, department heads, colleagues, and vendors.

HR Department Management

The Assistant works closely with the HR team supporting administrative matters to help ensure the smooth operations of HR. The Assistant implements the mechanics of the HR budget on behalf of the CHRO. This includes submitting purchase requests, paying invoices, reviewing expenses and tracking contracts, POs and change orders. This position hires and manages student workers that assist with projects within the HR office. The Assitant manages meetings, celebrations, events, initiatives, and projects independently with minimal guidance from the CHRO representing the goals, mission, strategy, professionalism, values and other tenets of the CHRO and the Colorado School of Mines.

Presentations, Communication, Website, Documentation

With a working knowledge and ability to read and understand Human Resource topics, the Assitant reviews, prepares, and summarizes PowerPoint presentations and other documents as necessary ensuring that the documents, presentations, and materials are timely, accurate, complete, inclusive, and professionally formatted. The person in this role also manages the HR website and monitors content, ensuring that it is current, relevant, and properly formatted and works with others to ensure the same with related web pages. The Assistant also coordinates mass electronic communication and notifications.

• A BA/BS degree or progressive administrative experience in a professional or administrative setting equivalent to a degree with appropriate progression in responsibility is required.
• 4+ years of experience providing support, professional guidance, direction, and interfacing with an executive-level position.
• Substantial professional organizational skills in a complex organization.
• Experience supporting the initiatives, operations, and daily activities for a leadership-level position. Detail orientation ensuring accuracy and content validity.
• Experience with high-level decision-making, planning, organizing, monitoring, prioritization, and collaborating.
• Experience creating, reviewing, and developing documents, presentations, and materials.
• Ability to work effectively and collegially within a complex academic community and interfacing with a wide range of constituencies.
• Excellent written and verbal communications and interpersonal skills and experience composing professional-quality documents including letters, presentations, and reports.
• Experience working with confidential and sensitive materials and information.
• Demonstrated proficiency in general technology including Microsoft Office products, word processing, spreadsheet, and database management skills.

When the world looks for answers, the world looks to Mines.

Colorado School of Mines is a top-ranked public university solving the grand challenges facing our society, particularly those related to the Earth, energy and the environment. Founded in 1874 with specialties in mining and metallurgy, Mines’ scope and mission have continually expanded to meet the needs of industry and society. Today, we are the No. 38 public university in the nation, recognized for our innovation and undergraduate teaching in science, technology engineering and math (U.S. News and World Report, 2023).

Mines graduates are change makers, boundary breakers and problem solvers. Since our earliest days, a Mines education has been and continues to be a transformational opportunity, with one of the strongest returns on investment out there for talented STEM students of all backgrounds.

At the same time, Mines faculty members are pushing their fields in new directions, whether that’s manufacturing, space resources, quantum engineering, carbon capture or more. Mines was recently classified as a R1 “Very High Activity” research institution by Carnegie, a notable feat for any university but particularly one of our size.

That size – roughly 7,000 undergraduate and graduate students – also translates to a close-knit campus community, where employees have opportunities to get involved in multiple ways, continued professional learning is valued and everyone can make an impact. Community Alliance groups bring together employees for professional development, networking, cultural awareness and community involvement, and all Mines employees also have access to the wealth of activities happening every day on campus – nationally-renowned speakers, special events and Mines traditions like Engineering Days, just to name a few.

And don’t get us started on our hometown. We are located in the heart of Golden, Colorado -with its charming historic downtown and nearby hiking trails – and in close proximity to all that Denver and the Rocky Mountains have to offer. That includes the sunny, high-altitude climate and outstanding outdoor recreation opportunities that make the Denver area an ideal place to live, work and play.

Are you looking for an inspiring, mission-driven workplace where you can contribute to solving the world’s problems and educating the next generation of change makers? Are you an individual who values a diverse and inclusive community, where our different perspectives, experiences and cultures enrich the educational and work experience?

Look to Mines.

Colorado School of Mines offers a robust portfolio of benefits for all employees. For this full-time role, that includes:

Fully paid health and dental insurance premiums

Generous sick/vacation time

13 paid holidays per year – including a week-long winter break for our entire campus

Fully vested retirement plan on the first day of employment, with generous employer contribution

Tuition benefits (6 credits per year for employees, 50 percent discount for dependents)

Free RTD EcoPass

All Mines employees also have access to discount programs through the State of Colorado and free tickets for Mines Athletics home games, as well as access to the on-campus Recreation Center (fitness classes and training, swimming pool and more), equipment rentals through the Outdoor Rec Center, the Colorado State Employee Assistance Program (CSEAP), and backup child and elder care. Coming soon is an on-campus daycare center. For more information about benefits at Mines, go to mines.edu/human-resources/benefits.

We strongly encourage people of color, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and non-binary people, veterans, parents, and individuals with disabilities to apply. Mines welcomes everyone to our team; in your application, please feel free to note which pronouns you use (For example - she/her/hers, he/him/his, they/them/theirs, etc). If you need reasonable accommodation at any point in the application or interview process, please let us know.

Please contact Kathy White at kwhite1@mines.edu with questions about this opportunity.