The search for Butler University’s new executive director of human resources is drawing to a close.
Search Committee Chair Bill O’Donnell said he is very confident the new director of HR will be named before the end of the semester.
“It’s very visible that all the candidates we are considering bring great experience and different perspectives to this role,” O’Donnell said. “They have all proven themselves to be very skilled communicators and any of them would be very successful in the position.”
The position has been vacant most of the semester after Jonathan Small stepped down.
The specific duties of this job include the recruiting, hiring, training and development of Butler employees; the arrangements of pay packages and benefits; and oversight of Title IX requirements and legal work.
The director of HR works under Bruce Arick, vice president of finance and administration.
Arick said he hopes to see the position filled by a strong leader with good social interaction skills and a vast knowledge of policies and procedures.
“This person will be very relational on campus,” Arick said. “HR touches all employees, so I want there to be a high comfort level between them and the staff and faculty.”
O’Donnell said the best way to describe the role of the director of HR is “the chief people officer.”
The person fulfilling this role will serve as a direct line between President Jim Danko and staff and faculty, O’Donnell said.
O’Donnell said changes described in the Strategic Plan make the position especially important.
“We need someone to be able to sit down with President Danko and explain how faculty and staff will react to these changes,” O’Donnell said. “When it comes to change, the absolute worst thing you can do is just drop it on people.”
Arick said students will also benefit from the filled position.
“This person will be physically visible to students’. However, there will also be a sort of ripple effect that will affect them specifically,” Arick said. “With a strong, well-trained and well-developed staff, students will be able to have a better experience on campus as well.”
Arick said he wants to have the chosen candidate in office as soon as possible.
“I would love to have the chosen candidate in the job by the end of the calendar year,” Arick said. “I think it’s safe to say that, at the least, we’ll start out second semester with a new director of HR.”
O’Donnell and the search committee plan, on conducting their final interviews soon.