Carrington & Carrington Tapped by Connecticut College to Lead Top HR Search
October 4, 2021 – Chicago-based Carrington & Carrington has been enlisted to find a vice president for human resources for Connecticut College. Reporting to the president, the VPHR is the chief human resources officer and serves as a member of the president’s cabinet. The individual must work collaboratively with staff and a wide range of colleagues to promote the college’s principles of community.
The VPHR is responsible for fostering an atmosphere where all people at the college feel empowered to share ideas, voice concerns and employ equitable procedures for resolving conflicts, said Carrington & Carrington. He or she must share the college’s broad vision of full participation and work collaboratively with senior colleagues to communicate its value and importance.
The vice president for human resources is responsible for developing and implementing an overall human resource strategy that supports both the college’s mission and its long-term financial sustainability, said the search firm. This calls for establishing short- and long-range organizational objectives, policies and procedures; overseeing practices for evaluating effectiveness of operations; recommending changes to ensure improvement in all supervised areas; and promoting a culture of inclusivity across the institution.
It is also critical that the individual provide innovative leadership, problem solving and guidance in all the areas that define human resource and talent development: organizational design, recruitment and hiring, employee relations, performance management, benefits administration, records and information systems, compensation and classification, and training and professional development.
A Mentor and Advisor
The VPHR is charged with managing competitive compensation, benefits and staff development opportunities in order to recruit and retain diverse talent and to ensure the most positive employee experience, said Carrington & Carrington. Among other duties, he or she must serve as a mentor and strategic advisor to the president, senior administration and staff leaders to ensure clear communication of goals and alignment of policies and practices.
The ideal candidate for this role will be a professional with deep knowledge of the field of human resources; a commitment to equity, inclusion and full participation; proven experience in leading effective teams and programs; and demonstrated commitment to policies and practices ensuring the just and equitable
treatment of all people, said the search firm.
Candidates must hold a master’s degree in a field related to human resources, organizational development, business administration or management. They must have at least 10 years of progressive human resources experience, preferably in higher education; success in working with diverse constituents on complex issues;
a high level of cultural awareness; as well as sensitivity, humility and discretion. Understanding of the unique culture of liberal arts colleges as well as knowledge of all relevant federal, state, and local employment and benefits laws is a necessity.
Positive Partnerships
The new VPHR must be a strong collaborator, who builds positive partnerships across the organization with a diverse population of administrators, staff and faculty, said Carrington & Carrington. He or she should be a superb communicator, skilled in both speaking and writing. It is also critical that the individual also be a caring and compassionate listener, open to different points of view, approachable and patient when dealing with conflict, and capable of responding effectively and dynamically to concerns.
The role requires a strategic thinker, with the ability to plan and carry out long-range collaborative agendas. The VPHR must further be a team builder, with the capacity to manage and mentor a diverse staff by communicating goals and expectations, evaluating work, creating professional development opportunities, engendering trust, and instilling the courage to lead. This leader should also be a connector, who establishes healthy relationships across both internal and external constituencies.
Connecticut College, founded in 1911, is a highly selective four-year residential college with a history of excellence in the liberal arts and sciences. The college, which is located in New London, CT, supports 176 full-time faculty in 60
academic departments and programs. Its student faculty ratio is 9:1. The student body is drawn from 45 states and over 70 countries and supported by generous financial aid, with 29 percent domestic and international students of color in 2020, an increase of about 30 percent since 2015. The college’s faculty includes 26 percent U.S. and international faculty of color, with 16 tenure-track faculty of color hired between 2016 and 2020. Staff at Connecticut College reflect a similar overall proportionality, with 25 percent black and indigenous people of color.
Respected Recruiters
Carrington & Carrington, with offices in Chicago, Washington, D.C., and Memphis, was founded in 1979 and specializes in the recruitment and placement of African-Americans, Latinos, women, LGBT and other diverse professionals. It places middle management and senior level executives across various industries and functional areas. Co-founded by Willie and Marian Carrington, the firm ranks as one of the most respected African-American-owned search firms in the nation.
Bristol Myers Squibb Turns to Carrington & Carrington for Chief Diversity Officer
Carrington & Carrington was recently enlisted to find a chief diversity officer for Bristol Myers Squibb. The search firm is seeking candidates with strong experience in the international arena with an ability to navigate complex, matrixed corporate environments. But the winning candidate must have a passion for diversity and inclusion. In addition, Carrington & Carrington is looking for an executive with proven leadership experience, comfortable and articulate in communicating with the C-suite and board. The position is based in Lawrenceville, NJ.
Bristol Myers Squibb CEO Giovanni Caforio recently shared a note to the company about its commitment to accelerate and expand health equity and diversity and inclusion efforts. “As a company, we have had many conversations about the serious challenges facing the black/African-American community and have learned a great deal since the death of George Floyd,” he said. “The global COVID-19 pandemic has further exposed persistent health disparities that leave under-resourced and minority communities at greater risk of poor health outcomes. Now more than ever, we recognize our role in creating the change needed to address the health disparities and racial inequality present in our rapidly changing communities.”
Mr. Carrington has played and continues to play a significant role in increasing the representation of diverse professionals in major companies including banking, finance, manufacturing, and utilities. Prior to this, he was executive director of Inroads/Chicago and an auditor for the former CPA firm Arthur Andersen & Company.
Ms. Carrington is heavily focused in the firm’s healthcare, academic, and non-profit sectors. She was previously a human resources and operations executive with Allstate Insurance. She focuses in large part on the healthcare, academic and non-profit sectors.
Related: Carrington & Carrington Recruits Chief Diversity Officer for McDonald’s
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief; Dale M. Zupsansky, Managing Editor; and Stephen Sawicki, Managing Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
