The University of Wisconsin–Madison Taps Greenwood / Asher & Associates to Find CHRO
September 14, 2022 – Miramar Beach, FL-based executive recruitment firm Greenwood /Asher & Associates has been enlisted to find an associate vice chancellor and chief human resources officer for the University of Wisconsin–Madison. Top candidates for this role will be expected to bring an understanding of key workforce trends and to lead with policies and strategies that center employee equity, inclusion, and well-being. As part of the vice chancellor for finance and administration’s core team, this individual will lead several campuswide initiatives, including the second phase of its title and total compensation (TTC) project and the transition to Workday software as part of the administrative transformation program. The CHRO oversees an annual budget of about $11.8 million.
According to Greenwood / Asher & Associates, this position directly leads and provides vision for a team of 108 employees within the office of human resources. This leader will also work closely with UW System Administration, though the university maintains a separate and distinct personnel system. Candidates should have leadership experience in complex, decentralized environments. Human resources leadership experience in higher education is preferred.
A highly qualified candidate will have experience:
- Serving in a senior leadership or executive level human resource and/or management role.
- Leading and managing a human resources management program in a complex environment.
- Developing and implementing creative and innovative HR solutions.
- Building consensus and collaborating with stakeholders.
- Creating inclusive, engaged, and healthy work environments.
With a $3.4 billion budget, the University of Wisconsin–Madison educates more than 45,000 students and employs some 24,000 faculty and staff. Composed of 13 schools and colleges, the university offers 288 undergraduate majors and certificates, as well as more than 250 master’s, doctoral, and professional programs.
A Women-Owned Search Firm
Greenwood / Asher & Associates is a women-owned executive search firm with a diverse consulting team and extensive experience in executive search, consulting, and training for education markets including elementary, secondary, higher education, university systems, campuses and non-profit organizations including associations, service, and cultural institutions.
The firm, led by founders and partners Jan Greenwood and Betty Turner Asher, was acquired in 2020 by Kelly Education, a global leader in workforce management solutions offering staffing services to top companies.
Greenwood / Asher & Associates Assists Clemson University with CHRO Search
Greenwood /Asher & Associates has assisted in the recruitment of Ale Kennedy as the new associate vice president for human resources and chief human resources officer of Clemson University. “The university engaged a recruiting firm and conducted a rigorous national search to select our human resources leader,” said Max Allen, vice president and chief of staff, who also chaired the search committee. “I would like to thank the other members of the search committee for their work on this very important search, which gave us an opportunity to review close to 100 highly accomplished applicants.
Dr. Greenwood is a pioneer in U.S. higher education, as the first woman president of a public four-year and graduate institution in Virginia and as among the first to hold multiple presidencies for both public and private institutions. The library at one of these institutions is named in her honor. She was one of the earliest executive recruiters focused on education and non-profit organizations. Dr. Greenwood is a licensed psychologist with experience as a psychometrist and with post-doctoral training in group methods. She brings these skillsets to her work with clients, candidates, and search committees.
Dr. Asher, who is also vice president and managing partner of Kelly Education, was one of the first women to serve as president of a flagship institution. She brings to executive search, consulting and training a unique background of leadership service at all levels of higher education institutions and systems, in academics and student affairs and in public and private institutions. She has been a leader in executive search, consulting and training for the past two decades. Ms. Asher has led more than 500 searches, most at the president/CEO level.
Related: Greenwood / Asher & Associates Assists Clemson University with CHRO Search
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief; Dale M. Zupsansky, Managing Editor; and Stephen Sawicki, Managing Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
