The Chief Human Resources Officer is responsible for leading and managing the Division of Human Resources by providing the vision, leadership, strategic planning, and oversight for human resources throughout all functions and campuses of Kansas State University. The CHRO manages approximately 42 staff with an annual operating budget of over $4.1 million. Specific oversight includes Benefits, Compensation and Organizational Effectiveness, Employee Relations & Engagement, Labor Relations, Learning and Development, Resource Center-HRIS, and Talent Acquisition. The CHRO reports to the Vice President for Administration and Finance.

The Administrative Support Center-HR team is a part of a shared services center providing budget, financial and administrative human resources services to central administrative units. The Administrative Support Center-HR (ASC-HR) team currently serves over 45 administrative and academic departments across campus where they work closely with directors and department heads to create streamlined HR policies and procedures with the purpose of identifying process improvements, promote staff development, and find areas for increased efficiency. The ASC-HR team regularly supports customer departments with the coordination of employee recruitment, onboarding/offboarding, time and leave and payroll. Their primary goals are to provide excellent customer service and to build a culture of subject matter expertise to benefit our customers.

The Benefits unit administers K-State benefits such as Kansas Public Employees Retirement System (KPERS), Kansas Board of Regents (KBOR) retirement plan, voluntary retirement and savings options, State Employee Health Plan, voluntary insurances, leave programs and more. The team provides education to employees regarding these benefits and ensures state and federal laws are adhered to. This team also designs and delivers the Live Your Best #PurpleIsProgress wellness programming to meet the holistic well-being of K-State employees.

Benefits can assist supervisors with identifying resources to support their employees. This unit counsels on appropriate use of leave, Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) considerations, phased retirement, and when to utilize the Employee Assistance Program.

The Compensation & Organizational Effectiveness team is responsible for managing and administering K-State’s compensation and classification programs. These programs are designed to recognize, reward and retain a high-performing and diverse workforce while ensuring equity and regulatory compliance across the institution. This unit welcomes the opportunity to consult, partner and train with departments and leaders across campus to effectively manage their staff compensation and position structures.

Employee Relations & Engagement has several functions designed to provide information and assistance to all University employees on a wide range of workplace issues. A part of our mission is to help foster and improve positive relationships among employees, their leaders, and coworkers by working person-to-person with people to resolve issues. In concert with ER&E’s mission, our goal is to empower employees and equip them with the skills and tools to effectively manage and find resolutions to their situations.

Administrators, supervisors, and all K-State employees can contact our office to ask questions about employment policies. We also provide guidance on conflict/dispute resolutions and guidance related to individual and organizational effectiveness in the workplace, with the goal of developing high quality and effective resolutions to workplace issues. Our office conducts mediations, facilitates conversations and coordinates the University's dispute resolution systems. We also make referrals to the ombudspersons, mediators, and other resources, when appropriate. The Director of Employee Relations serves as the campus ADA Coordinator and is responsible for the University's compliance with ADA and assists with requests for reasonable accommodations in the workplace.

The Resource Center and Operations team is the HR transactional center for the university. This team delivers services for all aspects of personnel transactions, records management, compliance, and operational support for HRIS, forms, HR web pages and ImageNow. The Resource Center is also responsible to the HRIS system configuration and security. The team supports ad-hoc reports, HR Forms, non-resident alien employment, leave accruals, and verification of employment.

The Talent Acquisition team serves as a strategic partner focused on creating innovative solutions that support recruitment initiatives. The team assists colleges and departments to develop search strategies to attract a diverse pool of qualified and talented candidates. Talent Acquisition aims to showcase K-State and our communities and to provide an excellent candidate experience throughout the recruitment process. The team welcomes an opportunity to consult or train others on recruitment processes and onboarding. 

Talent and Organizational Development | learning-develop-hr@k-state.edu

The Talent and Organizational Development unit supports K-State employees in a variety of ways.  Talent and Organizational Development hosts a range of training offerings each year including K-State Supervisory Foundations, Supervising Students on the Job, and much more.  In addition, the office coordinates professional development across the university including campus-wide programming efforts.  Talent and Organizational Development staff can assist employees with information regarding specialized training requests.  To find a list of offerings and the most up-to-date information, visit Talent and Organizational Development.