Talent Partner

This position is not eligible for H-1B or permanent residency sponsorship.

Location and Work Environment:

The University of Minnesota is committed to fostering local talent through employment opportunities. This position is a hybrid role and requires onsite presence, and prospective applicants must be located either in the state of Minnesota or near the Wisconsin border OR otherwise open to relocation.

Work Schedule:

Standard Business Hours, Monday through Friday

About the Job:

The Office of Information Technology (OIT) at the University of Minnesota is excited to recruit for a collaborative, forward-thinking Talent Partner to support and strengthen our IT community. This role is a trusted advisor to IT leaders from every college, campus, and unit, combining talent strategy, workforce planning, and recruitment expertise to help ensure the University attracts, develops, and retains the talent needed to support its mission. In this role you'll be part of the IT Human Resources team and also a member of the Talent Acquisition team in the Office of Human Resources.

Primary Responsibilities:

Talent Management & Strategic Partnership

• Develop a deep understanding of the current IT workforce, how talent is utilized, and anticipated future needs.
• Partner closely with IT leaders to understand their business units, identify skill gaps, and inform scalable, enterprise-wide talent strategies.
• Provide leaders with relevant workforce data and insights to support informed decision-making and effective people strategies.
• Advise leaders on the optimal use of existing IT talent, including opportunities for development through projects, new experiences, and internal mobility across the IT community.
• Serve as IT's primary administrator for internal "gig" work by reviewing and refining proposals, managing approvals through the University's Employee Development Center (EDC), connecting employees to opportunities, and ensuring leaders receive support throughout the process.
• Assess workforce needs and recommend the most effective approach-leveraging internal talent or initiating a competitive recruitment.
• Support hiring leaders with job classification analysis, defining and validating position requirements, and developing high-quality job descriptions aligned with education, experience, technical skills, and competencies.
• Facilitate the University's IT Foundations onboarding program by curating and updating content, coordinating speakers, and leading sessions across multiple cohorts each year.
  

Recruitment & Talent Acquisition

• Proactively source talent using innovative and traditional recruiting strategies, including engaging passive candidates and building strong, diverse talent pipelines.
• Cultivate relationships with prospective candidates and serve as a key point of contact throughout the recruitment and selection process.
  

Selection & Hiring Support

• Advise leaders on effective selection strategies, targeted compensation, and overall hiring approaches.
• Design and implement research-based selection criteria to support equitable and effective hiring decisions.
• Review applicant pools, conduct interviews, and provide thoughtful recommendations to hiring leaders.
• Coordinate interview logistics and ensure candidates remain informed and engaged throughout the process.
• Respond to applicant inquiries across a variety of employee groups at the University.
• Maintain accurate hiring records and provide regular updates to leadership on recruitment progress and position status.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business, or a related field, plus two years of relevant professional experience; or a combination of related education and/or work experience totaling six years.
• Core competencies for this position include communicates effectively, plans and aligns, decision quality, ensures accountability, action oriented, business insights, attracts top talent, customer focus and values differences.
  

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience as an HR business partner, HR generalist, or in a similar role supporting business units.
• Demonstrated success in active recruitment, candidate sourcing, and talent pipeline development.
• Prior experience recruiting for IT or technology-focused roles.

The Office of Information Technology (OIT) is the University's central IT unit and provides enterprise-level technologies and services that are broadly consumed, core to central administrative business operations, and tend to offer substantial economies of scale. We are part of a larger ecosystem of IT professionals who work in academic and support units systemwide. Local or collegiate IT units often offer discipline-specific, niche, and complementary services to the OIT central services.

Pay Range: $75,000 - $85,000 annual; depending on education/qualifications/experience

Time Appointment: 100% Appointment

Position Type: Civil-Service & Non-Faculty Labor Represented Staff

Please visit the Office of Human Resources website for more information regarding benefit eligibility.

The University offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes:

• Competitive wages, paid holidays, and generous time off
• Continuous learning opportunities through professional training and degree-seeking programs supported by the Regents Tuition Benefit Program
• Low-cost medical, dental, and pharmacy plans
• Healthcare and dependent care flexible spending accounts
• University HSA contributions
• Disability and employer-paid life insurance
• Employee wellbeing program
• Excellent retirement plans with employer contribution
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) opportunity
• Financial counseling services
• Employee Assistance Program with eight sessions of counseling at no cost
• Employee Transit Pass with free or reduced rates in the Twin Cities metro area

Applications must be submitted online. To be considered for this position, please click the Apply button and follow the instructions. You will be given the opportunity to complete an online application for the position and attach a cover letter and resume.

Additional documents may be attached after application by accessing your "My Job Applications" page and uploading documents in the "My Cover Letters and Attachments" section.

To request an accommodation during the application process, please e-mail employ@umn.edu or call (612) 624-8647.

The University recognizes and values the importance of diversity and inclusion in enriching the employment experience of its employees and in supporting the academic mission. The University is committed to attracting and retaining employees with varying identities and backgrounds.

The University of Minnesota provides equal access to and opportunity in its programs, facilities, and employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, gender, age, marital status, disability, public assistance status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. To learn more about diversity at the U: http://diversity.umn.edu

Any offer of employment is contingent upon the successful completion of a background check. Our presumption is that prospective employees are eligible to work here. Criminal convictions do not automatically disqualify finalists from employment.

The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (UMTC)

The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (UMTC), is among the largest public research universities in the country, offering undergraduate, graduate, and professional students a multitude of opportunities for study and research. Located at the heart of one of the nation's most vibrant, diverse metropolitan communities, students on the campuses in Minneapolis and St. Paul benefit from extensive partnerships with world-renowned health centers, international corporations, government agencies, and arts, nonprofit, and public service organizations.

At the University of Minnesota, we are proud to be recognized by the Star Tribune as a Top Workplace for 2021, as well as by Forbes as Best Employers for Women and one of America's Best Employers (2015, 2018, 2019, 2023), Best Employer for Diversity (2019, 2020), Best Employer for New Grads (2018, 2019), and Best Employer by State (2019, 2022). #ZR