Description

University of South Florida seeks a Vice President and Chief People Officer
Click here to view position profile: https://summitsearchsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/USF_VPChiefPeopleOfficer_Profile.pdf
Location: Tampa, Florida

The Position:
The University seeks a strategic and collaborative Vice President and Chief People Officer (VP-CPO) to lead the university’s people strategy at a defining moment in its evolution. With approximately 16,000 employees, the University of South Florida is one of the largest employers in the Tampa Bay area. USF is dedicated to cultivating a talented, engaged, and driven workforce that strives to be bold. Employees excel in USF‘s rich academic environment, which fosters their development and advancement. 

As the university celebrates its 70th year and builds on its membership in the AAU, the VP-CPO will focus on ensuring that USF is a place where faculty and staff choose to build their careers, supporting and promoting an environment where employees contribute to the university’s continued success and further position USF as a destination of choice for top talent. 

Reporting to the Senior Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer, the VP-CPO serves as a member of USF leadership and provides direction for the university’s human resources strategy and operations. This role brings a current and practical approach to how the university supports its workforce, with a focus on leadership capability, talent development, and effective service delivery. The VP-CPO will lead efforts to strengthen and align human resources across the university and ensure systems, services, and practices are aligned with the needs of a complex and growing institution.  

Description and Primary Purpose:
The VP-CPO provides strategic leadership and oversight for the university’s human resources operations, aligning workforce planning, organizational design, and talent priorities with USF’s mission and institutional goals. Serving as a trusted advisor to USF leadership, this role guides decisions related to leadership effectiveness, workforce risks, and organizational health, while advancing a more consistent and effective approach to recruiting, developing, and retaining employees. The VP-CPO will lead efforts to move the university beyond a transactional model of human resources, toward a more aligned and integrated approach that enhances USF’s ability to attract, develop, and retain top-tier talent.  

Key functional areas of oversight include benefits, compensation, employee and labor relations, continuous process improvement, embedded services, employee experience, recruiting, service delivery, and talent development. Leading a team of over 100 staff across the division, the VP/CPO develops organizational strategies and implements best-in-class HR initiatives, programs, and support across the University. Through this structure, the role ensures that services operate in a coordinated and consistent manner across the institution, supporting a strong employee experience and a workforce prepared to meet the needs of a large and evolving university. 

In addition, the VP-CPO provides oversight of human resources operations, service delivery, and systems, including Oracle HCM Cloud. The role will work in close partnership with colleges and administrative units to strengthen relationships across USF, further develop embedded and shared HR services, and refine how these services operate to ensure they are effective, consistent, and responsive to the needs of the university. This role uses workforce data to inform decisions, track progress, and ensure systems and processes are effective, compliant, and aligned with the needs of a large and evolving university.

Qualifications:
Required:

• Bachelor’s degree or an equivalent combination of education and directly related experience.
• Minimum of 15 years of progressively responsible experience in human resources, people strategy, organizational development, or executive leadership.
• Minimum of 7 years of senior leadership or executive-level management experience.
• In accordance with Florida Senate Bill 1310, required education may be substituted with additional years of directly related experience as permitted by law.
   

Preferred:

• Experience leading a comprehensive human resources or people function in a large, public institution of higher education, with responsibility for strategy, operations, and service delivery.
• Advanced degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Organizational Development, Psychology, or a related field.
• Demonstrated experience advising presidents, executive leadership teams, or governing boards.
• Experience with executive coaching, leadership development, and succession planning.
• Familiarity with multi-campus, public-sector, unionized, and highly regulated environments.
   

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Enterprise-level strategic thinking with the ability to translate vision into execution.
• Strong executive presence, political acumen, and credibility with senior leaders.
• Expertise in leadership development, organizational change, and workforce analytics.
• Ability to influence, coach, and partner effectively across diverse stakeholder groups.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills and a high degree of integrity and professionalism.
   

About University of South Florida:
USF is a high-impact research university leading the way in health, environmental, and global and national security. As Florida's only metropolitan Preeminent Research University, USF approaches its 70th anniversary, celebrating its tremendous impact on students and on the Tampa Bay region, the state of Florida, and the nation.  

As a top-ranked research university, the University of South Florida serves approximately 50,000 students from across the globe. In 2025, U.S. News & World Report recognized USF as a top 50 public university for the seventh consecutive year and as one of the top 15 best values among all public universities in the nation. U.S. News also ranks the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine in the highest tier, as one of the top 16 medical schools in the nation and inside the top 10 among public universities. 

USF is a member of the Association of American Universities (AAU), a group that includes only the top 3% of universities in the U.S. With an all-time high of $750 million in research funding in 2025 and as a top 20 public university for producing U.S. patents, USF uses innovation to transform lives and shape a better future.  

The university generates an annual economic impact of nearly $10 billion for the state of Florida. USF’s Division I athletics teams compete in the American Conference.  

At a Glance:

• Founded in 1956
• Serving nearly 50,000 students 
• 14 colleges across multiple campuses
• SACSCOC accredited
• Over 16,000 employees
   

In recent years, USF has experienced unprecedented growth and recognition, climbing rapidly in national and global rankings to become one of America's leading research universities. From world-class research and student success to community engagement, these accomplishments reflect USF’s unwavering commitment to excellence and its mission to shape a brighter future for our students and society. 

In late May, President Moez Limayem charged a core team of committed leaders and university partners with shaping the next chapter of the institution. The group has been charged with delivering a dynamic five-year, actionable blueprint (2026-2031) that positions USF as the national model AAU institution and a top-25 public university in a world reshaped by intelligent systems. The blueprint will be defined by the institutional attributes of innovation, high ambition, distinctiveness, focus, relevance, and collective accountability. Built for execution, the blueprint will guide leadership decision-making, resource allocation and performance expectations in the years to come. Learn more.  

Leadership:
Moez Limayem, PhD, took office as the ninth president of the University of South Florida in February 2026, following a highly successful 3 1/2-year tenure as president of the University of North Florida, during which the institution set records in student retention, transfer student graduation rates, research investment, and private and public fundraising. Limayem has devoted more than 35 years to his higher education career, emphasizing the role of universities as engines of opportunity, innovation, and economic impact. 

Limayem has a deep connection to USF and the Tampa Bay region, having served for a decade as the Lynn Pippenger Dean of USF’s Muma College of Business, leading the nationally ranked business school from 2012 until he was named UNF president in 2022.  

Limayem has received numerous recognitions, including being named by Florida Trend as one of the state’s 500 most influential business leaders and by the Jacksonville Business Journal as an Ultimate CEO. He received an award from the National Academy of Inventors for his many contributions to innovation and invention. In addition, he was recently inducted into the Florida Council on Economic Education’s First Coast Business Hall of Fame, and The Tampa Bay Business Journal included Limayem in its lists of “25 People to Watch” in 2026 and “2026 Power 100”.  

Limayem is a globally recognized scholar in information systems, and his research has been cited more than 16,000 times in prestigious academic journals, including MIS Quarterly, Information Systems Research, Management Science, and the Journal of Management Information Systems. He earned his MBA and doctoral degree from the University of Minnesota, and he has also held academic leadership roles at the University of Arkansas and internationally.  

Why Consider the Opportunity:

• In 2025, Forbes recognized USF as one of Florida’s best large employers, ranked No. 1 among the state’s 12 public universities.
  USF offers a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, and life insurance; retirement plan options; an employee assistance program; employee and dependent tuition assistance; generous leave; and hundreds of perks and discounts.
• USF is led by Dr. Moez Limayem, a recently appointed President bringing new energy and a depth of related experience with the institution, the region, and advancing academics broadly. 
• USF arts, culture, and athletic events include a contemporary art museum featuring more than 5,000 holdings; high-level collegiate athletics including the South Florida Bulls football team; and free admission to USF’s College of the Arts performances at multiple venues. 
• The Vice President & Chief People Officer role features executive-level visibility and influence, significant scope and scale, and an opportunity to lead meaningful organizational transformation in a nationally ascending AAU research institution. 
   

To Apply:
A confidential review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position has been filled. For full consideration, individuals are encouraged to apply by July 31, 2026. Please submit a PDF version of your letter of application outlining your interest and related experience and record of success, along with your resume.  

To Apply Online: https://theapplicantmanager.com/jobs?pos=su512  

Caitlin Hummel
Senior Consultant
Summit Search Solutions, Inc.
585-880-7550
[email protected] 

Public Records Notice: As a public institution in the state of Florida, the university is subject to compliance with Florida's Public Records Law (Chapter 119, Florida Statutes) and the Government in the Sunshine Law.  

By applying, you understand and accept that your application materials may be shared as required by Florida’s public records and sunshine laws. If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to Beth Baldino, Summit Search Consultant before submitting a formal application. 

The University of South Florida is an equal opportunity employer that does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment based on any characteristic protected by law. The University maintains affirmative action programs for protected veterans and individuals with disabilities in accordance with all applicable federal and state laws. This job description does not constitute an employment contract.