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• This transition to the HR Partner Model is about positioning the university for long-term sustainability and
  success, so that we can continue fulfilling our mission even in challenging circumstances.
• We've heard — directly from HR practitioners and campus partners — that the way HR works today isn’t meeting
  the needs of the university.
• The Partner Model is our opportunity to address these issues, so HR can be more connected, responsive, and
  effective in supporting the people who power ¶¶ÒõÂÃÐÐÉä Boulder’s mission.

• Our goal is for our campus partners to experience a more seamless, consistent, and proactive HR service model.
  There will be clearer points of contact and quicker access to expertise.
• For our HR community, our goals with implementing the Partner Model are to provide more clarity about roles,
  responsibilities, and career paths; give our practitioners greater opportunity to focus on meaningful, strategic
  work and grow their skills, and build a stronger 'One HR' community where collaboration, professional
  development, and recognition are front and center.
• Ultimately, we want HR to be a true strategic partner — helping units recruit, develop, support, and retain the best talent to advance ¶¶ÒõÂÃÐÐÉä Boulder's mission.

These decisions were made through a thoughtful and collaborative process with diverse members of the campus
community, including faculty, staff, and representatives from the schools, colleges, and institutes. We relied on a
combination of data analysis, direct feedback from campus constituents, input from HR subject matter experts
and practitioners, and guidance from senior leadership. The final decisions were made by campus leadership
based on recommendations that reflected the needs of the university, and the priorities shared with us by the
campus community.

• This work is part of the campus resource and infrastructure alignment strategic priority rolling out in the coming
  academic year, per campus goal setting during 2024-25.
• This effort also supports the success of ¶¶ÒõÂÃÐÐÉä Boulder faculty and staff by moving ¶¶ÒõÂÃÐÐÉä Boulder HR into the future to
  ensure our staff and faculty have the tools, systems, and resources they need to grow and thrive at this institution.

The Chancellor and campus leaders have endorsed and are supportive of these changes. The proposed changes
will address the stated desire for greater clarity, consistency, and coordination, and we are committed to a
collaborative process as we move forward.

No. The primary goal is about positioning us for long-term success, making sure we are structured to serve our
campus effectively and sustainably. Through these changes, we want to improve the employee experience and
optimize the way we deliver services to campus to maximize resources put towards our academic and research
missions.

• HR costs allocation will be part of the considerations during the budget model review process beginning in the
  fall of 2025.
• The new structure ensures that HR support remains dedicated to and embedded within your unit, with services
  tailored to your unit’s needs.
• What’s changing is not your investment in HR—but how we coordinate, manage, and support HR talent to ensure
  consistent service, professional development, and strategic alignment across campus.
• This approach balances local responsiveness with institution-wide consistency and efficiency, while maintaining a
  strong partnership between Central HR and the units.
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In the new model, we’re shifting from individual ownership to shared accountability to create a more coordinated,
equitable, and strategic HR function across campus.

While the HR staff may be centrally managed, your input will remain critical.Ìý

Through a standard Supervisory Agreement, unit leaders will:
• Collaborate on goal-setting and performance feedback
• Help shape priorities aligned to the unit’s needs
• Have established communication protocols to ensure regular collaboration
• Have clear conflict resolution guidelines

Central reporting ensures consistency, support, and alignment with institutional policies and standards, while still preserving a strong, responsive relationship with your unit.

Finance will include HR costs allocation as part of the considerations during the budget model review process
beginning in the fall of 2025.

The goal of this transformation is to create a more strategic, efficient, and consistent HR function—which over
time should lead to institution-wide efficiencies and improved service delivery.

While the cost structure for each unit may not immediately change, centralization enables us to:
• Reduce duplication of effort and streamline administrative tasks
• Standardize systems and roles to improve productivity
• Leverage shared services and expertise to better support both routine and complex needs

Over time, this should help free up capacity in both HR and the units, reduce error rates, and improve the quality and speed of service, creating indirect savings and a better use of resources across campus.
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• Central reporting does not change the HR Partner/Director’s role as a strategic partner to the unit—they will
  continue to be fully engaged with the unit’s leadership team and priorities.
• Although HR Partner/Directors will report centrally, they will remain embedded in their units and continue to serve as active members of the unit leadership team.

• Performance goals for embedded HR staff will be developed collaboratively between Central HR and the unit they
  support.
• Central HR will ensure that goals align with institutional HR priorities, policies, and service standards, while unit
  leaders will have the opportunity to shape goals based on the unique needs and priorities of their unit.
• This shared goal-setting process ensures that HR staff are accountable to both Central HR and the unit they serve,
  and that their performance reflects both strategic alignment and local impact.

Yes, your input will be an important part of those processes. While HR staff will be centrally managed, we recognize
that you have direct insight into how HR support functions in your unit.

Unit leaders will have structured opportunities to provide input into:
• Hiring decisions for HR staff assigned to their unit
• Performance evaluations, through feedback mechanisms and shared goal-setting
• Escalation of concerns, if performance or fit becomes an issue
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This shared approach is designed to ensure HR professionals are accountable to both Central HR and the units
they support, and that you continue to have a meaningful voice in who represents HR within your team.

Wonderful question! While HR staff will report centrally in the new model, accountability to the
unit remains a top priority. We’re putting structures in place to ensure that HR Partner/Directors stay closely
aligned with the needs of the units they support.

Specifically, we will implement tools like:
• HR Partner/Director Supervisory Agreements that formalize expectations between Central HR and unit
leadership
• Regular feedback loops between HR leadership and unit leadership
• Joint goal setting and performance reviews, informed by both Central HR and the unit

These mechanisms are designed to ensure that your voice continues to shape how HR support is delivered, even if
the reporting line is different. Our goal is a more coordinated, strategic HR function that still feels deeply connected
to the unit’s unique mission and needs.

While HR staff will report centrally, they will continue to be deeply embedded in and dedicated to your unit, with a strong understanding of your specific needs, culture, and priorities.

We’re designing this model to balance strategic alignment with Central HR and responsiveness to unit-specific
goals. That means:
• You’ll have regular opportunities to collaborate on priorities and expectations with your HR
Partner/Director
• HR staff will be evaluated on their ability to meet the needs of the units they serve
• We’ll maintain open lines of communication so we can quickly adapt if local needs change

The intent is not to distance HR from the schools, colleges, and units—it’s to strengthen support with clearer roles,
better tools, and more strategic capacity, while keeping strong relationships front and center.

We are building clear accountability mechanisms into the new model to ensure that concerns are addressed
promptly and constructively.

As a unit leader, you will have multiple avenues to provide ongoing feedback on your HR Partner/Director’s
performance, including:
• Structured input into performance evaluations
• Regular check-ins with Central HR leadership
• Escalation pathways if issues persist and impact service quality

The goal of this model is not just to provide strategic HR support—but to ensure that support is effective,
responsive, and aligned with your unit’s needs. If it’s not, there will be formal ways to raise concerns and
collaborate on solutions.

• Responsiveness is a top priority—and one of the key goals of this transformation is to make HR support more
  consistent, reliable, and responsive across all units.
• In the current distributed model, responsiveness can vary depending on local resources. By moving to a more
  coordinated structure, we can ensure HR professionals are better supported, more specialized, and equipped with
  clearer processes and tools—which should improve response times and service quality.
• We’ll also be implementing service level expectations and feedback loops so that if responsiveness falls short, it
  can be addressed quickly. The intent is not to lose the close connection HR has with the units, but to strengthen
  that relationship with more consistent support.

• We expect service levels to change for the better. One of the key goals of this transformation is to improve the
  consistency, timeliness, and quality of HR support across campus.
• In the current model, service levels can vary depending on staffing structures and resources at the unit level. The
  new model is designed to ensure that every unit receives high-quality, professional HR support, regardless of
  location or size.
• You may see some shifts in how services are delivered or who is providing them, but we are committed to
  maintaining continuity during the transition and ultimately delivering a more reliable, efficient, and equitable
  experience for campus.

• In the new model, HR support will be provided through standardized roles and processes to promote consistency,
  efficiency, and equity across the university. This means that customized, unit-specific HR arrangements will no
  longer be the norm.
• That said, we understand that some programs may have unique staffing structures or operational rhythms. While
  HR support won’t be customized at the individual unit level, we’re committed to listening and adapting where
  flexibility is needed—within the boundaries of the standardized model.
• We’ll work with units to ensure their needs are understood and supported as effectively as possible, while staying
  aligned with the broader goals of integration and service excellence.

In the future-state model, decisions about HR staffing will be made centrally to ensure equity, consistency, and
alignment with institutional priorities. While individual units won’t have the ability to independently hire or fund
additional HR staff, we do want to understand where additional support may be needed.

If you believe your unit has unique or elevated HR needs, we encourage you to work with Central HR to evaluate
those needs. This will allow us to consider adjustments that are strategic, coordinated, and sustainable across the
institution.

This effort is focused on standardizing the roles, responsibilities, and structure within the units. Any additional
standardization of systems, tools, and processes will be considered as part of separate implementation efforts.

Implementation will occur in three phases, each consisting of approximately six months of planning followed by six months of implementation.

• During the planning phase, we will engage with units to understand their needs and collaboratively determine the appropriate staffing levels and structure for the future organization.
• In the implementation phase, we will begin putting the new structure and roles into place.
• Both phases will be approached with a high degree of collaboration and care to ensure that everyone impacted is informed, supported, and prepared for the changes ahead.

Phase 1 Units Include:

Phase 2 Units Include:

• All schools and colleges
• Student Life

Phase 3 Units Include:Ìý

• RIO
• All institutes

Implementation will occur in three phases. Each phase will begin with approximately six months of planning, followed by approximately six months of implementation.
Phase 1: Planning from November 2025 – April 2026, Implementation Target from May 2026 – October 2026. The HR Blueprint Project does not anticipate making any changes to HR roles in Phase 1 units prior to May 2026.

Phase 2: Planning from May 2026 – October 2026, Implementation Target from November 2026 – April 2027. The HR Blueprint Project does not anticipate making any changes to HR roles in Phase 2 units prior to November 2026.

Phase 3: Planning from November 2026 – April 2027, Implementation Target from May 2027 – October 2027. The HR Blueprint Project does not anticipate making any changes to HR roles in Phase 3 units prior to May 2027.

We know that change can create uncertainty, so minimizing disruption is a top priority.

The transition will be phased and thoughtfully planned, with clear timelines, communication, and support at each step. We’ll work closely with your unit to:

• Map current HR support and functions to the new model
• Identify any potential service gaps or workload concerns in advance
• Engage local leaders in shaping how roles and responsibilities are aligned
• Provide transition support and training for both HR staff and the teams they serve

Our aim is to ensure continuity of service, minimize confusion, and support a smooth shift—without disrupting day-to-day operations or service to faculty, staff, and students.

We will work closely with unit leadership through implementation planning to ensure we understand your unique needs.

• We are committed to clear, timely, and transparent communication throughout this transition. You will be informed through regular email updates, team meetings, town halls, and dedicated FAQ resources.
• We’ll also create opportunities for two-way communication, so you can ask questions, share concerns, and get the clarity you need. Our goal is to ensure you feel informed, supported, and included every step of the way.

We understand that change can bring uncertainty, and we’re committed to providing strong support throughout this transition.
You can expect access to a range of resources, including:

• Information sessions to explain changes and answer your questions
• One-on-one and small group check-ins with HR leaders
• Transition guides and FAQs to clarify processes
• Training and support to help you prepare for any new responsibilities
• Ongoing support from supervisors and HR leadership

Our goal is to make this a smooth and supported experience for every HR practitioner.

Yes, all units will be required to use the HRSC once the Partner Model has been implemented in their unit.

We recognize that centralizing more HR work will increase the demand on the HR Service Center—and we’re actively preparing for that.
To support this transition, we’re investing in:

• Additional staffing to meet increased volume and complexity
• Process improvement to streamline transactions and reduce turnaround time
• Service enhancements that improve transparency, tracking, and responsiveness
• Technology enhancement that supports automation and improved efficiency

These improvements are designed to ensure the Service Center remains a reliable, high-performing partner, even as it scales to meet broader campus needs. Our goal is to deliver a better service experience for both HR practitioners and the units they support.

If you need to fill a vacancy in an HR role in your unit prior to the new structure being implemented, we recommend you use the new HR roles and position descriptions as a guideline.