Executive Search
University of Mississippi
Recruiting for Chief Human Resource Officer
The University of Mississippi, a distinguished higher education institution known for its comprehensive academic programs, was seeking a transformative leader to fill their Chief Human Resource Officer (CHRO) role. With a strong commitment to inclusivity and a collaborative, relationship-driven environment, the university needed someone who could build on their successes and bring the human resources function to the next level. They turned to Another Source for expert recruitment support to ensure a seamless, effective process that aligned with their values and goals.
The Story
University of Mississippi has grown into a major R1 research university, known for blending the resources and prestige of a large institution with the personal touch of a smaller school. The main campus, supported by six regional campuses, fosters a close-knit, relationship-driven culture where staff and students build connections quickly—you cannot hide in a cubicle here. The university prides itself on its high legacy and highly tenured staff, who are dedicated to upholding its traditions while embracing forward-thinking change.
Since 2015, the university has experienced significant growth in enrollment and has embarked on major initiatives, such as implementing new systems to enhance operations. With a strong emphasis on diversity, equity, and inclusion, the University of Mississippi is committed to ensuring an open and accessible environment, unafraid to tackle challenging conversations.
While proud of its current standing, the university sought a strategic HR leader capable of elevating the people and human resources side further. This leader needed to expertly navigate complex relationships across departments and drive strategic initiatives that support both the legacy and evolving culture of the institution.
The Challenge
The CHRO role was opened due to an internal shift, with the incumbent moving to a project role to implement Workday. The university needed a leader who could engage effectively with university leadership, fostering strong partnerships and positioning HR as a critical support and thought partner across all disciplines. This person needed to balance visionary thinking with practical application and possess high emotional intelligence (EQ) for proactive relationship building. The challenge was heightened by the rural location and a highly decentralized environment. The university’s search committee was committed to finding a candidate who could excel in contextualization, curation, and communication, seamlessly collaborating with varied stakeholders while guiding strategic initiatives.
Why Another Source
The University of Mississippi selected Another Source for its proven ability to deliver results within strict timelines and its experience with national outreach, even for rural locations. The university valued choice and diversity in the candidate pool, as well as a structured and strategic approach to recruitment.
How Another Source Responded
Another Source began the process with a comprehensive pre-launch strategy session to set expectations and analyze market behavior, highlighting our unique 40-day search timeline—a significant differentiator in the recruitment market. This structured approach ensured that we could deliver results promptly while maintaining quality and depth in candidate selection.
Key steps included:
- Leveraging our robust sourcing strategy, with 70% of candidates identified through direct outreach and 30% sourced from a targeted national marketing campaign, overcoming the challenges of the rural location and ensuring a diverse, high-quality pool.
- Achieving a high first-round interview conversion rate, underscoring the effectiveness of our targeted sourcing and candidate engagement strategies.
Our focus on equitable and inclusive candidate engagement, combined with real-time feedback loops, empowered the University of Mississippi to make informed, confident decisions.
The Result
The structured and strategic approach taken by Another Source yielded a strong, well-curated slate of candidates. The outreach strategy, which included a mix of direct sourcing and national marketing, facilitated a diverse and qualified candidate pool despite the challenges posed by the rural location. The process achieved a high first-round interview conversion rate, showcasing the effectiveness of the targeted recruitment efforts. This approach supported the university’s need for a leader capable of guiding their HR function and contributing to their evolving campus culture.