Staff Spotlight: Nicole Jones, MBA, SHRM-CP (she/her)
Global Director of Human Resources
Please tell us about your journey to HUC.
One of my daily routines include reading business and leadership affirmations on LinkedIn. One morning as I was looking through LinkedIn, I came across the Global HR Director position. What really interested me the most about applying to the position was the mission of the institution and it seemed like a unique place to work. For personal and professional growth, I believe it is important to work in different cultural environments, especially as a HR professional. Throughout my interviews, I was welcomed with such great energy, and everyone seemed to share the same values that I deem as important to enjoy my work environment. Though the recruitment process was extensive, I appreciated the commitment that HUC put in to finding the right candidate because we shared the same intentions. Throughout my recruitment process, other employers continued to approach me for other opportunities, but HUC remained my top pick as I believed the culture was the competitive advantage and selling point for me.
What is most rewarding/challenging about your role?
I enjoy connecting with individuals and solving problems as I am a helper by nature. That’s something that you can’t teach in MBA, it’s part of me as an individual. If I can help you, then I feel like I’ve done my job. If I can’t directly help you, I will still try to find some sort of resource for you. That’s the most rewarding part of my job. One of the reasons I work in a nonprofit is because in order for me to be happy with my role, I need to be able to work for a mission. In HR, I have an impact in some type of way on so many people’s lives: benefits, payroll, employee relations, coaching, counseling, diversity and inclusion, training and development, business acumen — every single thing that I do impacts everyone in some capacity. The challenges are not always being able to help someone or solve a problem.
What most excites you about working for HUC?
The most exciting thing about working with HUC is the culture, the people, the individuals, and the learning. It is never a dull day. I can do HR anywhere, but going into a space that’s different for you makes you grow, so coming to HR is part of my professional and personal growth plan. Out of all the places I’ve worked at, everyone I’ve talked to at HUC is so intellectual, smart, and articulate. Working with educators is amazing. If I could take a piece of everyone I work with here, can you imagine what kind of amazing person I could grow into?
What do you hope to accomplish at HUC?
Human Resources plays a significant role in helping organizations reach their strategic goals, maintain morale, and create a healthy culture. My goal is to exceed those expectations. I hope to be part of transformational growth at HUC. I want to push forward Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives, implement an employee recognition program, streamline the recruitment process, develop a training and professional development program, and much more. I have plans to create HR initiatives with a robust service delivery model. By doing so, we will be able to streamline different processes that will make HR requests easier to navigate. Lastly, I hope to build some efficiency and bring ease to the challenges that come with being a manager and leader.
What do you like to do in your free time?
I am passionate about business and building family legacies so outside of HUC, I work with my fiancé on growing our business called Chico’s Cheesecakes. I am naturally ambitious and finding new business opportunities gives me a lot of satisfaction, so when I am not working for Chico’s Cheesecakes, I research investment opportunities.
Also, I’m a pescatarian so I eat a lot of fish and seafood, and I love to visit new restaurants in the Cincinnati area to find the best dishes. I also love to work out, read books, and spend time with family and friends. I’m a big nail art person and embrace the versatility of my hair, so I like to get my nails and hair done.
Most importantly, I try to make sure to put work into my holistic self-care — mental, spiritual, and physical — it’s important for everyone to be able to step away and disconnect and do the things that make them happy.