Georgia Tech Human Resources recently completed the selection process for new Associate Vice President (AVP-HR) roles.
All eligible leaders in GTHR had an opportunity to express their interest in the roles, and a competitive interview process was completed.
Cedric Franklin, interim senior director of total rewards and compensation, and Jeff Leinbach, interim executive director of the Administrative Services Center, were selected and have accepted the roles.
The creation of these roles is part of a restructuring to help support the exponential growth of the human resources department and strengthen its ability to execute strategic goals.
The AVPs will provide improved executive oversight and coordination across functional areas.
The effective date of the transitions will be August 1, for Franklin and September 1, for Leinbach. The new AVPs will actively engage with HR staff and stakeholders to finalize plans for shifting teams to their final places in the new HR structure. Any related reporting changes are still on track to occur by Sept. 30, the end of the first quarter. Due to budget constraints, Franklin and Leinbach are being reclassified, so their current positions will not be backfilled.
About the AVP-HR Talent Strategy – Cedric Franklin, EdD – Effective August 1
Franklin joined GTHR in 2019 as the Assistant Director of Finance and has proven to be a strategic and thoughtful leader, while maximizing the opportunities provided by the Institute to navigate his career forward. He has since served as Director of HR Budgeting & Finance and Interim Senior Director of HR Total Rewards, leading the compensation, benefits & retirement, finance, organizational design and payroll units for GTHR. Before joining Tech, he supported the strategic portfolio of Planning, Design, and Construction for the Campus Services organization at Emory University. He has also served in various financial, operations, and strategic roles at Kennesaw State University and Southern Polytechnic State University. He’s an advocate for career development and progression and, from his new role, Cedric will be able to amplify GTHR’s impact to the employee experience at Georgia Tech. His Doctor of Education degree in Higher Education Administration will influence the work he leads to create clear pathways for our most valuable asset – the people of Georgia Tech.
The Talent Strategy portfolio connects critical strategic functions including employee experience, learning and development, organizational design, and total rewards. These teams will continue to advance our commitment to attract, retain, and celebrate our global and inclusive workforce.
About the AVP-HR Operations – Jeff Leinbach – Effective Sept. 1
Leinbach joined Georgia Tech in 2021 as Deputy Director of Human Resources and has served in that capacity as a delegate for, and advisor to, the CHRO while also leading multiple HR teams and serving as the HR lead on several Institute-wide transformation and change management initiatives. Prior to joining Tech, Jeff advised higher education leaders as a management consultant, with a focus on organizational redesign and process improvement efforts, most commonly with large, public research institutions. Prior to a career in consulting, Jeff earned an MBA from the University of Michigan Ross School of Business and held leadership positions in manufacturing operations. He is currently serving in an interim position as Executive Director of the Administrative Services Center (ASC), a position he has held since August 2023. The search for a permanent executive director for the ASC is currently underway, the vacancy is posted in Careers.
The HR Operations portfolio ensures our HR strategy is well-informed and data driven by creating synergy amongst our vital operational functions including communications, finance, global HR, program management, and technology.