Human Resources Director

Human Resources Director

Under the general policy direction of the Mayor, the Human Resources Director leads the Human Resources Department by establishing its vision and direction, ensuring that the City fosters an inclusive and high-performing workforce that the Bremerton community can take pride in. This includes development and oversight of department goals, objectives, policies and procedures; budget development and oversight; and providing highly responsible and technically complex assistance to City leadership by applying knowledge of currently accepted human resources best practices and relevant employment laws and regulations.

Strategic Planning & Leadership Provides leadership, direction, and guidance in the development of a competent, well-trained, properly structured and motivated workforce capable of achieving the City's goals and commitments. Participates in administration of ADA and FMLA program. Serves as the ADA coordinator. Oversees, participates, and provides staff support for a variety of boards and commissions including the Commission on Council Salaries and Civil Service Commission. Prepares City Council meeting agenda items on a variety of human resources and labor relations action items.

Talent Management Provides guidance to department directors and managers in identifying staff development needs and coordinates activity to provide City-wide training programs at all levels to improve performance and promote staff retention. Develops and leads innovative and creative non-traditional outreach and recruitment strategies to attract talented and high performing public servants. Develop and manage performance appraisal systems and provide feedback and coaching.

Employee & Labor Relations Serves as chief management representative in labor negotiations. Researches and develops collective bargaining strategies. Analyzes, evaluates and interprets the applicability and intent of contractual language and provisions. Formulates, proposes, revises, and updates contracts, including interpretations and memorandums of understanding. Shape and maintain a positive and engaging work environment.

Compliance & Administration Apply legally compliant employment practices by developing, overseeing, and conducting investigations, mediating disputes and grievances and otherwise responding to complaints and issues involving employee conduct. Develops compensation and benefits policies and procedures; advises and makes recommendations to appropriate City officials, implements the actions pertaining thereto. Coordinates, evaluates, and negotiates with benefit providers the levels and types of employee health, dental and disability insurance; oversees administration of benefits program to include medical, dental, life insurance and LEOFF I pension benefits and budget. Serves as deferred compensation plan administrator Maintains confidentiality of work-related issues, client records, and City information.

Data & Analytics Conducts compensation, classification and other personnel-related surveys, gathers relevant information, analyzes and organizes data and information supportive to decision making requirements of the Mayor and the City Council and clearly and professionally communicates the information in a variety of settings. Responds to inquiries from internal and external sources on department functions; produces effective and accurate written and verbal reports on human resources and policy subjects. This includes the ability to communicate technical information to audiences without technical expertise. Develops, recommends, and monitors the Human Resources Department budget by reviewing past expenditures and determining future resources needed to accomplish department goals.

Other Duties : Regular Attendance is an essential requirement Performs related work as assigned or required

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (Entry Requirements) Knowledge of : Demonstrated knowledge of public agency human resource systems, including civil service, classification, compensation, labor relations, and benefits administration; Federal, state and local laws and regulations which relate to public employment and labor relations; Techniques used for gathering, evaluating and summarizing data and analytics to inform decisions and address workforce challenges; Ability to : Ability to multi-task and effectively manage priorities on a daily basis. Ability to communicate effectively and inclusively to foster trust, transparency and collaboration. To manage complex high-impact decisions related to workforce strategy, policy development and labor relations. Skill in coaching, mentoring, and supporting leaders across the City as well as human resources staff. Carry out complex assignments independently and make decisions based on established policies and procedures. Identify resources, research and locate laws, regulations, data and information relevant to specific projects or situations; Interpret and apply the intent and specific provisions of laws and regulatory provisions to particular conditions; Quantify activities and costs, identify available alternatives and produce verbal and written reports on the probable costs, benefits and problems of differing courses of action; Provide verbal and written information, direction and advice to a wide variety of people and officials; Communicate effectively in oral and written form. Establish and maintain effective collaboration and stakeholder engagement with elected officials, union leadership, outside agencies, City employees and the general public. Demonstrate knowledge of cultural competence.

Qualifying Education and Experience (Minimum Requirements) Education : Graduation from college with a Bachelor's degree in human resources management, public administration or a closely related field. Experience : Six (6) years of paid full-time experience as a public employer human resources professional including management of personnel programs and labor relations experience in collective bargaining including contract negotiations, administration grievance handling and arbitration, preferably for a similarly sized municipality. Must be proficient in the use of MS Word and Excel. An equivalent combination of experience, education, and training sufficient to successfully perform the essential duties of the position as listed above must be demonstrated by the applicant. Preferred Requirements Education : Master's degree in human resources management, public administration or a closely related field. Certifications : CLRP, SPHR / SHRM-SCP and / or PHR / SHRM-CP.

Physical Requirements : Federal law requires employers to provide reasonable accommodation to qualified individuals with disabilities. Please tell us if you require reasonable accommodation to apply for a job or to perform the job. Examples of reasonable accommodation include making a change to the application process or work procedures, providing documents in an alternate format, or using specialized equipment. The working conditions described here are representative of those that must be met (with or without accommodation) by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reaching. Extending hand(s) and arm(s) in any direction. Fine manipulation. Picking, pinching, typing or otherwise working, primarily with fingers rather than with the whole hand as in handling. Grasping. Applying pressure to an object with the fingers and palm. Talking. Expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word. Those activities in which they must convey detailed or important spoken instructions to other workers accurately, loudly, or quickly. Hearing. Perceiving the nature of sounds at normal speaking levels with or without correction. Ability to receive detailed information through oral communication, and to make the discriminations in sound. Repetitive motion. Substantial movements (motions) of the wrists, hands, and / or fingers.

Working Conditions : The work environment characteristics described are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Public presentations and evening meetings are required on a frequent basis. Normal air-conditioned office situation. The noise level in the work environment is usually quiet.