Reporting to an Assistant City Manager, the Director of Human Resources provides leadership and direction for all aspects of the City. This includes overseeing recruitment and retention, employee benefits, classification and compensation, organizational development, labor relations, risk management, and policy administration. The Director of Human Resources works in close collaboration with the City’s Civil Service Board and serves as a trusted advisor to the City Manager’s Office, department leaders, and executives on workforce policies and practices.
In addition to guiding day-to-day operations, the Director is responsible for preparing and managing the departmental budget, recommending policy updates, and ensuring that human resources programs reflect best practices. The Director also plays a key role in collective bargaining, grievance resolution, and employee engagement efforts, while championing initiatives that strengthen organizational culture and support the City’s long-term strategic goals.
Duties and Responsibilities
- Provides strategic direction for the City’s human resources programs, ensuring alignment with organizational priorities and best practices.
- Leads and mentors HR staff, building capacity within a team of professionals to deliver high-quality and responsive services.
- Collaborates with the Civil Service Board, department leaders, and elected officials on workforce policies, organizational development, and employee relations.
- Oversees collective bargaining and labor relations, fostering productive relationships with multiple bargaining units and ensuring compliance with civil service rules.
- Manages departmental resources, including budget planning and performance measurement, to ensure effective and efficient operations.
- Advances initiatives that enhance employee engagement, organizational culture, and the overall employee experience.
Education and Experience
Qualified applicants will have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in Human Resource Management, Business Administration, Organizational Development, Public Administration, or a related field, and six (6) years of progressively responsible professional experience in public sector human resources management overseeing complex HR systems is required, in addition to considerable supervisory experience. A master’s degree, and SHRM‑CP, PSHRA‑CP or PHR is preferred.
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The City of Grand Rapids does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy or gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service, or other non-merit factor.