Human Resources Director

Summary

Also known as directors of human resources or chief HR officers, HR directors are tasked with overseeing HR systems, handling employee relations, ensuring compliance with regulations, managing budgets, assessing staffing needs, hiring employees, and developing compensation plans.

On a typical day, the HR Director answers emails and takes phone calls from HR personnel, employees, and company Executives. Throughout the day, they participate in meetings with company executives, employees, and other members of the HR department to discuss recent incidents regarding workplace ethics. They strategize about how to enhance their company’s work environment through the implementation of HR programs. Once back in their office, they review hiring data and work on reports about employee retention, work-life balance, and other topics of importance.

The human resources director provides day-to-day administration and management of employees handling benefits, compensation, unemployment compensation claims, worker’s compensation claims, FMLA leave requests, and ADA accommodation requests.

A good HR Director is someone who displays a commitment to their company’s employees by providing them with proper compensation and benefits. They also have a commitment to their company by making sure the company has a well-equipped hiring and recruitment process to attract top-tier candidates. Further, a good HR Director has excellent written and verbal communication skills that enables them to compose HR reports and workplace memos. Their verbal communication abilities allow them to talk about HR reports and department initiatives in a comprehensive way.

HR Directors should also have a natural ability to lead so they can successfully oversee Managers and HR personnel to carry out tasks on their behalf.

Responsibilities

Essential Duties and Responsibilities include the following:

• Monitor and ensure the organization’s compliance with federal, state, and local employment laws and regulations, and recommend best practices; review and modify policies, practices, and procedures to maintain compliance.
• Remain current on frequently changing workplace employment laws and regulations. Apply this knowledge to communicate changes in policy, practice, procedures, and resources to upper management and the organization.
• Write directives advising department managers of company policy regarding equal employment opportunities, compensation, and employee benefits.
• Consult legal counsel to ensure that policies comply with federal and state law.
• Write and deliver presentations to corporate officers, government officials, or other appropriate entity regarding human resources policies and practices.
• Promote consistency of policies and practices within the organization.
• Make recommendations to Business Operations regarding appropriate disciplinary action, including termination of employment as a result of misconduct and/or violation of company policy identified during an investigation.
• Provide day to day advice to department managers/supervisors and leaders on all HR issues.
• Deliver appropriate coaching and development feedback to managers/supervisors, and employees.
• Represent the organization at personnel-related hearings and investigations. Conduct and document investigations.
• Manage and/or provide guidance and assistance to management with performance or grievance issues in a professional and legally compliant manner.
• Provide HR leadership and coaching to employees and managers, ensuring fair and consistent enforcement of policies and positive employee relations issues.
• Handle employee relations situations through mediating and suggesting solutions to employee disputes.
• Administer the Company’s annual filing of the AAP / EEO-1 / Vets-4212 program to ensure compliance with regulations.
• Conduct wage surveys within the labor market and analyze wage and salary reports and data to determine competitive compensation plans and wage rates.
• Administer performance review program to ensure effectiveness, compliance, and equity within the organization.
• Administer salary administration program to ensure compliance and equity within the organization.
• Administer benefits programs such as life, health, dental and disability insurance, 401k plans, vacation, sick leave, leave of absence, and all other employee benefits.
• Administer the annual Service Awards program: 5, 10, 15 – 50+ years of service. Review and make recommendations of changes as needed.
• Administer the SWE Retiree Reimbursement program and monthly payment process to retirees.
• Prepare annual budget for human resources operations.
• Contract with outside suppliers to provide employee services, such as relocation services and housing.
• Oversee HR systems and develop corporate HR plans. Analyze data to report on HR metrics and suggestions for improvement.
• Collaborate with senior leadership to understand the organization’s goals and strategy related to staffing, recruiting, and retention.
• Assess staffing needs, Identifying, evaluating, and solving hiring challenges, and partner with recruitment to drive the overall talent strategy to meet highly dynamic and ever-changing business needs including establishing new sources of recruiting top talent to executive positions.
• Coordinate with subordinate HR Mgr.-Recruiter for the hiring, onboarding, and employee orientation of benefits, transfers, and promotions of employees.
• Prepare offer letters for all professional salaried exempt employees and coordinate non-exempt offer letters through subordinate HR Mgr.-Recruiter.
• Prepare immigration/visa processing in conjunction with the company’s immigration attorneys.
• Coordinate management training in interviewing, hiring, terminations, promotions, performance review, Family Medical Leave Act, American Disability Act, and sexual harassment training.
• Consult with business leaders on strategic and tactical actions regarding their human resource needs.
• Conduct exit interviews and identifies key areas to share feedback with management as necessary.
• Maintain all employee files and personnel records.
• Respond to employment verifications, unemployment inquiries & all employment-related matters.
• Develop, prepare, generate, and analyze ongoing and ad-hoc special reports. This includes providing census data and reports to insurance brokers and outside entities.
• Manage & implement employee benefits, participate in the Executive Benefits Committee member, and be the company liaison interacting with the TPA, Broker, and other agencies as necessary.
• Participate in the Executive 401k Committee member. Serve as the company liaison interacting with the TPA, Advisor, and Record Keeper as the Employee Representative. Perform as the Plan Administrator for employee’s needs with Fiduciary responsibility.
• Manage and mail out employee birthday cards.
• Provide administrative support to the CEO and President when needed. Examples may include faxing confidential information and mailing the president’s quarterly business update letter to the home.
• Implement and maintain the SWE Employee Handbook
• Coordinate through subordinate EHS Manager on Environmental, Health, Safety, and Workers’ Compensation programs. Ensuring compliance with safety, environmental, and DOT practices, regulations, and compliance.

Supervisory Responsibilities

• Directly supervises 2-4 employees in the Human Resources Department, which includes Safety and Environmental. Carry out supervisory responsibilities in accordance with the organization’s policies and applicable laws. Responsibilities include interviewing, hiring, and training employees; planning, assigning, and directing work; appraising performance; rewarding and disciplining employees; addressing complaints and resolving problems.

Other duties may be assigned.

Requirements

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

Education and/or Experience

• Bachelor’s degree from a four-year college or university, relevant fields of study to include human resources, business management, or related field, and/or a minimum of 5 years’ experience in HR management role or 10 years progressive hands-on HR Generalist or HR business partner experience required; or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Master’s degree in human resources, Human Resource Management, Business Administration or Management, or MBA preferred.

Certificates, Licenses, Registrations

• Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) and the HR Certification Institute (HRCI) SPHR, PHR certification – preferred, and membership of the local HR chapter – preferred.

Language Skills

• Ability to read, analyze, and interpret common scientific and technical journals, financial reports, and legal documents. Ability to respond to common inquiries or complaints from customers, regulatory agencies, or members of the business community. Ability to effectively present information to top management, public groups, and/or boards of directors.

Mathematical Skills

• Ability to calculate figures and amounts such as discounts, interest, commissions, proportions, percentages, area, circumference, and volume.

Reasoning Ability

• Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions. Ability to interpret an extensive variety of technical instructions in mathematical or diagram form and deal with several abstract and concrete variables.

Computer Skills

• To perform this job successfully, an individual should know Excel Spreadsheet software, MS Office and Outlook Word Processing software, and Human Resource systems.

Physical Demands

• The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation(s) may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.
• While performing the duties of this Job, the employee is regularly required to sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel and talk or hear. The employee is frequently required to reach with hands and arms. The employee is occasionally required to stand, walk, stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl and taste or smell. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, color vision, peripheral vision, and the ability to adjust focus.

Work Environment

• The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation(s) may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.
• The noise level in the work environment is usually quiet.