Director of Human Resources (E5)

Salary: $140,000.00 - $220,000.00 Annually Location : Annapolis Job Type: Full-Time Job Number: 202500201 Department: HUMAN RESOURCE ADMINISTRATION Opening Date: 03/10/2026 Closing Date: 4/10/2026 11:59 PM Eastern Job Summary Behind every city service from public safety to infrastructure is a team of dedicated professionals. As our Director of Human Resources, you are the champion of their success. You will lead a multifaceted department dedicated to recruiting top-tier talent, ensuring equitable workplaces, and managing the comprehensive benefits that support our employees from their first day through retirement. Under the strategic direction of the City Manager, the Director of Human Resources provides executive leadership for the City's comprehensive human resources functions. This role is technically authoritative, serving as the final advisor to the Mayor and City Manager on all personnel matters, labor relations, and workforce development. The person in this role s responsible for cultivating a high-performing organization by attracting and retaining qualified talent while ensuring all Human Resources initiatives align with the City's broader mission. The incumbent must balance complex objectives, including productivity, employee morale, and legal compliance, while driving business process improvements through data analytics. Whether you're collaborating with the Mayor or refining our performance management system, your work ensures that those who serve our city are supported, valued, and empowered. Join us in making the City of Annapolis the premier employer in the region. Essential Job Functions Set and Enforce HR Rules: Create and implement the City's policies for all personnel matters. Executive Leadership & Strategic Governance Principal Advisor: Serve as the final authority and subject matter expert on HR regulations for the Mayor, City Manager, and senior leadership, balancing complex objectives such as organizational morale, productivity, and legal risk. Charter & Policy Administration: Act as the primary administrator for City Charter and Code provisions, creating and enforcing all personnel policies to ensure every departmental action is legally sound, ethically grounded, and consistently applied. Board & Commission Support: Provide high-level strategic guidance and staffing support to the Civil Service Board, Public Safety Disability Retirement Board, and the Human Relations Commission. Departmental Management: Direct all HR Department operations, including the hiring, professional development, and performance evaluation of HR staff and subordinate managers. Labor Relations & Risk Mitigation Collective Bargaining: Serve as a core member of the City's negotiating team, collaborating with the Chief Labor Negotiator to develop and administer contracts for Fire, Police, Trades, and Clerical unions. Employee Relations: Provides employee relations guidance and support to supervisors and staff within a municipal government environment, including interpreting City Policies, Civil Service rules, applicable collective bargaining agreements and City Code. Conducts workplace investigations, facilitates conflict resolutions and recommends appropriate corrective or disciplinary action consistent with due process and public sector regulation. Conflict Resolution & Discipline: Oversee the City's disciplinary programs, grievance procedures, and appeal processes, ensuring strict adherence to union contracts and civil service provisions. Fiduciary Oversight: Act as a key member of the Risk Management Policy Group and the Police and Fire Retirement Plan Commission, ensuring the long-term stability and compliance of pension and disability retirement documents. Organizational Equity & Employee Experience DEIB & EEO Leadership: Champion the City's commitment to a respectful workplace by leading Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) initiatives and overseeing EEO investigations in coordination with the Office of Law. Recruit-to-Retain Strategy: Lead the "Talent Lifecycle," from modernizing recruitment and civil service examination processes to enhancing employee engagement and retention strategies Total Rewards Oversight: Direct a comprehensive benefits portfolio-including medical, VEBA/OPEB, deferred compensation, and fitness-for-duty programs-to ensure the City remains a competitive "employer of choice." Workforce Planning & Business Intelligence Strategic Workforce Planning: Partner with the Finance Department and City Manager to align staffing levels, job classifications, and compensation plans with long-term organizational goals. Data-Driven Improvement: Leverage HRIS analytics and business process reviews to research best practices, identify efficiency gaps, and implement data-backed recommendations for departmental improvements. Professional Development: Conduct organization-wide needs assessments to design and deliver training programs that foster administrative excellence and align with the City's mission. Operational & Fiscal Excellence HRIS & Systems Management: Oversee the optimization of the Human Resource Information System (HRIS) to ensure data integrity across personnel transactions, position control, and applicant tracking. Budgetary Stewardship: Manage the Department of Human Resources budget and resources with fiscal precision to meet the operational mandates of the 2026 fiscal year and beyond. Lead HR Strategy and Management: Planning for future staffing needs (workforce planning and development), hiring and retaining employees, managing employee benefits, performance reviews, job classification, pay, and leave and handling employee and labor union relations. Oversee the HR Department: Manage, direct, and make decisions for HR staff and subordinate managers. This includes hiring, training, evaluating, promoting, and, if necessary, disciplining employees. Serve as the HR Expert: Act as the final authority on HR regulations, solving complex personnel issues, and advising senior management on sensitive employee matters. Provide guidance to the Mayor, City Manager, and senior departmental management on all HR issues in light of the need to balance conflicting objectives such as productivity, morale, and legal concerns. Improve Organizational Effectiveness and Employee Development Oversees training and professional development programs aligned with the City's mission Conducts needs assessments along with department directors to improve departmental efficiency and effectiveness. Drive Business Process Improvement and Data Analytics: Analyze HR data and business processes to research best practices, make strategic recommendations, and ensure consistency across departments. Coordinate Workforce Planning Initiatives: Partners with the City Manager, Finance Department, and department directors to align staffing and workforce planning with organizational goals. Qualifications Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities HR Expertise: Mastery of recruitment, compensation, benefits, labor agreements, and performance management. Regulatory Knowledge: Deep understanding of relevant county, state, and federal laws and the ability to interpret complex union contracts. Strategic Leadership: Ability to partner with senior leaders to solve critical organizational problems and make sensitive, data-driven decisions. Communication: Exceptional verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to build positive professional relationships and oversee presentations. Minimum Qualifications Education: Bachelor's degree from an accredited university in Business/Public Administration, Human Resources, Labor and Employee Relations, and/or a related field. Experience: Five (5) years of progressively responsible human resources or employee relations experience, including at least three (3) years at an executive or supervisory level. Preferred Qualifications Advanced Education: Master's degree in Business/Public Administration, Human Resources, or a related field. Certification: IPMA-SCP or SHRM-SCP is preferred. (IPMA-CP, PHR, or SPHR is desirable) . Employment Conditions Physical/Mental Demands: Judgment: Requires expert judgment, initiative, and resourcefulness to research trends and develop new City policies. Environment: Work is performed in a dynamic environment requiring responsiveness to changing goals and organizational needs. Summary of Benefits for Exempt Service Work Hours: Minimum 35 hour work week, depending upon department operations. Holidays: 12 paid holidays per calendar year. Sick Leave: 15 days sick leave per calendar year, with unlimited accumulation. Final sick leave balance is eligible for additional service credit towards retirement once eligibility requirements have been met. Annual Leave: Annual leave of 10 days shall be credited on the date of hire on a prorated basis. Thereafter, annual leave shall be credited at the beginning of the calendar year. Accumulation of annual leave shall not exceed 60 days. Years of Service Days of Annual Leave 1 10 days 2 to 6 15 days 7 to 12 20 days 13 to 18 25 days 19 to 24 30 days 25 or more 35 days Pay Increases: Justified by a performance review that "exceeds the minimum requirements" in accordance with section 3.08.030 B. of the City Code, may increase one salary step per year each annual anniversary of continuous service up until the maximum of the pay range. Health Insurance Plans (75% City Paid and 25% Employee Paid, unless otherwise noted): Medical and Prescription Drug (HDHP, EPO, Core, Plus) Dental (Core and Plus) Vision (Core and Plus) Flexible Spending Accounts (Medical and Dependent Care) Health Savings Account (HSA) (HDHP only) Short-Term Disability (100% City paid) Long-Term Disability (100% Employee paid) Core Life and AD&D Insurance for Employee (100% City paid) Optional Life Insurance for Employee, Spouse and Dependents (100% Employee paid) Legal Benefit (100% Employee paid) Employee Assistance Program (EAP) - up to 3 confidential visits with a counselor for the employee, spouse, and their dependents VEBA/RMSA: A Retiree Medical Savings Account (RMSA) is an individual investment account held in Trust to help employees save for Retiree Health Care costs (can be used after retirement or separation of employment with the City). Retirement Plans: 457(b) Deferred Compensation Plans with MissionSquare, Nationwide Retirement Solutions or Voya Financial Maryland State Retirement System (Civil Service): 7% employee contribution Full vesting rights after 10 years of service credit Full Service Retirement - Rule of 90 (sum of Age and Eligibility Service must equal 90 or Age 65 with 10 Years Eligibility Service Police and Fire Retirement Plan (Public Safety): 8% employee contribution Full vesting rights after 10 years of service credit Retirement Eligibility after 20 years of service Maximum Retirement benefit at 30 years (75%) Employee Rewards & Recognition program Eligible to join the State Employees Credit Union (SECU) Please Note: This document is intended to be a brief summary only. Please refer to the individual plan documents, Collective Bargaining Agreements, and the Rules and Regulations of the Personnel System for additional details specific to your benefits. REVISED 2023-08-24 01 Which of the following best describes your professional qualifications for this executive role? I possess a Bachelor's degree and 5+ years of HR experience (including 3+ years at an executive/supervisory level). I possess a Master's degree and 5+ years of HR experience (including 3+ years at an executive/supervisory level). I do not meet the minimum requirements 02 Describe your experience leading a Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) initiative within a complex organization. How did you measure its success? 03 Which of the following best describes your level of expertise in managing complex Classification and Compensation systems within a public-sector or highly regulated environment? I have designed and led organization-wide classification studies and total rewards strategies. I have a proven track record of presenting compensation recommendations to executive boards (e.g., City Council/Mayor) and navigating the fiscal impacts of salary compression and market volatility. I have significant experience implementing and managing established classification plans and conducting market salary surveys. I am proficient in analyzing job duties to determine proper grading and making data-backed recommendations for pay adjustments. I have assisted in the administration of compensation schedules and the maintenance of job descriptions. I am familiar with the concepts of internal equity and pay grades but have not yet led a large-scale strategic overhaul. I have a basic understanding of payroll or personnel records, but I have not had direct responsibility for managing job classifications or compensation structures. 04 Describe a specific instance where you led a comprehensive classification study or a major overhaul of a compensation structure. In your response, please address the following:1.) What data or organizational pain point (e.g., high turnover, internal inequity, or outdated job descriptions) triggered the need for this change?2.) How did you balance the "Recruit-to-Retain" need for competitive market pay with the City's mandate for fiscal sustainability and budget constraints?3.) How did you communicate the results to affected employees, union leadership, or elected officials to ensure buy-in, especially if the study resulted in unpopular findings? 05 Which of the following best describes your professional level of authority and experience regarding Collective Bargaining and Labor Relations? I have served as a core member or lead of a City's negotiating team for multiple bargaining units (e.g., Police, Fire, AFSCME). I have successfully designed labor strategies, drafted contract language, managed interest arbitration, and settled high-stakes grievances at the executive level. I have significant experience administering multiple union contracts and representing the City in formal grievance hearings or mediation. While I may not have been the lead at the table, I have drafted proposals and provided critical data and counsel during the negotiation process. I am proficient in interpreting and enforcing existing Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBAs). I handle day-to-day labor issues, conduct investigatory interviews (Weingarten rights), and ensure departmental compliance with union rules, but I have limited experience in the actual negotiation of new contracts. I have experience working in a unionized environment and understand basic labor law (e.g., NLRA or state-specific public labor acts), but my primary focus has been on non-union employee relations or general HR compliance. I have no professional experience in job classification or compensation design. My background in HR has focused on other functional areas, and I would require significant training and oversight to manage the City's pay structures. 06 Describe a complex or sensitive employee relations matter you managed that involved an internal investigation or formal disciplinary process. In your response, please address:The Issue: What was the nature of the situation and the potential risk to the organization?The Process: How did you ensure a fair, thorough investigation while adhering to policy, labor contracts, or employment law?The Resolution: What was the final outcome, and how did your leadership mitigate further legal or reputational risk?"Note: Please describe this case study in a manner that protects the privacy of the individuals and organizations involved (e.g., using "Employee A" or "Department X") 07 Which of the following best describes your experience in leveraging a Human Resource Information System (HRIS) to drive organizational decisions? I have led the selection, implementation, or major optimization of an HRIS (e.g., Workday, Oracle, Tyler Tech). I use advanced analytics to recruit, analyze workforce, and automate complex workflows across multiple departments. I am highly proficient in using HRIS reporting tools to create executive dashboards. I regularly use system data to conduct business process reviews and identify efficiency gaps within the HR department. I am comfortable with the day-to-day administration of an HRIS, including managing user permissions, position control, and standard reporting, but I have not led a large-scale system implementation or optimization project. I have used HRIS platforms for basic personnel transactions and applicant tracking, but I rely on IT or senior analysts for complex reporting and data analysis. I have little to no experience working with modern HRIS platforms and have primarily managed personnel records through manual or decentralized systems. 08 Please list the HRIS platforms you are proficient in (e.g., Workday, Oracle, Tyler Tech/Munis) and describe how you utilized these systems to enhance departmental efficiency or drive data-driven decision-making. 09 Which of the following best describes your leadership in Talent Acquisition and Retention within a complex or unionized environment? I have designed and implemented comprehensive "Recruit-to-Retain" strategies that modernized Civil Service examinations, enhanced the employer brand, and measurably improved long-term employee retention. I have managed full-cycle recruitment for diverse departments and implemented modern sourcing techniques. I am experienced in adjusting recruitment strategies based on market data and turnover patterns. I am proficient in managing the hiring process, including drafting job postings and coordinating interviews. I ensure compliance with EEO standards, but my experience is focused more on filling vacancies than on high-level retention strategy. I have assisted in the recruitment process by screening resumes and scheduling interviews. I am familiar with basic hiring laws but have not had authority over the broader talent strategy. I have little to no professional experience in recruitment or talent management. My background in HR is limited to other functional areas. 10 Many municipalities face challenges in recruiting for 'hard-to-fill' or high-turnover roles (e.g., Public Safety or specialized Technical Trades). Describe a specific strategy you implemented to improve the applicant pool for a difficult role. How did you ensure the strategy was both modern and compliant with Civil Service rules? 11 Please select any professional HR certifications you currently hold. (Check all that apply) SHRM-SCP or IPMA-SCP SHRM-CP or IPMA-CP PHR or SPHR None of the above Required Question

Created: 2026-03-13