Human Relations Specialist, Senior

Salary : $71,304.00 - $110,531.00 Annually
Location : 101 City Hall Plaza, Durham, NC
Job Type: Full time with benefits
Job Number: 26-05898
Department: Housing & Neighborhood Services
Opening Date: 05/06/2026
Closing Date: 5/27/2026 11:59 PM Eastern


Position Description
Work, Serve, Thrive. With the City of Durham
Advance in your career while making a real difference in the community you serve.

Hiring Range: 71,304 - 85,562/Annually
Hours/Shift: 8:00 am - 5:00 pm (some evenings required)

If you're passionate about fostering communities where everyone has affordable housing, and neighborhoods thrive, the City of Durham is excited to invite you to consider the role of Human Relations Specialist for the Housing and Neighborhood Services (HNS) Department.
This position will be nested within the Housing and Neighborhood Services - Human Relations Division.
An ideal candidate will have experience in the field of Fair Housing and/or Civil Rights and have a passion for equal access to housing, employment and places of public accommodation.
This is an exciting time for the Housing and Neighborhood Services Department. The City's Affordable Housing, Code Enforcement, and Human Relations teams were recently combined to create one department.
Collaboratively, the teams work together to execute the City Council's affordable housing and neighborhood services goals as we work together to build a Durham where everyone has affordable, safe, and fair housing. The department is committed to fostering an environment where everyone on the team is empowered to lead and achieve results consistent with the City's goals and the department's work plan. We strive to put our department's values into action in all that we do: service, teamwork, accountability, and empathy.

Duties/Responsibilities

• Investigate Claims of Discrimination: Conduct prompt, thorough, and impartial investigations of complaints alleging a violation of the City's Non-Discrimination Ordinance.
• Case Management: Organize and maintain all case materials, including entries into the electronic case management systems.
• Training and Outreach: Assist with the development and presentation of non-discrimination training and participate in outreach activities to inform residents of their rights.
• Perform related duties as assigned and in support of the goals and mission of the Human Relations Division and Housing and Neighborhood Services department.

Knowledge of:

• Basic and advanced principles of local, state and/or federal nondiscrimination laws such as Title VII and/or Title VIII the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Americans with Disabilities Act, or other civil rights legislation.
• Ability to apply the correct elements of proof.
• Conflict resolution, mediation and/or negotiation tools and techniques.

Ability to:

• Maintain confidentiality while exercising a sound and reasonable judgment.
• Organize, prioritize, and manage caseloads according to timeliness mandates.
• Establish and maintain working relationships with coworkers, employers/businesses, community partners and residents.
• Prepare investigative reports that are concise, coherent, and accurate.

Minimum Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor's degree in business or public administration or in public administration, political science, or related field (or equivalent combination of education and experience).
• Five years of professional program administration and/or analytical experience in area of assignment.

Additional Preferred Skills

• Master's degree in public administration, political science or related field, or J.D.
• Documented experience working with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
• Strong work ethic and attention to detail; highly motivated, self-directed execution of routine and special projects.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office applications.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.

ADA and Other Requirements

• Work is performed in an indoor office environment, with occasional local travel to external organizations and locations.
  • Sedentary work involves sitting for much of the time. Walking and standing are required occasionally. Exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally and/or a negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects, including the human body. Requires occasional reaching, standing, walking, fingering, grasping, feeling, talking, hearing, seeing and repetitive motions.

Benefits - General Full-Time Employees

• 12-13 paid holidays per year
• 13 standard work days of vacation per year
• 13 standard work days of sick leave per year, which accumulates indefinitely; sick leave may be used toward early retirement
• 2 weeks paid military leave per year
• Medical, dental, vision, and supplemental life insurance plans
• State and City retirement plans
• Short and long term disability plans
• Paid temporary disability leave for specified conditions
• City contribution of 13.6% into the N.C. State Retirement System
• Paid funeral leave
• Employee Assistance Program - personal and family counseling
• Paid life insurance equal to annual salary
• 48 hours for volunteer work each year*
• 4 hours parental leave each year
• Workman's Compensation Insurance
• 457 Deferred Compensation Plans

Benefits - Part-Time (1,000 hours or more per year)

• 401(k) retirement plan (5.0% of salary)
• State retirement plan

Benefits Part-Time (Average 30 hours per week over 12 month period)

• 401(k) retirement plan (5.0% of salary)
• State retirement plan effective first day of the month following date of hire
• Health insurance effective first day of the month following date of hire
• Dental and life insurance, after one year of service
• Pro-rated vacation, pro-rated sick, pro-rated floating holiday, parttime holiday pay (based on scheduled hours for that day) after one year of service

01


Where did you first hear about this opportunity?

• City of Durham Website
• Walk in
• Job fair
• Employee referral
• Professional organization ***Please list the organization in "other" box below***
• Internet posting ***Please list the specific web site in the "other" box below***
• Craig's List
• Facebook
• LinkedIn
• GlassDoor
• governmentjobs.com
• Monster.com
• Indeed.com
• Employment Security Commission
• Magazine/Newspaper
• Other

02


If you listed "other" above please give specific web site, organization, or publication.
03


Please select your highest level of COMPLETED education.

• Less than a High School Diploma or Equivalent (GED, HiSET, TASC)
• High School Diploma or Equivalent (GED, HiSET, TASC)
• Associates Degree
• Bachelor's Degree
• Master's Degree
• Doctoral Degree (PhD, Juris Doctorate)

04


How many years of experience do you have in fair housing, civil rights, nondiscrimination investigations, or related analytical program work?

• No related experience
• Less than 5 years of related experience
• 5 years but less than 9 years
• 9 years but less than 13 years
• 13 or more years

05


The preferred applicant will have experience working with Title VIII. How many years of documented experience do you have?

• No related experience
• Less than 1 year of related experience
• 1 year but less than 3 years of related experience
• 3 years but less than 5 years of related experience
• 5 or more years of related experience

06


The preferred applicant will have experience working with the U.S. Housing and Urban Development (HUD). How many years of documented experience do you have?

• No related experience
• Less than 1 year of related experience
• 1 year but less than 3 years of related experience
• 3 years but less than 5 years of related experience
• 5 or more years of related experience

07


Do you have experience working with federal, state, and local civil rights and anti-discrimination laws, statues, and regulations?

• Yes
• No

08


If you answered yes to ANY of the above questions, have you documented that experience on your application?

• Yes
• No

Required Question