Senior Human Resources Manager

Senior Human Resources Manager

The City of Pico Rivera is seeking a highly skilled and motivated Senior Human Resources Manager to join its leadership team. This is an exceptional opportunity for a seasoned HR professional with strong management skills, a solid understanding of public-sector personnel operations, and a passion for supporting a modern and service-driven organization.

Working under the general direction of the Assistant City Manager, this position oversees day-to-day Human Resources operations and provides high-level guidance on recruitment, employee relations, classification and compensation, training and development, benefits, risk management support, and compliance with Federal, State, and local laws.

The Senior Human Resources Manager provides leadership and supervision to Human Resources staff, including Analysts, Technicians, Coordinators, and administrative support personnel. The role requires advanced analytical ability, excellent communication skills, sound judgment, and the ability to foster positive working relationships at all levels of the organization.

The Senior Human Resources Manager will serve as a strategic partner to City leadership and oversee a broad portfolio of HR programs. Key responsibilities include:

• Lead full-cycle recruitment and selection for executive, professional, technical, and represented classifications, ensuring equity, defensibility, and modern hiring practices.
• Oversee employee and labor relations, including performance management coaching, progressive discipline guidance, complaint investigations, and MOU interpretation.
• Coordinate and support good-faith bargaining efforts in alignment with the Meyers-Milias-Brown Act (MMBA), including preparing proposals, advising leadership, participating in negotiations, and maintaining legally compliant bargaining practices.
• Manage the City's classification and compensation program, conduct salary studies, and make recommendations that support internal equity and market competitiveness.
• Administer benefits, leaves, and workers' compensation, ensuring accurate processing, compliance with FMLA/CFRA/PDL/ADA/FEHA, and effective coordination with TPAs.
• Lead Citywide training and professional development initiatives, including supervisory academies, compliance training, succession planning, and organizational development efforts.
• Develop and update City HR policies and administrative regulations, ensuring adherence to federal, state, and local laws and alignment with the City's values of ethical stewardship and transparent practices.
• Promote collaborative problem-solving with departments, fostering proactive communication and supporting operational needs.
• Serve as a departmental leader, supervising HR Analysts, Technicians, Coordinators, and support staff while overseeing workflow, service delivery, and process improvements.

The ideal candidate will be an experienced and collaborative Human Resources professional who demonstrates:

• Significant public-sector HR experience, preferably in a city or agency environment, with a strong command of labor and employment regulations.
• Expertise in employee and labor relations, including coaching supervisors, resolving conflicts, conducting investigations, and navigating sensitive personnel matters with tact and professionalism.
• Demonstrated experience with good-faith bargaining, preparation of negotiation materials, supporting management's bargaining positions, and ensuring compliance with the MMBA.
• Sound judgment and political acumen, with the ability to balance organization-wide priorities with department-level needs.
• A leadership style that reflects the City's values, such as ethical stewardship, responsive customer service, and effective dialogue throughout the organization.
• Exceptional communication skills, including the ability to convey complex information clearly to employees, managers, union representatives, and executive leadership.
• Strong analytical and project management abilities, capable of leading HR initiatives, streamlining processes, and implementing solutions that improve organizational effectiveness.
• A commitment to continuous improvement, innovation, and modernization of HR practices and technology.
• A collaborative and supportive approach to leadership, mentoring staff, building team capacity, and fostering a positive and solution-oriented department culture.

Education:

• Bachelor's Degree from an accredited college or university in Human Resources Management, Public or Business Administration, Organizational Development, or a related field is required.
• Master's Degree is desirable.

Proof of education such as, but not limited to, university/college transcripts and degrees must be submitted online with your application. Applicants are responsible for attaching proof of education, certification, and/or license to each position for which they apply.

Failure to provide all required documents will result in elimination from the selection process.

Experience:

• Eight (8) years of increasingly responsible professional human resources experience, including three (3) years in a supervisory or management capacity.
• Public-sector experience is highly desirable.

Physical, Mental and Environmental Working Conditions:

Physical Requirements: Ability to operate a variety of automated office machines, including a calculator, copier, personal computer and applicable software programs; coordinate eyes, hands, feet and limbs in performing slightly skilled movements, such as data entry; exert light physical effort in sedentary to light work, typically involving lifting, carrying, pushing and pulling, sitting, and/or walking; maneuver and steer equipment and machinery requiring simple, but continuous adjustments, such as the operation of an automobile.

Supervisorial Responsibilities: Ability to assign, review, plan, and coordinate the work of other employees; provide instruction and guidance to staff; approve the transfer, promotion, salary increase, discipline or discharge of staff; assess the work of employees and write performance appraisals; promote staff development and motivation; oversee a program for orientation and training of all department employees; analyze problems that arise in the areas under supervision and recommend solutions. Establish and maintain effective and positive working relationships with those contacted in the course of work.

Mathematical Ability: Ability to interpret descriptive economic, financial and statistical reports.

Judgment and Situational Reasoning Ability: Ability to develop, implement and maintain sound accounting and financial reporting systems and procedures; ability to assess and evaluate data processing needs and evaluate computer hardware and software; ability to exercise independent judgment, decisiveness and creativity required in situations involving the direction, control and planning of an entire program or multiple programs; ability to develop new policies and modify existing policies, strategies and/or methods to meet unusual conditions within the context of existing management principles; ability to analyze and categorize data and information in order to define consequences and to consider and select alternatives; ability to decide the time, place and sequence of operations within a system or organizational framework, as well as the ability to oversee their execution.

Language Ability and Interpersonal Communication: Ability to utilize a variety of advisory data and information, such as financial statements, technical operating manuals, procedures, guidelines, ordinances, and accounting methods; advise and provide interpretation to others on how to apply policies, procedures and standards to specific situations; communicate effectively with coworkers, vendors, elected and appointed officials, and the general public, both verbally and in writing; effectively make public presentations; management and direct a group of workers, including the ability to provide counseling and mediation; ability to persuade, convince and train others.

Licenses and Certifications:

• Must possess a valid California Class C Driver's License and a safe driving record throughout the course of employment. City employees are registered with the Department of Motor Vehicles, Employee Pull Notice Program.
• Professional HR certifications (SHRM-CP/SCP, PHR/SPHR, IPMA-CP/SCP) are desirable.

Veteran's credit will amount to 10 points to be added to the interview score. Proof of honorable discharge must be submitted with the application materials in order to be eligible for veteran's credit. Veterans who wish to utilize this credit must have served on a full-time basis (not reserve or auxiliary) in the armed forces for a minimum of six months (180 days).

Application and Selection Process:

Interested candidates must submit a completed City employment application, resume, and any required supplemental documents.

Qualified applicants will be invited to participate in an evaluation process that may include a written assessment, oral interview, and/or practical exercise.

Recruitment will remain open until the position is filled; however, we reserve the right to close the recruitment at any time without prior notice.

We recognize that Artificial Intelligence (AI) is becoming part of daily life and can be a valuable tool for learning, research, and professional growth. We encourage candidates to use AI responsibly as a support in preparing application materials, live assessments, and interviews. However, we value authenticity, accuracy and truthfulness. Application responses and interview answers must reflect your own knowledge, skills, and experiences. While AI can supplement preparation, it cannot replace the originality and judgment we look for in our employees. This ensures fairness, transparency, and equity for all applicants in the hiring process.

Compensation and Benefits:

The annual salary range for this position is: $137,352 – $159,288