Head of Recruiting & HR

Join Stafford County’s Human Resources team in a key leadership role responsible for advancing professional and leadership development and providing oversight and support for the department’s employee relations programs. As a member of the HR Leadership Team, this position will help shape and execute HR strategy, strengthen team effectiveness, and support workforce development across the County.

The ideal candidate will bring experience designing and delivering learning and development programs that respond to a wide range of organizational needs. They will be a collaborative, trusted adviser with strong interpersonal skills, sound judgment, and the ability to build productive relationships with leaders, managers, and employees throughout the organization.

This position reports to the Director of Human Resources and supervises two members of the HR team.

The hiring range for this position is $90,376.00 - $124,280.00 based on the selected applicant’s experience.

Provides leadership for Countywide human resources programs, including employee relations, performance management, and professional and organizational development;

Oversees the administration and continuous improvement of the County’s talent management system, including its performance management and Learning Management System (LMS) functions;

Collaborates with the HR Leadership Team to establish guiding principles, strategies, and plans for organizational development;

Conducts comprehensive needs assessments and establishes education, training, and development priorities based on organizational needs, anticipated impact, and available resources;

Designs, delivers, and evaluates professional development opportunities across the County by researching best practices, analyzing data, making recommendations, facilitating learning, coaching stakeholders, and leading related programs, projects, and systems;

Develops an integrated learning and development framework that aligns education, training, and development needs with County goals and objectives;

Supports the implementation and consistent application of Countywide human resources policies and procedures;

Maintains current knowledge of employment laws and regulations and supports organizational compliance, including requirements related to the FLSA, ADA, COBRA, EEO, Civil Rights Act, and FMLA;

Leads the annual performance management cycle, assists employees and managers with the process and system, and monitors progress toward timely completion;

Partners with the HR Leadership Team and Executive Leadership Team to design and implement succession management processes, supporting resources, and system configurations;

Oversees the progressive disciplinary process and provides coaching and guidance to managers and employees to support effective solutions and consistent application of policy;

Ensures that documentation and files related to employee relations matters and investigations are complete, appropriately maintained, confidential, and accessible to authorized individuals;

Analyzes, documents, and standardizes procedures to improve operational efficiency, consistency, and effectiveness;

Provides cross-functional support for other County human resources programs, including recruitment and payroll, classification and compensation, benefits administration, and policy management and compliance, as needed;

Conducts research and leads special projects as needed;

Thorough knowledge of the principles, methods, and best practices in employee relations, professional and organizational development, adult learning, training, and applied research;

Thorough knowledge of the principles and practices of public-sector human resources administration, including applicable federal and state laws, regulations, and guidelines;

General knowledge of local government organization and administration;

Ability to communicate ideas, guidance, and recommendations clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing;

Ability to conduct needs assessments, evaluations, and studies and to prepare well-supported reports and recommendations;

Any combination of education and experience equivalent to a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with major coursework in human resources administration, business management, organizational development, or a related field, and five to seven years of progressively responsible human resources experience, including at least two years in a management or leadership role.

Direct experience in professional or organizational development and employee relations is strongly preferred.

A recognized human resources certification—such as PHR, SPHR, SHRM-CP, SHRM-SCP, or an IPMA-HR credential—is preferred.

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