Director of Human Resources

Patriot Enterprises; Deutschland; Remote; EUR 110,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Patriot Enterprises seeks a strategic Director of Human Resources to lead the HR function in a complex government contracting environment. The role requires deep expertise in SCA, wage determinations, benefits strategy, payroll coordination, HR systems, and regulatory compliance.

You will shape HR strategy and provide executive leadership to the HR team for a growing contractor workforce. Reporting to the CAO, you will drive policy development, ensure compliance across federal, state and local

Qualifications

• 5+ years of progressive HR leadership in a federal government contracting environment.
• Strong command of SCA requirements, wage determinations, and fringe-benefit administration.
• Extensive knowledge of federal/state employment laws and government contractor compliance.
• Executive presence with ability to influence across all levels of the organization.
• Excellent written/verbal communication for sensitive, high-impact matters.
• Experience with HRIS/HRMS platforms; GovConPay/iSolved preferred.

Responsibilities

• Build and sustain an HR function supporting stability, growth, and engagement.
• Lead HR in a government contracting environment with SCA and payroll oversight.
• Direct HR operations: payroll, benefits, compliance, records, and systems.
• Partner with senior leadership to align HR strategy with contracts and objectives.
• Serve as primary liaison to vendors, auditors, and external stakeholders.
• Guide complex employee relations, investigations, and policy adherence.
• Ensure compliance with applicable labor laws and contractor requirements.
• Oversee employee handbook, policies, and internal controls for clarity.

Skills

HR leadership

SCA compliance

Payroll coordination

Regulatory compliance

Employee relations

HR systems

Executive communication

Stakeholder management

Policy administration

HR analytics

Education

Bachelor's in HR or related field

SHRM-CP/SCP/PHR/SPHR certification preferred

Advanced degree preferred

Tools

GovConPay/iSolved

HRIS/HRMS

Unanet

Job description

We are seeking a strategic, accomplished, and highly credible Director of Human Resources to lead the Human Resources function in a complex government contracting environment. This executive leadership role requires deep expertise in federal contracting, Service Contract Act (SCA) and wage determination administration, benefits strategy, payroll coordination, HR systems, regulatory compliance, and employee relations. The Director of Human Resources will shape and execute HR strategy, provide leadership to the HR team, and ensure policies, programs, and operations are aligned with organizational objectives, regulatory requirements, and workforce priorities.

Objectives of this role

• Provide strategic leadership and direction for the full spectrum of Human Resources functions, including talent acquisition, onboarding and offboarding, employee relations, benefits, payroll coordination, compliance, HR systems, reporting, and policy administration.
• Lead the HR function within a government contracting environment, bringing strong command of Service Contract Act (SCA) requirements, wage determinations, fringe benefit administration, and related labor compliance obligations.
• Provide executive oversight of HR systems, benefits and payroll-related processes to ensure data integrity, reporting accuracy, operational efficiency, and scalable support for business growth.
• Establish HR priorities, objectives, metrics, and executive reporting that support informed decision-making by senior leadership and the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO).
• Oversee benefits, leave programs, payroll coordination, employee relations, and compliance activities for both SCA and non-SCA employee populations.
• Serve as a trusted advisor to leadership and a credible partner to employees, clients, auditors, vendors, and external stakeholders on high-impact and sensitive matters.
• This position reports to the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO).

• Lead, develop, and mentor HR staff to build a high-performing function equipped to support a growing government contractor workforce.
• Oversee the priorities, workflow, and performance of the HR team to ensure operational excellence, responsiveness, and accountability.
• Provide the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) with timely insights, recommendations, and updates on workforce, compliance, and operational matters.
• Guide complex employee relations matters, workplace investigations, corrective actions, and terminations with sound judgment and alignment to policy and law.
• Maintain executive oversight of HR compliance activities, filings, audits, and reporting obligations applicable to federal contractors.

Responsibilities:

• Build and sustain a strong Human Resources function that supports workforce stability, organizational growth, compliance, and employee engagement.
• Assist with benefit strategy, annual renewals, broker and vendor relationships, open enrollment, and employee communications for both SCA and non-SCA benefit programs.
• Direct HR operations, including payroll interface activities, benefit administration, compliance, records management, and HR systems support.
• Partner with senior leadership to align Human Resources strategy with business objectives, contract requirements, and evolving workforce needs.
• Serve as the primary HR liaison to vendors, payroll partners, auditors, and other external stakeholders.
• Lead complex employee relations matters, workplace investigations, corrective actions, and terminations with strong judgment and risk awareness.
• Ensure compliance with applicable federal, state, and local employment laws and government contractor requirements, including SCA, wage determinations and related reporting obligations, as applicable.
• Oversee the employee handbook, HR department policies, standard operating procedures, and internal controls to ensure consistency, clarity, and compliance.
• Set priorities, allocate resources, and assess team capabilities to ensure effective execution across HR programs and strategic initiatives.
• Monitor regulatory developments, market trends, and HR technology advancements to enhance compliance, efficiency, and employee experience.
• Leverage HR systems and workforce analytics to strengthen reporting, compliance tracking, and executive decision-making.
• Support planning, budgeting, and forecasting for HR programs, systems, and operational priorities.

Required Skills and qualifications:

• Progressive Human Resources leadership experience within a minimum 5+ years of federal government contracting environment.
• Demonstrated command of Service Contract Act (SCA) requirements, wage determinations, fringe benefit administration, and related payroll and benefits practices.
• Strong knowledge of federal and state employment laws and government contractor compliance requirements.
• Executive presence and the ability to influence, advise, and build credibility across all levels of the organization.
• Exceptional verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to navigate sensitive, confidential, and high-impact matters with professionalism.
• Strong relationship management, interpersonal, and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Excellent organizational discipline, attention to detail, and follow-through.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills, with the ability to assess risk and recommend practical, business-aligned solutions.
• Demonstrated success leading teams, developing talent, and driving accountability and performance.
• Strong working knowledge of HRIS/HRMS platforms and reporting tools; experience with GovConPay/iSolved is strongly preferred.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office and the ability to produce clear, accurate, and executive-level reports, analyses, and presentations.

Education and Experience:

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field required; advanced degree preferred.
• Minimum 5+ years experience as HR professional leading an HR team
• SHRM-CP, SHRM-SCP, PHR, or SPHR certification preferred.
• Demonstrated experience overseeing payroll vendor relationships, payroll-related reporting, and HR data integrity.
• Significant experience with HRMS/HRIS platforms; experience with iSolved (GovConPay) is strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated experience open enrollment administration.
• Experience with Unanet financial and timekeeping systems preferred.