The Assistant Human Resources Director for Rock County, WI supports county-wide leadership and administrative oversight for the Human Resources Department. In this onsite Janesville, WI role, you assist with strategic direction, planning, and coordination across key HR functions, including labor and employee relations, recruitment and staffing, compensation, policy development, training, performance management, personnel records, and regulatory compliance.
Role overview
As an HR leader and advisor to County management, you counsel employees and department leaders on employee relations matters and employee rights, interpret County rules and regulations, and help evaluate work-related problems with appropriate remediation approaches. The position also contributes to contract support efforts, internal program administration, and representation on assigned committees, conferences, and professional meetings when needed.
Key responsibilities
- Counsel, coach, mentor, and guide employees, department heads, and supervisors on employee relations issues and employee rights.
- Interpret County rules and regulations related to human resource management and labor relations.
- Conduct internal investigations of employee misconduct, preparing written findings and recommended actions.
- Serve as an HR advisor and resource for County management; evaluate work-related issues and determine remediation methods such as training and intervention.
- Develop and deliver training for managers, workers, and supervisors focused on supervisory skills, conflict resolution, and communication.
- Provide guidance and interpretation for collective bargaining agreements.
- Research and prepare background materials for contract negotiations.
- Assume responsibility for the HR Department director role during the director’s absence.
- Assist with administration of Human Resources programs, including the Countywide classification system and recommendations for changes to ensure internal and external equity and consistency with legal and County requirements.
- Support the Countywide performance evaluation system, including evaluating departmental usage and recommending modifications and training for employees and management.
- Research, develop, coordinate, and conduct training and organizational development opportunities for employees, supervisors, managers, and department heads.
- Provide assistance with administering assigned benefits plans.
- Recruit, screen, and support hiring for assigned departments and offices, including preparing recruitment postings and announcements, interviewing candidates, and completing reference checks and required screenings.
- Manage internal movement communications and documents, including memos and letters, and upload and approve position descriptions in internal systems.
- Create tests for knowledge, skills, and abilities and review applications using the NEO-GOV System.
- Negotiate wages for new and existing employees and prepare offer letters and letters of hire with County employment information.
- Guide departments through recruitment and onboarding processes, complete assigned special projects, and perform duties as required during and after regular business hours.
- Investigate unemployment compensation claims and coordinate County representation for unemployment compensation hearings when assigned.
- Represent Human Resources and the County as needed at conferences and professional meetings, and participate as HR representation on assigned committees.
Required qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in Human Resources Management, Business Administration, Public Administration, Organizational Development, Industrial/Organizational Psychology, or a closely related field.
- Seven (7) years of progressively responsible professional human resources experience, including significant experience across multiple HR disciplines such as employee and labor relations, recruitment and staffing, compensation, performance management, policy development, training and development, and HR compliance.
- Three (3) years of experience in a supervisory, management, or leadership capacity, preferably including responsibility for professional HR staff and/or significant HR programs.
- Possession of, or ability to obtain, a valid Wisconsin’s driver’s license.
- Ability to work varied hours as necessary.
Preferred qualifications
- Advanced certification through IPMA, SHRM-SCP, SHRM-CP, SPHR, or PHR.
Technology tools
- NEO-GOV System, applicant tracking systems, learning management systems, e-learning resources, Word, Excel, PowerPoint.
Work environment and physical requirements
- Occasional exertion of up to 25 pounds; frequently requires standing; regularly involves sitting; speaking or hearing; using hands for finger movements, handling, feeling, and repetitive motions; occasionally requires walking, stooping, kneeling, crouching, crawling, and reaching with hands and arms.
- Standard vision requirements; vocal communication for spoken exchange of ideas; hearing to perceive information at normal spoken word levels.
- Preparing and analyzing written or computer data and observing general surroundings and activities.
- Telephone and office equipment used continuously; almost all work performed indoors.
- Ability to attend meetings at various County buildings and to attend meetings outside of standard work hours.
Compensation and location
Location: Janesville, WI (onsite). Salary: USD 112,444 to 122,428 per year.