Director of Human Resources

City of Alto; Alton (IL); On-site; USD 95,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

City of Alton, Illinois, is seeking an experienced HR leader to direct the City’s Human Resources function and advise City leadership. This on-site role focuses on aligning HR operations across multiple departments and a unionized environment.

The HR Director will partner with legal counsel on labor matters, ensure regulatory compliance, and build an empowered team. Leadership and hands-on execution are both essential to success.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Labor Relations, Business Administration, or a related field.
• 5–7+ years of progressive Human Resources experience with growth in scope.
• Experience leading across multiple HR disciplines and advising leaders.

Responsibilities

• Serve as trusted HR advisor to Mayor and City leadership on employee matters.
• Lead the HR function across employee relations, labor relations, compliance, benefits, recruitment, and HR operations.
• Partner with leadership and legal counsel on labor relations and collective bargaining agreements.
• Provide guidance on complex employee relations matters and workplace investigations.
• Ensure HR practices comply with federal, state, and local laws and regulations.
• Strengthen HR policies, processes, and documentation; improve operational controls.
• Develop recruitment and talent strategies to attract and retain strong talent.
• Oversee benefits administration, leave programs, workers' compensation, and unemployment.
• Coach and develop the HR team; build accountability and capability.
• Evaluate HR technology, workflows, and data for efficiency and consistency.
• Support compensation, classification, and other HR initiatives.
• Identify practical improvements to HR processes and service delivery.

Skills

HR leadership

Employee relations

Labor relations

Regulatory compliance

Policy development

Communication

Team coaching

Advising leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree in HR or related field

Job description

Director of Human Resources

City of Alton, Illinois
Full-Time | On-Site
Salary Range: $95,000–$110,000 (annually, commensurate with experience and qualifications)
Residency Requirement: The successful candidate must establish residency within 25 miles of Alton, Illinois, in accordance with City requirements.

The City of Alton is seeking an experienced, hands-on Director of Human Resources to lead the City's HR function and help shape its continued evolution.

Reporting directly to the Mayor, the HR Director will serve as a trusted advisor to City leadership while leading the full range of Human Resources. This role offers the opportunity to build on work already underway by strengthening HR operations, developing internal capability, improving processes, reducing organizational risk, and establishing sustainable practices that support employees and leaders across a complex, multi-department and unionized environment.

This is an ideal opportunity for an HR leader who is equally comfortable advising leaders, navigating complex employee and labor matters, developing a team, and rolling up their sleeves to get the work done.

What You'll Do

As HR Director, you will:

• Serve as a trusted HR advisor to the Mayor and City leadership on employee matters, workforce needs, and HR practices.
• Lead the City's Human Resources function and provide direction across employee relations, labor relations, compliance, benefits, leave administration, recruitment, HR operations, and workforce practices.
• Partner with City leadership and legal counsel on labor relations matters, including the administration and interpretation of collective bargaining agreements.
• Provide guidance on complex employee relations matters, workplace investigations, performance concerns, corrective action, and other sensitive employment issues.
• Ensure HR practices remain aligned with applicable federal, state, and local employment laws and regulatory requirements.
• Strengthen and standardize HR policies, processes, documentation, controls, and operating practices.
• Partner with the Deputy HR Director and department leaders to develop and execute recruitment and talent strategies that attract and retain strong talent.
• Provide oversight for benefits administration, leave programs, workers' compensation, unemployment, and other employee programs.
• Lead, coach, and develop the HR team while building clear accountability and internal capability.
• Evaluate HR technology, workflows, and data to identify opportunities for greater efficiency, consistency, and effectiveness.
• Support compensation, classification, and other HR initiatives.
• Identify and implement practical improvements to HR processes and service delivery.

What You'll Bring

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Labor Relations, Business Administration, or a related field.
• 5–7+ years of progressive Human Resources experience, with demonstrated growth in scope and responsibility.
• Experience leading or providing significant oversight across multiple HR disciplines.
• Strong knowledge of employment law, regulatory compliance, and HR best practices.
• Significant employee relations experience and demonstrated ability to navigate complex and sensitive workplace matters.
• Demonstrated success improving HR processes, policies, systems, or operating practices.
• Experience leading, coaching, and developing others.
• Strong judgment with the ability to balance organizational priorities, employee needs, compliance requirements, and operational realities.
• Strong communication and relationship-building skills with the ability to advise and influence leaders at multiple levels.
• Ability to move comfortably between leadership priorities and hands‑on execution.

Preferred Qualifications

• Labor relations and union experience, including experience working with or administering collective bargaining agreements.
• Professional HR certification such as PHR, SPHR, SHRM-CP, or SHRM-SCP.
• Municipal, public‑sector, or other relevant experience within a complex, regulated, multi‑department, or operational environment.