Director of Human Resources and Payroll

Charleston; Charleston (IL); On-site; USD 85,000 - 95,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical and dental coverage

Life insurance

Flexible Spending Account

Vacation leave

Paid holidays

Sick leave

Professional development

IMRF retirement

Job summary

The City of Charleston is seeking a dependable, approachable HR & Payroll leader to oversee payroll operations and a broad range of human resources functions. This exempt, full-time role reports to City leadership and requires a detail-oriented, confidential, and service-focused approach.

Key duties include bi-weekly payroll processing, benefits administration, IMRF management, and recruitment coordination.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in HR, Business Administration, Public Administration, or a related field required; master's preferred.
• Experience with payroll administration required.
• Knowledge of HR practices, employee benefits, workers' compensation, and employment regulations.
• Experience with Tyler Technologies and Kronos timekeeping software preferred.

Responsibilities

• Process bi-weekly payroll for all City employees and departments.
• Administer employee benefits and serve as primary contact with insurance carriers.
• Coordinate recruitment, interviewing, and staff development activities.
• Ensure compliance with employment laws and maintain confidential personnel records.
• Oversee IMRF functions and safety programs; support employee relations and discipline.

Skills

Payroll administration

HR practices

Communication

Organization

Conflict resolution

Confidentiality

Education

Bachelor's degree in HR/Business/Public Administration

Master's degree preferred

Tools

Tyler Technologies

Kronos timekeeping

Job description

Frontline Applicant Tracking - City of Charleston

The City of Charleston is seeking a dependable, approachable, and people-focused professional to serve as its next Director of Human Resources & Payroll. This position oversees the City's payroll operations while supporting employees, supervisors, department directors, and City leadership in a broad range of human resources functions.

The ideal candidate will be accountable, collaborative, trustworthy, and organized, with strong attention to detail and a commitment to accuracy, confidentiality, and employee service.

Key Responsibilities

• Process bi-weekly payroll for all City employees, including the Recreation Department and Library.
• Ensure accurate payroll, employee time, leave balances, payroll taxes, quarterly reports, and unemployment reporting.
• Serve as the City's IMRF Authorized Agent and complete required IMRF functions.
• Administer employee benefits, including health, dental, vision, and life insurance, and serve as the primary contact with insurance carriers.
• Process workers' compensation claims, medical bills, and facilitate return-to-work programs.
• Support employee relations and conflict resolution, including disciplinary matters and collective bargaining activities.
• Coordinate recruitment, interviewing, job descriptions, employee training, and employee recognition programs.
• Maintain confidential personnel records and ensure compliance with applicable employment laws and regulations.
• Coordinate workplace safety programs, including the Safety Committee, Safety Bingo, DOT compliance, illness and injury reporting, and employee wellness programs.
• Administer LOA/FMLA and ADA requirements and coordinate the EAP program.
• Maintain and communicate City personnel and safety policies and procedures.
• Assist with insurance contracts, HR budgets, reports, and other administrative responsibilities.
• Attend City Council and management meetings as required.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Desired Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Public Administration, or a related field required; master's degree preferred. A combination of relevant education and experience will be considered.
• Experience with payroll administration required.
• Experience with Tyler Technologies and Kronos timekeeping software preferred.
• Knowledge of HR practices, employee benefits, workers' compensation, workplace safety, and employment regulations.
• Strong communication, organization, problem-solving, and conflict-resolution skills.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and build positive relationships with employees and leadership.

Personal Qualities

The successful candidate will be accountable, collaborative, trustworthy, organized, approachable, and professional. The City is seeking someone who listens, communicates clearly, follows through, and treats employees with fairness and respect.

The anticipated starting annual salary range is between $85,000 and $95,000 based on education and previous experience. This is a full-time, exempt position with the City. Charleston offers an extremely competitive and comprehensive benefits package that includes very affordable medical and dental coverage (also available to dependents), life insurance, Flexible Spending Account, and vacation leave.Charleston also offers paid holidays, sick leave, professional development, and retirement through the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund (IMRF).

Selection Process

Application deadline: October 28, 2026.

The City of Charleston is committed to compliance with the American Disabilities Act and is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Diversity and inclusion are critical to our success. We seek to recruit the most talented people from a diverse candidate pool and strongly encourage women, people of color, LGBTQ individuals, people with disabilities, and veterans to apply.

Need Help?

We're here to help! For questions regarding position qualifications or application procedures, please contact City of Charleston directly.

For technical questions regarding the Applicant Tracking system, please contact the Applicant Tracking help desk using the Request Technical Help link below.