Human Resource Business Partner (HRC4)

State of Washington Dept. of Commerce; Washington; On-site; USD 77,000 - 103,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical and dental insurance

Retirement and deferred compensation

11 paid holidays

Vacation days (11–25)

Sick leave

Employee assistance program

Job summary

The State of Washington Dept. of Commerce seeks a Human Resource Business Partner to guide divisions on HR matters, ensuring alignment with laws, policies, and the WFSE agreement with a focus on equity and inclusion.

Responsibilities include advising across HR areas, partnering with leadership on workforce planning, conducting investigations, and developing SOPs to improve HR processes while maintaining confidentiality and high ethics.

Qualifications

• Experience advising on HR issues across classification, compensation, and labor relations.
• Ability to interpret WACs, RCWs, CBAs, and agency policies.
• Experience with investigations and writing reports.

Responsibilities

• Advise and consult on HR laws, policies, and procedures.
• Partner with executives on workforce planning and performance.
• Conduct fair investigations and write reports.
• Develop and update HR SOPs and training.
• Ensure equity and inclusion in HR practices.

Skills

HR consulting

Employee relations

Policy interpretation

Performance management

Discipline handling

Education

Bachelor's degree in Business, HR, or related field

Tools

Microsoft Office

SharePoint

Job description

The Human Resource Business Partner (HRC4) serves as the primary HR Business Partner for assigned divisions and programs within the Department of Commerce. This role provides expert HR guidance in employee and labor relations, advising executive and management staff while helping ensure HR practices align with applicable laws, policies, and the WFSE collective bargaining agreement, with a focus on equity and inclusion.

Core Responsibilities

• Advise, interpret, and consult on human resource rules, regulations, policies, and procedures across areas including classification, organizational structure, compensation, performance management, disciplinary action, reasonable accommodation, recruitment and selection, FMLA, and L&I.
• Interpret and apply state and federal employment laws, civil service rules (Title 357 WAC), agency policies and procedures, and the WFSE collective bargaining agreement.
• Partner with executives, managers, and supervisors on workforce planning, organizational development, and employee performance.
• Evaluate program operational needs and priorities with assigned customer areas and provide strategic, long-term recommendations to management.
• Handle or oversee the most sensitive, complex, or critical HR issues, maintaining confidentiality as appropriate.
• Meet with appointing authorities, managers, supervisors, and employees to assess HR needs, develop and implement strategies for effective employee relations, and resolve problems in accordance with policy and regulatory requirements, using principles of equity, access, and inclusion; recuse from actions involving potential conflicts of interest.
• Conduct exit interviews, as requested, as part of the agency off-boarding process.
• Review position descriptions and allocate Commerce positions within the Washington General Service job classification and compensation structure.
• Review Washington Management Service (WMS) and Exempt Management Service (EMS) position descriptions and provide recommendations to hiring managers prior to the Commerce WMS Banding Committee or State HR Director review process.
• Coordinate WMS/EMS position reviews with the HR Classification and Compensation Manager.
• Analyze organizational structure within divisions and propose staffing configurations to enhance unit effectiveness as needed.
• Participate in planning and implementing new HR programs, policies, and procedures.
• Recommend improvements to HR programs and practices, including process solutions to address service gaps in requirements.
• Compose pre-disciplinary documents, disciplinary documents, expectation memos, draft correspondence, and grievance responses as requested.
• Identify, lead, develop, and update standard operating procedures and related documentation for HR processes, including service delivery standards.
• Continuously seek opportunities to improve agency processes and procedures.
• Identify, lead, develop, and update HR Resource Documents for employees and/or supervisors, often initiated through customer and/or HR Manager requests.
• Provide HR training and explanations to supervisors on a range of HR topics.
• Recommend ways to address requests for exceptions to policy.
• Under direction of the HR Business Services Manager, plan, develop, implement, and direct matters involving workplace investigation techniques, strategies, and agency education.
• Conduct fair, thorough, and timely investigations into allegations of misconduct, harassment, discrimination, or other high-profile, systemic, and/or complex issues as needed.
• Gather facts and evidence for complete investigations by researching records, preserving documentary evidence, obtaining witness statements, writing investigation reports, and analyzing and establishing proof of facts and evidence.
• Use effective communication techniques to interview complainants, subjects of complaints, and witnesses.
• Maintain responsibility for analysis of confidential and/or sensitive evidence stored on Commerce-owned or leased devices, including personal computers, laptops, tablets, servers, iPhones, and other devices.
• Write investigation reports that present credible evidence in a clear narrative to support executive manager and supervisor decisions regarding the validity and disposition of allegations.
• When applicable, consult with Appointing Authorities, the HR Business Services Manager, and assigned Labor and Personnel Division (LPD) and Assistant Attorney General (AAG) regarding risk areas, potential resolutions, and/or trends.
• Maintain the highest level of confidentiality, ethics, integrity, and compliance with Washington State laws and Department policies, sharing information only on a need-to-know basis.

Minimum Requirements

• Seven (7) years of combined experience and/or education as described below.
• Experience in human resources in four or more of the following areas:
  • Advising and consulting on HR issues related to organizational development and program operational needs and priorities.
  • Developing and facilitating technical HR training to managers and supervisors.
  • Researching and providing expert-based solutions to meet customer needs while adhering to HR rules, regulations, agency policies and procedures, and the WFSE collective bargaining agreement.
  • Providing expert-level interpretation, explanation, and consultation regarding personnel/payroll actions in accordance with governing Washington Administrative Codes (WACs), Revised Code of Washington (RCWs), collective bargaining agreements (CBAs), and policies and procedures.
  • Completing employee relations investigations and drafting investigative reports.
  • Developing standard operating procedures for HR processes and procedures.
  • Writing HR-related documents and distilling complex information into clear, concise, well-structured content.
  • Administering protected leave programs, including FMLA, reasonable accommodations under the ADA, Washington’s Paid Family Medical Leave (PFML) program, and/or shared leave donation programs.
• Education includes business, human resources, social or organizational behavioral sciences, or a related field; qualifying post–High School education may be substituted year for year for experience.

Salary and Location

• Location: Washington State (onsite)
• Salary: USD 76,608 - 102,996 per year

Work Arrangement

• This position may be located anywhere within Washington State, with occasional travel to a Commerce office building or in-state travel for events or meetings.
• If selected, travel may be required to pick up equipment and receive instruction.
• Many Commerce employees work remotely or on a hybrid schedule.

Technologies

• Title 357 WAC; Washington Administrative Codes (WACs); Revised Code of Washington (RCWs)
• Microsoft Office suite including OneDrive, Microsoft Teams, SharePoint, Excel, Word, Power Forms, and Outlook

Benefits

• Medical and dental insurance benefits
• Retirement and deferred compensation plans
• 11 paid holidays each year
• 14-25 vacation days per year (depending on length of employment)
• 8 hours of sick leave per month (if full time employed)
• Bereavement leave
• Employee assistance program
• Other benefits (see Benefits Tab for more details)

Equal Opportunity Commitment

• The Washington State Department of Commerce is an equal opportunity employer.
• The organization strives to create a working environment that includes and respects cultural, racial, ethnic, sexual orientation, and gender identity diversity.
• Women, racial and ethnic minorities, persons with disability, persons over 40 years of age, veterans or people with military status, and people of all sexual orientations and gender identities are encouraged to apply.
• Accommodation requests for the application, testing, or interview process, or for this job announcement in an alternative format, may be submitted by emailing [e-mail].
• Applicants who are deaf or hard of hearing may call through the Washington Relay Service by dialing 7-1-1 or 1-800-833-6388.

Preferred Qualifications

• Professional Human Resource Certification or a Master’s Degree in one of the listed fields.
• Certified Diversity Professional (CDP)
• Certified Diversity Executive (CDE)
• Certifications: PHR, SPHR, SHRM-CP, or SHRM-SCP

Required Position Competencies

• Ability to work with upset or difficult employees while maintaining a calm demeanor.
• Ability to maintain employee confidentiality.
• Ability to work with employees, managers, executives, and outside stakeholders.
• HR consultation skills, including asking the right questions to guide the manager or employee toward a solution.
• Clear and effective writing skills, including defensible letters and documents and coherent emails that are not misinterpreted.
• Responsiveness to sensitive, significant, and/or crisis-based events using discretion when communicating critical information.
• Facilitation skills, including listening more than speaking and steering conversations toward resolution.
• Customer service orientation focused on meeting customer goals.
• Creativity in considering alternative solutions.
• Improvement-oriented mindset focused on making things better than they currently are.
• Intermediate skill level in Microsoft Office suite products including OneDrive, Teams, SharePoint, Excel, Word, Power Forms, and Outlook.
• Ability to prioritize and manage multiple tasks and deadlines effectively.
• Ability to research complex HR-related data using multiple software programs and other resources.
• Ability to deliver HR training and/or programs.
• Ability to take action to learn and grow.
• Ability to take action to meet the needs of others.