Human Resources Director

Public Sector HR Association; Edmonds (WA); On-site; USD 130,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision coverage

Life Insurance, AD&D, and LTD

Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

Paid vacation and sick leave

Paid holidays

State Retirement System (WA DRS)

Deferred compensation options

Tuition reimbursement

Flexible spending accounts (FSA)

Job summary

The City of Edmonds is seeking a seasoned Human Resources Director to lead and oversee all HR functions, including compliance, recruitment, benefits, training, and labor relations. The role partners with city leadership to guide programs and policy in a public sector environment.

Candidate should bring a bachelor’s degree in a relevant field, substantial HR experience, and strong budgeting skills. SHRM-SCP or similar certification is preferred, with a proven track record in negotiations.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in human resources, public administration, employment law, business administration or related field.
• Seven years of increasingly responsible HR experience including supervision and budget responsibility.
• Four years of staff supervisory/management experience within a department, public sector preferred.
• Experience acting as chief spokesperson during contract negotiations.
• SHRM-SCP or other HR certifications preferred.

Responsibilities

• Ensure compliance with employment laws and ethical standards.
• Oversee recruitment and selection, benefits and leave administration, training and development.
• Manage classification and compensation, labor relations for multiple bargaining agreements, safety and workers’ compensation programs.
• Lead budget development and administer department budget; coordinate citywide HR initiatives.

Skills

Leadership

Budget management

Labor relations

Employee benefits

Compliance

Education

Bachelor's degree in human resources, public administration, employment law, business administration or related field

SHRM-SCP or other HR certifications (preferred)

Job description

Located 15 miles north of Seattle along the shores of Puget Sound, the City of Edmonds, Washington, is a picturesque waterfront community of 42,700 residents. Known for its historic charm, vibrant arts scene, and strong civic pride, Edmonds blends small-town character with metropolitan accessibility. The city offers stunning views of the Olympic Mountains, a walkable downtown, and direct regional connections via the Edmonds–Kingston Ferry, Sounder commuter rail, and Community Transit. The Port of Edmonds, one of the largest public marinas in Washington, offers hundreds of wet and dry moorage stalls, boatyard services, and public waterfront access. With reliable transit, proximity to regional employers, and a balanced quality of life, Edmonds is one of the most desirable places to live and work in the Pacific Northwest.

The City of Edmonds operates under a strong Mayor–Council form of government. The Mayor serves as the chief executive officer, overseeing daily operations in partnership with the City Administrator, and together they lead the City’s departments. For Fiscal Year 2026, Edmonds operates with a total adopted budget of $133.2 million and a workforce of approximately 252 full-time equivalent employees.

The Human Resources Department is staffed with three full-time employees in addition to the Director. Core responsibilities include ensuring compliance with employment laws and ethical standards, recruitment and selection, employee benefits and leave administration, training and development, classification and compensation, labor relations for the City’s seven collective bargaining agreements, and safety and workers’ compensation programs. The Human Resources Director leads and oversees all HR functions for the City and serves as the chief spokesperson during contract negotiations. The Director manages a dedicated Human Resources team, conducts labor negotiations, oversees employee relations and investigations, and administers classification and compensation systems. The position also develops and manages the department’s budget, coordinates citywide Human Resource initiatives, and contributes to long-range organizational planning.

A bachelor’s degree in human resources, public administration, employment law, business administration or a related field, and seven (7) years of increasingly responsible human resource experience that includes direct responsibility for managing or supervising operations, programs and/or services in one or more human resource functional areas is required. Candidates should have four (4) years of staff supervisory, management and budgetary responsibility for a department or major division/functional area within a department, preferably in a public sector environment. Candidates should have experience acting as a chief spokesperson during contract negotiations. SHRM-SCP or other HR certifications such as SPHR, CEBS, CMS, CLRP or CCP is preferred. An equivalent combination of education, training and experience to demonstrate the ability to perform the duties of the position will be considered.

Benefits include, but are not limited to,

• 80 hours of management leave per year (non-carryover)
• plus two weeks of front-loaded vacation during the first year
• Medical, dental, and vision coverage
• Life Insurance, Accidental Death & Dismemberment (AD&D), and Long-Term Disability (LTD) insurance
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Paid vacation and sick leave, accrued on a regular basis
• Paid holidays
• Participation in the State Retirement System (WA DRS PERS and LEOFF)
• MEBT (Social Security Replacement Program)
• HRA-VEBA health reimbursement account
• Three deferred compensation plan options
• Tuition reimbursement program
• Medical, dependent care, and transit flexible spending accounts

The City of Edmonds is an Equal Opportunity Employer.