Human Resources Director 4

State of Minnesota; Saint Paul (MN); Hybrid; USD 112,000 - 161,000; Full time

Job summary

State of Minnesota’s Department of Children, Youth, and Families seeks a creative, strategic Human Resources Director to lead the agency’s HR team and shape the workforce for Minnesota’s children, youth, and families. This executive role partners with agency leadership to build a responsive HR function that attracts and develops talent while advancing equity and inclusion.

The HRD will manage recruitment, compensation, benefits, payroll, labor relations, and performance management and will drive

Qualifications

• Five (5) years of progressively responsible human resources experience, including senior level leadership or management responsibility.
• Experience interpreting employment laws, rules, policies, and collective bargaining agreements, including civil service and EEO requirements.
• Executive partnership and stakeholder engagement with senior leaders, labor organizations, and diverse stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Lead and oversee recruitment, classification and compensation, benefits administration, payroll, labor relations, and performance management.
• Oversee workforce planning, employee development, safety and wellness, and workers’ compensation.
• Ensure HR programs and policies are sound, equitable, and aligned with the agency mission and workforce goals.

Job description

Working Title: Human Resources Director

Job Class: Human Resources Director 4

Agency: Children Youth & Families Dept

• Job ID : 97670

• Location : St. Paul

• Telework Eligible : Yes

• Full/Part Time : Full-Time

• Regular/Temporary : Unlimited

• Who May Apply : Open to all qualified job seekers

• Date Posted : 10/26/2026

• Closing Date : 11/16/2026

• Hiring Agency/Seniority Unit : Children Youth & Families Dept / DeptChildYth&Fam-Managerial

• Division/Unit : DCY - Payroll / DCYF Management/Operations

• Work Shift/Work Hours : Day Shift - 8:00am - 5:00pm

• Days of Work : Monday - Friday

• Travel Required : No

• Salary Range: $53.66 - $76.98 / hourly; $112,042 - $160,734 / annually

• Classified Status : Classified

• Bargaining Unit/Union : 220 - Manager/Unrep

• FLSA Status : Exempt - Executive

• Designated in Connect 700 Program for Applicants with Disabilities (https://mn.gov/mmb/careers/diverse-workforce/people-with-disabilities/connect700/) : Yes

The Department of Children, Youth, and Families is unable to provide sponsorship for work visas. Applicants must be eligible to work in the United States at the start of employment. DCYF does not participate in E-Verify.

The work you'll do is more than just a job.

At the State of Minnesota, employees play a critical role in developing policies, providing essential services, and working to improve the well-being and quality of life for all Minnesotans. The State of Minnesota is committed to equity and inclusion, and invests in employees by providing benefits, support resources, and training and development opportunities.

_Telework 50% of time (This position requires working in the office 2-3 days per week)_ *

Join us in shaping the future of Minnesota's children, youth, and families.

The Minnesota Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) is seeking a creative, strategic, and mission driven Human Resources Director (HRD) to lead the agency’s human resources team and help shape the future of our workforce. We are looking for a leader who believes deeply in DCYF's mission, vision, and values and brings innovative approaches to public sector human resources.

The HRD provides strategic leadership and oversight of comprehensive human resources services that support DCYF's mission, priorities, and organizational goals. This position works closely with agency leadership to build a strong, responsive, and collaborative HR function that attracts, develops, and supports the talented people who serve Minnesota's children, youth, families, and communities.

The HRD will provide leadership across all areas of human resources, including recruitment and selection, classification and compensation, benefits administration, personnel and payroll transactions, labor relations, performance management, workforce planning, employee development and training, safety and wellness, and workers’ compensation. The HRD will ensure HR programs, policies, and practices are sound, equitable, innovative, and responsive to the evolving needs of the agency and its workforce.

This is an opportunity to build, lead, and shape an HR function within a new state agency—and to make a lasting impact on the workforce that makes DCYF’s mission possible.

Minimum Qualifications

To facilitate proper crediting, please ensure that your resume clearly describes your experience in the areas listed and indicates the beginning and ending month, day and year for each job held.

• Five (5) years of progressively responsible human resources experience, including senior level leadership or management responsibility. Experience must demonstrate the ability to lead and advise an organization on complex human resources matters and must include:

  • Strategic HR leadership across multiple functional areas, such as recruitment and selection, classification and compensation, labor relations, employee relations, performance management, workforce planning, employee development, organizational effectiveness.
  • Interpretation and application of employment laws, rules, policies, and collective bargaining agreements, including state and federal requirements related to civil service, equal employment opportunity, affirmative action, and other employment practices.
  • Executive partnership and stakeholder engagement, including the ability to advise senior leaders, collaborate with labor organizations and employee representatives, and build effective relationships with diverse internal and external stakeholders.
  • Leadership through organizational change and complex issues, including the ability to assess organizational needs, develop practical solutions, manage competing priorities, and lead the implementation of HR strategies that support the agency’s mission and workforce goals.
  • Using judgment, negotiation, mediation, and conflict resolution skills, with demonstrated ability to address complex and sensitive employee and organizational issues with discretion, fairness, and strong analytical, and communication skills, including the ability to interpret and communicate budget related information, use data to inform decisions, and communicate complex HR matters.

Delegation of Authority

The incumbent must be able to obtain and maintain the delegations of authority required by Minnesota Management and Budget (MMB) to perform delegated human resources functions in areas including compensation, classification, selection, and labor relations.

Preferred Qualifications

• State of MN and/or Public sector HR leadership experience.

• Experience working with programs that serve diverse communities and developing materials to communicate to diverse audiences.

• Experience building and scaling organizational systems, processes, and infrastructure in an organization undergoing transformation.

• Proven ability to create HR operational frameworks from the ground up while navigating fast-paced, high-pressure environment.

• Experience creating and implementing foundational human resources programs, policies, and processes in a newly formed or significantly changing organization.

• Experience leading systems, change initiatives and building effective partnerships within an organization to inform and sustain those changes

• Our employees are dedicated to ensuring cultural responsiveness. Preferred candidates will have a variety of experiences working effectively with others from different backgrounds and cultures

Additional Requirements

It is the policy of the Department of Children, Youth, and Families that the individual selected for this position successfully complete a background investigation prior to employment, that may include the following components:

• Reference check

• Criminal Background check

• Fingerprinting check (MNJIS/CJIS)

• Driver’s License Check

• Personnel File Review: all current and former public sector employees

• Additional assessment may be required during the interview process

DCYF anticipates conducting interviews during the week of November 30th

AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

Minnesota State Colleges and Universities is an Equal Opportunity employer/educator committed to the principles of diversity. We prohibit discrimination against qualified individuals based on their race, sex, color, creed, religion, age, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, marital status, status with regard to public assistance, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, or membership in a local commission as defined by law. As an affirmative action employer, we actively seek and encourage applications from women, minorities, persons with disabilities, and individuals with protected veteran status.

Reasonable accommodations will be made to all qualified applicants with disabilities. If you are an individual with a disability who needs assistance or cannot access the online job application system, please contact the job information line at 651-259-3637 or email [e-mail] . Please indicate what assistance is needed.