Human Resources & Risk Management Director - Franklin, TN

Oklahoma Municipal League, Inc.; Franklin (TN); On-site; USD 175,000 - 185,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Defined benefit retirement

Relocation assistance

Job summary

The City of Franklin is seeking a strategic public sector HR executive to lead a broad portfolio across a full‑service municipal organization serving approximately 800 employees in public safety, utilities, public works, and more. The next Director will act as a culture steward and process architect to protect Franklin’s workplace foundation while enhancing HR services.

Requirements include a Bachelor’s in HR/Public Administration, 5–7 years of executive HR experience in local government, and

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in HR, Business Administration, Public Administration, or related field.
• Five to seven years of executive level HR management experience in municipal or county government.
• Professional HR certification such as PHR, SPHR, SHRM-CP, SHRM-SCP, PSHRA‑CP, or PSHRA‑SCP (or ability to obtain within two years)

Responsibilities

• Lead HR and risk management across city departments.
• Build partnerships with department leaders while strengthening HR systems and processes.
• Oversee employee relations, investigations, performance management, talent acquisition, leadership development, benefits, retirement administration.

Skills

Local government HR

Employee relations

Performance management

Benefits administration

Education

Bachelor's degree in HR/Public Administration

Job description

Listing Description

The City of Franklin is seeking a strategic public sector human resources executive who has led a broad, multi‑disciplinary portfolio in a full‑service municipal or county organization. The successful candidate must be prepared to support approximately 800 employees across public safety, utilities, public works, and other professional operations while advancing a positive, high‑performance workplace culture.

We are looking for a proven leader who is:

• Experienced in local government human resources, benefits, and risk management
• Skilled in complex employee relations, workplace investigations, performance management, and the administration of multiple public retirement programs
• Able to build strong partnerships with department leaders while strengthening HR systems and processes

Franklin is a highly regarded community known for its exceptional quality of life, historic character, and vibrant economy. Located just 15 miles south of Nashville, Franklin blends the character of a historic Southern city with the opportunities of a thriving regional hub. The City has experienced significant growth while remaining committed to preserving its heritage and community character.

The City of Franklin is governed by a nine‑member Board of Mayor and Aldermen, including the Mayor, and is professionally managed by a City Administrator who oversees day‑to‑day operations. Franklin maintains AAA bond ratings from both S&P and Moody’s. The Human Resources and Risk Management Director reports to the Assistant City Administrator/Chief Financial Officer and leads a 14‑position department.

The ideal candidate will be a seasoned local government human resources professional with demonstrated success in a municipality or county of comparable scale and complexity. The next Director will serve both as a culture steward and a process architect – protecting Franklin’s strong workplace foundation while fostering effective systems for employee relations, investigations, performance management, talent acquisition, leadership development, benefits, risk, safety, and retirement administration.

Required qualifications for this position include:

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Public Administration, or a related field
• Five to seven years of executive level human resources management experience in a municipal or county government
• Professional HR certification such as PHR, SPHR, SHRM‑CP, SHRM‑SCP, PSHRA‑CP, or PSHRA‑SCP (or ability to obtain within two years)

Preferred qualifications for this position include:

• Master’s degree in Human Resources, Public Administration, Business Administration, or related field
• Human Resources leadership experience in a city or county of similar scale and complexity, or an organization with similar scale and operational complexity, including public safety and other 24/7 operations
• Experience administering multiple defined benefit and defined contribution retirement programs, together with self‑insured benefits, workers’ compensation, insurance, safety, and risk management
• Demonstrated success modernizing Human Resources service delivery, manager tools, leadership development, and workforce analytics

The salary range for this position is $175,000-$185,000, depending on experience and qualifications. The City offers a highly competitive benefits package including defined benefit retirement through the Tennessee Consolidated Retirement System, and possible relocation assistance.

For more information on this position, contact: Clay J. Pearson, Senior Vice President
[e-mail]
713-816-8639