Manager, Human Resources

WISCONSIN EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN SYNOD; City of Pewaukee (WI); On-site; USD 85,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS) seeks a Director of Human Resources & Benefit Plans to oversee HR functions for the Center for Mission and Ministry (CMM) and related entities. This role ensures employment, compensation, relations, policies, and compliance align with WELS theology and federal/state law.

The job reports to the Director of HR & Benefit Plans and involves HRIS management, recruitment, onboarding, benefits administration, ACA reporting, and staff development within a

Qualifications

• Active member of the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS) with strong mission alignment.
• Demonstrated leadership in HR administration, policy advice to senior leaders, and handling sensitive personnel matters.
• Strong knowledge of HR principles and employment law, including federal and state regulations and church-employer distinctions.
• Proficiency with Payroll and HRIS systems; able to generate and interpret data for decision-making.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills; collaborative with stakeholders across WELS.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities; using data to identify trends and improvements.
• Maintain confidentiality and handle sensitive matters with integrity and discretion.
• Ability to design, implement, and improve processes; manage projects; support organizational effectiveness across ministries.
• Commitment to continuing education in HR, compliance, ministry administration, and organizational effectiveness.

Responsibilities

• Provides administration and guidance for all HR functions at CMM, including employment, compensation, employee relations, policies, and compliance.
• Serves as HR resource for day-to-day matters, policy questions, employee concerns, and performance management.
• Communicates and aligns personnel policies with WELS theology and employment laws.
• Manages HRIS, data, and reports to meet current and future needs of the CMM and subsidiaries.
• Maintains policy acknowledgement and personnel files in compliance with legal requirements.
• Ensures compliance with employment laws, regulations, and WELS policies.
• Oversees recruitment, selection, onboarding, and retention of CMM staff and called workers.
• Assists with vicar and district president assistant programs; compensation and performance reviews.
• Collaborates with Benefits Office; ACA reporting and compliance; manages benefit enrollment and changes.
• Supports safety culture; maintains HR systems and data accuracy; coordinates payroll with Financial Services.
• Provides HR guidance to congregations, schools, and ministries on policy interpretation and risk management.
• Coordinates training programs for supervisors and staff on HR best practices.
• Maintains records for synod boards and nominees; conducts background checks for volunteers.
• Performs other duties aligned with WELS mission.

Skills

Leadership

HR Administration

Employment Law

Data Analysis

Confidentiality

Communication

Project Management

Training & Development

Policy Interpretation

Education

Bachelor's degree in HR / Business or related field

5+ years HR leadership experience

SHRM certification preferred

Tools

Payroll Systems

HRIS

Microsoft Office

Job description

Job Details

Job Location: WELS-CMM - Waukesha, WI 53188

Position Type: Full Time

SUMMARY

This position reports to the Director, Human Resources & Benefit Plans and provides administration, guidance, and support for all human resource functions at WELS Center for Mission and Ministry (CMM) and its subsidiaries, including employment, compensation, employee relations, resource development, personnel policies, and compliance with WELS policies and procedures. This role ensures that personnel practices reflect WELS’s mission and theology while maintaining compliance with applicable federal and state regulations.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

include the following.

• Provides administration, guidance, and support for all human resource functions at the CMM, including employment, compensation, employee relations, personnel policies, and compliance.


• Serves as the primary resource for CMM employees on day-to-day HR matters, including policy questions, documentation, employee concerns, and performance management.


• Implements and communicates CMM personnel policies and procedures and assists with their development; ensures consistency with WELS theology and alignment with federal and state employment laws and regulations.


• Serves as the HR subject matter expert of the Human Resources Information System (HRIS). Manages the HRIS and HR data to meet current and future needs of the CMM, its subsidiaries, and WELS ministerial education schools; works with employees and vendors to ensure the effective delivery of HRIS applications; promotes proactive approaches for using HRIS to solve organizational needs and issues while also enhancing the understanding and acceptance of the HRIS capabilities.


• Maintains, communicates, and tracks acknowledgement of HR policies applicable to CMM employees and to members of boards, commissions, and committees appointed by the Synodical Council.


• Maintains personnel files in compliance with applicable legal requirements. Keeps employee records up to date by processing employee status changes in timely fashion.


• Ensures compliance with all applicable employment laws, regulatory requirements, WELS policies, and reporting obligations.


• Manages recruitment, selection, interviewing, hiring, onboarding, and retention of CMM lay employees; assists with the filling of called worker positions.


• Assists with administration of the vicar and district president assistant programs.


• Assists with employee compensation and performance review matters.


• Assists with the development of the compensation components of the synod’s ministry financial plan.


• Works in close collaboration with the WELS Benefits Plan Office and vendors to administer benefit programs, including enrollment and termination processing, claims resolution, change reporting, and processing invoices for payment. Communicates employee benefits offered to CMM staff. Performs ACA reporting and compliance requirements for CMM and assists the four ministerial education schools in this effort.


• Oversees activities and programs that are designed to promote a healthy, engaged organizational culture and high employee morale among CMM staff.


• Manages and maintains HR systems and information, including HRIS records, personnel files, payroll and benefit data, and digital HR resources to ensure accuracy and integrity.


• Collaborates with Financial Services to ensure accurate payroll processing.


• Ensures human resources information found at wels.net and the CMM intranet is accurate, current, and accessible.


• Serves as a resource to WELS congregations, schools, and affiliated ministries regarding personnel practices, employment law compliance, compensation, benefits, policy interpretation, and risk management.


• Facilitates training and development programs for supervisors, managers, and staff across WELS entities; provides ongoing education on personnel policies, supervisory skills, employment law, and HR best practices.


• Coordinates the vetting and documentation process for nominees to synod boards, commissions, and committees appointed by the Synodical Council; maintains centralized records of nominee data and vacancies.


• Performs background checks for volunteers serving at synod-sponsored events to support safety and risk-management practices.


• Serves as a member of the CMM Safety Committee to support safe working conditions and compliance with workplace safety standards.


• Performs other duties as assigned in support of the mission and ministry of WELS.

These requirements are representative, but not all-inclusive, of the knowledge, skill, and ability required to perform this job.

Qualifications

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• An active member in the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS) and a deep commitment to the mission, theology, and ministry philosophy of WELS.


• Demonstrated leadership experience in human resources administration, including the ability to interpret policy, advise senior leaders, manage sensitive personnel matters, and provide sound judgment rooted in Christian stewardship.


• Strong knowledge of human resources principles and employment law, including federal and state labor regulations, church-employer distinctions, risk management practices, and HR compliance obligations.


• Proficiency with Payroll and HRIS systems and strong technical competency with Microsoft Office applications; ability to generate and interpret data for decision-making.


• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, including the ability to build trust, provide clear guidance, conduct effective training, and work collaboratively with a wide range of stakeholders across WELS.


• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities, with demonstrated experience using data to identify trends, support planning, and recommend improvements.


• Ability to maintain confidentiality and handle sensitive personnel and compliance matters with discretion, integrity, and sound ethical judgment.


• Demonstrated ability to design, implement, and improve processes, manage projects, and support organizational effectiveness across multiple ministries and entities.


• A willingness to pursue continuing education to remain current in the fields of human resources, compliance, ministry administration, and organizational effectiveness.


• Strong problem solving and project manager skills.

EDUCATION AND/OR EXPERIENCE

• Bachelor’s degree in human resources, Business Administration, or a related field required


• Minimum of five (5) years of progressively responsible human resources experience, including strong experience in HR leadership, compliance, oversight, and policy administration.


• Experience working in a church, nonprofit, educational, or ministry setting desirable, particularly in environments involving called workers or unique employment structures.


• Professional HR certification is preferred, such as SHRM Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP) or Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR).