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Human Resources Manager

City of Carlsbad, CA
Carlsbad, CA Full Time
POSTED ON 4/18/2025
AVAILABLE BEFORE 6/17/2025

The Position

Are you an experienced human resources professional looking for an opportunity with professional growth?

Would an opportunity to play a key role in shaping workplace culture and driving HR initiatives that enhance organizational performance sound exciting?

Do you love leading high performing teams?

How about working for a city that has a clear vision for the future and the resources to make that vision a reality?

Intrigued? Please read on.

The City of Carlsbad is currently seeking an experienced, enthusiastic and hands-on HR professional to fill the role of Human Resources Manager. You will be our ideal candidate if you are:

  • A well-rounded HR specialist with knowledge and/or experience in the following areas: benefits administration, data analytics, employee/labor relations, class and compensation, training/employee engagement and/or familiar with or have working knowledge of Workday Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) platform or another similar Human Resources Information System
  • Experienced with public agencies (city, county, water district, school district, etc.)
  • Familiar with California labor law
  • A strategic thinker
  • Someone who takes initiative and is decisive
  • Creative – can provide solutions/options for succession/workforce planning
  • A seasoned and knowledgeable advisor to various clients from city managers and elected officials to entry level staff
  • A proven leader with the ability to maintain a positive and supportive culture

About Carlsbad
The City of Carlsbad is ideally situated in north San Diego County, where a great climate, beautiful beaches, scenic lagoons and abundant open space create the ideal California experience. City government serves 115,000 residents and a diverse business community by providing high quality services, including dedicated public safety personnel, well-maintained parks, three pools, 67 miles of city trails and three city-run libraries. The City of Carlsbad is committed to maintaining its small-town beach community character as it continues to grow. An award-winning growth management plan has helped ensure infrastructure has kept pace with new development, while protecting the city’s financial health. Carlsbad has a AAA credit rating, one of the best funded pensions in the region and healthy reserves.

The Human Resources Department

The City of Carlsbad Human Resources Department operates in a very collaborative environment where a positive, supportive and can-do approach is valued, and everyone works as a team and across different functional sections as needed. The work in the department is challenging, rewarding and fulfilling in a fast-paced environment.

The Position
May administer and coordinate any one or more of the following programs, activities, and functions relating to human resource management, including but not limited to:
  • Benefits, Health & Wellness and Leaves
  • Classification & Compensation
  • Education, Learning & Development
  • Organizational Development
  • Employee Engagement
  • Employer and Employee Relations & Performance Management
  • Labor Relations
  • Data Analytics

You belong in Carlsbad
The City of Carlsbad embraces and recognizes the vital relationship of an inclusive, engaged work environment and innovative excellence. An equitable and inclusive work climate comprises personal experiences, values, and views shaped from differences of culture and circumstance. Our organization appreciates belonging, creativity, recognition and retention of its employees and is committed to hiring and developing motivated, productive and talented employees who provide services and enhance our quality of life. We work to embrace open and equitable access to opportunities for learning and development as our responsibility and goal.

Key Responsibilities

May administer any of the following program areas, including but not limited to: Compensation and Benefits, Employer/Employee Relations, Classifications, Human Resource Information Systems (HRIS), Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action.

Manage the day-to-day operation of the human resources functions, including supervising staff supporting the assigned areas; set goals and objectives; select, train, motivate staff; assess performance and make salary recommendations.

Develop and implement department goals and objectives; responsible for the implementation and maintenance of assigned program area procedures, and evaluates the program effectiveness, including researching, analyzing and recommending policy or program changes.

Review, analyze, and develop recommendations regarding the impact of state, federal and local legislation on assigned areas.

Represent the city in contract negotiations with representative employee groups; administer and coordinate the provisions of these agreements.

Act as the city’s representative in liaison to federal/state regulatory agencies as it relates to compliance and legal issues.

Assist in preparing and administering department budget; evaluate and recommend approval to meet staffing needs, and equipment, material and supplies requirements; analyze, approve and report on any variances.

Develop programs, materials and presentations aimed at communicating Human Resources programs, including presentations to employee groups, executive management, Council and the public.

Administer various contracts and agreements to ensure compliance and implementation of terms.

Provide professional staff support to departments, including interpretations of laws, contracts, rules, regulations and policies related to human resource programs.

Supervise or conduct fact-finding investigations, prepare report of findings, make recommendations, advise and assist departments in resulting personnel actions.

Perform other related duties as assigned.

Qualifications

To perform a job in this classification, an individual must be able to perform the essential duties as generally described in the specification. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential duties in a specific job. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill and/or ability required.

Knowledge of:

  • Principles and practices of organization, administration, budget and personnel management.
  • Principles, practices, methods and procedures of Human Resource management including, classifications, compensation, benefits, data analytics, benefits and wellness, training and engagement, labor and employee relations and other applicable human resource areas as assigned.
  • Federal, state, local laws, regulations affecting human resource administration and management.
  • City of Carlsbad municipal codes, policies, procedures, practices, and memoranda of understanding with bargaining units.
  • Research methods and techniques and methods of report presentation.

Ability to:

  • Develop and manage human resource programs, activities and functions.
  • Interpret and make recommendations and decisions in accordance with laws, regulations, policies and procedures impacting human resource administration.
  • Research, analyze and prepare comprehensive reports and make recommendations.
  • Direct, evaluate and supervise the work of assigned staff.
  • Develop and maintain effective working relationships.
  • Communicate effectively in written and oral form.
  • Analyze problems, identify alternative solutions, project consequences of proposed actions, and implement recommendations in support of goals.
  • Exercise good judgment, flexibility, creativity, and sensitivity in response to changing situations and needs.
  • Work well under pressure to meet deadlines.

Experience & Education

Any combination of equivalent education and experience that could likely provide the required knowledge and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the knowledge and abilities required would be:

Equivalent to a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college of university with major work in public and/or business administration, human resource management or a closely related field, and three years of progressively responsible experience in human resource management with a specialty in one or more of the following areas: compensation, classification, benefits, data analytics, labor and employee relations.

Highly Desirable:
  • A master’s degree in public or business administration.
  • Knowledge of Workday Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) or similar platform
  • Knowledge/experience with California employment law/practices

Additional Requirement:
  • May be required to travel to city work sites or other sites for meetings

This is an at-will Unrepresented classification.


  • Medical Insurance
  • Dental Insurance
  • Vision Insurance
  • Flexible Spending Account
  • Life Insurance
  • Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance
  • Retirement under the CalPERS program, 2% @ 62 formula, Classic Members (those who are enrolled in CalPERS at another local agency) have the 2% @ 60 formula
  • Holidays- 11 scheduled
  • Floating Holiday- 2
  • Paid vacation
  • Executive Leave
  • Computer purchase loan
  • Tuition reimbursement

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