Human Resources Manager

The City of Middleton seeks applications for its next Human Resources Manager. This highly responsible and strategic role is one of the three members of the City's senior administrative team.  The City is looking for a skilled, collaborative, and focused leader who can support, mentor, and give direction to other department heads on personnel matters while managing and directing HR operations and employee level HR activities. Strategic vision, experience in organizational development, and a strong grasp and commitment to policy development and enforcement are key. If you are an experienced, driven, and direct leader with a background spanning the whole spectrum of HR operations you will be a great fit and we can't wait to meet you!

Under the long-range administrative direction of the City Administrator, the Human Resources Manager is responsible for planning, directing, and managing all aspects of human resources operations for the City of Middleton. This includes overseeing the administration of recruitment and selection, employee relations, performance management, compensation and benefits, policy development, compliance with employment laws, and organizational planning. The Human Resources Manager supervises one HR Generalist and works collaboratively with city staff and elected leadership to foster an effective, equitable, and supportive work environment that aligns with the City’s strategic goals. 

Key responsibilities include managing and administering employee programs such as the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accommodations, and workers' compensation ensuring compliance with applicable laws and regulations. The role also involves conducting organizational assessments, spearheading organizational development initiatives, and driving continuous improvement efforts to enhance workforce performance and operational efficiency. The Human Resources Manager develops and implements HR policies and practices that support a culture of accountability, engagement, and innovation across all city departments. Serves and the City's primary investigator in all personnel areas and concerns.

In addition to operational HR functions, the Human Resources Manager serves as the city’s primary trainer and mentor to department heads, offering expert guidance on personnel matters, including supervision, conflict resolution, disciplinary actions, and performance improvement. This role acts as a strategic partner to city leadership, providing insights and recommendations on workforce planning, employee development, and organizational effectiveness. By fostering collaboration, promoting best practices, and championing a positive organizational culture, the Human Resources Manager plays a critical role in building a resilient and high-performing workforce for the City of Middleton.

This Position is:

• FLSA Status: Exempt
• Pay Basis: Salary
• Salary Grade: 15
• Position Status: Regular, Permanent Full-time
• Schedule: Normal workweek with occasional work beyond 40 hours, evening and/or weekends
• Non-Represented
• Supervisory

Essential Duties
 Recruitment & Talent Acquisition

• Plan, design, develop, and implement recruiting efforts across all departments in the City.  
• Identify internal and external job boards to effectively attract applicants. Direct the HR Generalist on the methods and approaches for posting job opportunities.
• Conduct New Employee Orientation (NEO) for new employees joining the organization. 
• Plan and implement the effective use of the City's applicant tracking system (ATS).
• Establish, maintain, evaluate, and improve the City’s process for background checks prior to extending an offers of employment. 
• Develop and expand electronic onboarding processes to meet each department's needs.  
• Direct the HR Generalist in the Preparation, review, and update of position descriptions in coordination with hiring managers. 
• Serve as the overall administrator of HR electronic solutions such as, but not limited to, HRIS, online applicant tracking/recruitment (ATS), onboarding, learning management system (LMS) and performance management.
• Coordinate the request, proposal, and selection of external consulting firms for critical department head recruitments.
• Act as primary processor, manager, and panel participant in all Department Head recruitment activities.

 Compensation and Benefits Administration

• Design, manage, and implement the City’s job classification and classified employee compensation plan.
• Research, assess, and recommend benefits programs and opportunities to best serve employees to the City leadership team and the Common Council.
• Act as the primary liaison with the City's benefits broker in selection of benefits providers.
• Oversee the development and conduct of annual open enrollment processes and benefits education.
• Liaison to benefits providers and brokers to resolve employee concerns.
• Conduct and coordinate the City's quintennial consultant led classification and compensation study.
• Annually, update and publish the classification and compensation plan for the next year to include all induvial and enterprise level compensation increases. Maintain the compensation increase process and tools.

 FMLA, ADA, and Workers’ Compensation Management

• Establish leave of absence processes, ensuring compliance with FMLA, ADA, and company policies.
• Oversee maintenance of accurate documentation and communication regarding leave status.
• Serve as primary agent in working with managers to provide reasonable accommodations under the ADA as required.
• Establish processes and standards for processing of workers compensation claims, coordinating information with insurance carrier and answering employee questions.
• Coordinate with workers' compensation insurer to resolve cases and track status of cases to best manage the City's liability.
• Direct and coordinate with department heads to maximize the use of modified duty to manage the City's workers' compensations MOD factor.

 Personnel Records & Compliance

• Develop, implement, and enforce systems for the creation, maintenance, and development of accurate and confidential employee records in the city’s HRIS.
• Assess and plan responses to audits and reporting requirements.
• Serve as the Safety Committee Chairperson. Conduct quarterly City Safety Committee meetings.
• Assess, plan, and lead responses to requests for information and assistance from employees, applicants and the public.
• Responding to unemployment insurance claims that are contested or at issue.
• Prepare and submit the annual OSHA/DSPS report, biannual submission of the EEO4 report, and any other enterprise level compliance reports.
• Act as final approval authority for all termination actions for classified or collective bargaining unit employees.
• Report annually to the leadership team, department heads, and Common Council on diversity results and efforts, and other related personnel metrics.

Personnel Policy

• Research, develop, recommend, implement and enforce required and recommend personnel policies and procedures applicable to the city enterprise organization.
• Maintain, update, and publish 
  • the Personnel Ordinance as required.
  • the Employee Handbook as required.
  • the Staffing and Selection policy
  • the Classification and Compensation policy
  • all other policies not included in the Employee Handbook
• Assist department heads in the development and implementation of department level personnel processes and guidelines.

Staff Training and Development

• Plan, develop, and implement use of the City’s learning management system to deliver and standardize training across the enterprise
• Coordinate with the City's insurer to provide annual external training opportunities in a wide variety of areas including professional development and HR topics.
• Act as primary trainer and mentor for the Department heads and leadership team in all personnel related areas.
• Consult with and assist department heads and manager on employee corrective actions.
• Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local employment laws.
• Assist with audits and reporting requirements.

 Personal and Professional Performance and Development

• Maintain exceptional attendance and timeliness
• Seek further development and growth through conduiting education, certifications, and participation in  HR professional organizations.

 Collective Bargaining and Grievance Management

• Serves as the lead negotiator representing the City in all initial and successor collective bargaining efforts with unions/units representing City employees.
• Coordinate with the City Administrator, Finance Director, and relevant Department Heads to determine objectives, limits and needs prior to and during any collective bargaining efforts.
• Maintain and update collective bargaining agreements reached between the City and it bargaining units.
• Present unit ratified, tentative collective bargaining agreements to the Common Council for approval.
• Respond to grievances for the City at step two. Advise Department heads on responses for all step one grievances, and the City Administrator on all Step 3 grievances.
• Coordinate with the City Attorney on management and conduct of all mediation and /or arbitration efforts with bargaining units in the City.

 Organizational Assessment, Development, and Continuous Improvement

• Lead all City-wide organizational assessment efforts
• Assist departments with their organizational assessment, reorganizing efforts, strategic planning, and continuous improvement projects. 
• Plan and execute organizational development activities to enhance employee, department, and city effectiveness and efficiency.
• Assist with synchronization of the City's Strategic Plan, Comprehensive Plan, and operational plans to better effect continuous improvement across the enterprise. 

Workplace Investigations

• Serve as the City's primary investigator for all matters involving employee major misconduct, harassment, ethics violations, organizational policy and compliance, and other issues as directed and necessary.
• Train and supervise investigators and minor investigations assigned to other managers at the department level.
• Coordinate and contract for outside investigative services as necessary.
• Provide facts, findings, and recommendations to the City Administrator in response to all major City investigations.
• Coordinate policy changes, disciplinary actions, open records requests, and all other requirements arising from investigations as approved by the City Administrator.

Marginal Functions:

• Primary contact for all HR matters in the absence of the HR Manager.
• Other duties and responsibilities as assigned.

Knowledge

• Comprehensive knowledge of applicable state and federal laws, rules, and regulations related to employment practices and labor relations including EEOC, FLSA, FMLA, ADA, COBRA, HIPPA, WC, etc.
• Comprehesive knowledge in the practices and processes used to conduct internal workplace investigations.
• Working knowledge of public sector human resources practices and procedures.
• Working knowledge of typical public sector employee fringe benefits and their administration.
• Considerable knowledge of compensation design and implementation.
• Considerable knowledge of organizational development, assessment, and continuous improvement tools and processes.
• Comprehensive knowledge of collective bargaining practices and approaches.
• Working knowledge of Applicant Tracking systems, HRIS systems, and Learning Management systems

Skills

• Excellent interpersonal communication, coaching, and problem-solving skills.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office products including Word and Excel.
• Collaboration, mediation, and conflict resolution.
• Policy analysis and development.
• Training design and delivery

Abilities

• Ability to accurately comprehend, interpret, analyze, and explain complex information.
• Ability to effectively work independently with minimal supervision and as a team member.
• Ability to prioritize, organize and accomplish work tasks.
• Ability to exercise sounds judgment and to objectively define, investigate, and resolve problems and conflicts.
• Demonstrated solid judgment of when to apprise the City Administrator and Assistant City Administrator/Finance Director of ongoing human resources issues and communications with various people and groups.
• Deal with confidential and difficult situations with employees and managers.

Education

• Bachelor's Degree from an accredited college or university. required. Major in public administration, human resources, business administration, or related field preferred
• Master's Degree in public administration, human resources, organizational development, strategic planning or business administration highly preferred.

Training

• Desired possession of a Certificate in Human Resources preferred.
• Certificate or completions of training in conduct of collective bargaining preferred.
• Organizational development or continuous improvement system certifications preferred (Six Sigma, Lean, Project Management Professional, etc.)

Experience

• Minimum of seven (7) years responsible and relevant professional experience in human resources management. HR duties performed in a similar size organization preferred, with government or public sector experience highly preferred.
• Demonstrated experience implementing major projects.
• Experience in conduct of collective bargaining required, as a direct organizational negotiator highly preferred.
• Experience in FMLA, ADA, Workers' Compensation and personnel law compliance required.
• Experience designing and implementing training programs highly preferred.

Salary : $99,240 - $114,125