Bachelor's degree in human resources, public administration, conflict management, or related field and 7-10 years of progressive experience managing human resources programs in the public or private sector, which must include time as a director or assistant director of HR, division manager of HR functions, or equivalent combination of education and experience. Master's degree and HR certification (e.g., SPHR, SHRM-SCP, PSHRA-CP, and PSHRA-SC) are preferred. Extensive experience with implementing HR technology solutions is desirable.
The Town of Apex, which operates under the Council-Manager form of government, provides exceptional public service that cultivates opportunities for the individual and community to live, thrive, and reach their peak. The Town employs 686.4 benefitted positions (full and part-time) and 150 seasonal employees across 20 departments. With AAA bond ratings and excellent stewardship of tax dollars, the town is a fiscally responsible and well-managed government with an FY 24-25 budget of over $221 million. A tax rate of $.34 per $100 of assessed tax value supports the budget.
The Town’s FY24 budget included expanding vibrant recreation and cultural programs, introducing a comprehensive language access plan, adding athletic court availability technology at parks, and enhancing pedestrian safety with upgraded crosswalk beacons to advance the Town’s Welcoming Community goal. The Council’s vision is a community, unified in stewardship of the Apex small-town character and natural environment, for a future where all succeed. The Town’s strategic goals that guide its future:
- A Welcoming Community: Create a safe and welcoming environment, fostering community connections and high-quality recreational and cultural experiences, supporting a sense of belonging.
- High-Performing Government: Deliver exceptional service, valuing an engaged workforce emphasizing efficiency, collaboration, innovation, and inclusion.
- Economic Vitality: Improve and sustain an environment that invites and retains a diversity of residents, employment opportunities, and businesses.
- Responsible Development: Encourage equitable and sustainable development that provides accessibility and connectivity throughout the community.
- Environmental Leadership: Commit to sustaining natural resources and environmental well-being.
The community vision established in Advance Apex: The 2045 Plan is a critical part of guiding strategy. “Peak Principles” of Performance, Empowerment, Accountability, and Knowledge drive an internal culture of excellence and service. The Peak Principles are summed up in a pledge: “We will perform at the highest level by empowering our peers, remaining accountable to each other and those we serve, and continuing the pursuit of knowledge.” Learn more about the town of Apex here.
About the Department and Position:
The Human Resources Department, partners strategically and collaboratively with all departments to recruit, retain, and develop a high performing workforce that fosters a healthy, safe, and productive work environment. The department provides diverse and comprehensive human resources programs designed to support the organization in achieving its mission, with a focus in the areas of talent acquisition, workforce planning, training and development, compensation and benefits, performance management, safety and risk management, and employee relations and retention, all while maintaining compliance with applicable employment and labor laws. The Human Resources Department is united around a collective mission to create a culture of empowerment and accountability that maximizes individual and organizational potential.
Reporting to Administration, the HR Director oversees and manages the Human Resources Department’s budget of $3,159,700 and leads a team of nine employees with four direct reports: the Assistant Director, the Safety and Risk Manager, the HR Data and Systems Administrator, and an Executive Assistant. The HR Department works in a hybrid schedule; however, it is expected that the HR Director will be accessible and visible in alignment with other leadership roles in the Town.
Most employees in HR have been hired over the last few years when the department doubled in size. More opportunities for growth will be in Training and Safety as the Town adds more employees and develops infrastructure for safety and risk programs. The next HR Director will need to build on a culture of customer service excellence, accessibility and trust to ensure these values are maintained during a time of rapid growth. A track record of evaluating and developing policies and procedures that are consistently administered, the ability to implement HRIS technology and roll out to the organization, expertise in aligning compensation and performance systems, and expertise in mitigating ongoing recruitment and retention challenges are essential competencies.
Key Position Priorities:
- Ensure that the HR Department is a trusted and collaborative resource within the organization that fosters strong relationships with Town employees and leadership, and walks the talk of promoting efficiency, encouraging individual initiative, and driving results-driven performance.
- Conduct an audit of the current HR infrastructure to assess effectiveness and identify areas for improvement, including building a comprehensive set of policies, procedures, and training programs for employees that reflect input from employees, as well as lead to alignment across departments and consistent application.
- Leverage new HRIS technology and implement additional scheduled modules to include training, communication, and evaluation of metrics.
- Evaluate onboarding and develop comprehensive programs that go beyond new employee paperwork and benefit communication to include continuity between HR and individual departments for different levels of employees and their ongoing learning and mentoring for success.
- Address retention and competitive compensation, particularly in hard-to-fill positions where private-sector competition is strong, to attract and keep top talent, to include transparent communication with leadership and employees as needed.