Job Description
JOB ANNOUNCEMENT
Position Title: Human Resources Director
Reports To: Chief of Staff
Pay Range: $97,000 -$113,000
Position Status: Full Time role with Benefits
About Denver Public Library:
The Denver Public Library (DPL) is a growing urban library system that serves the City & County of Denver. DPL sees more than 4 million visitors every year across its 27 locations, serves Denver’s most vulnerable communities through outreach and mobile services, hosts thousands of programs a year and manages a collection of more than 1.4 million physical and digital materials. We believe a strong library is vital for a strong community where everyone thrives. DPL is committed to serving the evolving needs of our community through inspired programming, diverse collections, culturally-representative spaces and equitable policies & procedures. Together, we create welcoming spaces where all are free to explore and connect.
Core Values:
Welcoming
Curiosity
Connection
Equity
Stewardship
Position Summary:
Denver Public Library is seeking an experienced executive leader to contribute to our mission by taking on an active, hands-on leadership role. The HR Director will manage both strategic human resources planning and development and day-to-day human resources operations throughout a complex organization that includes a distributed, multi-location workforce of 500+ employees. The ideal candidate will bring both direct experience managing HR functions (including policies, programs and processes pertaining to the employee life cycle, including the areas of recruitment, on-boarding, benefits administration, leave, employee relations, performance management, training, organizational development and pay practices) and experience leading an organization in enacting a commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion. The HR Director will help guide development of DPL’s employees and drive recruitment and retention strategies as we continue to build our diverse workforce and support our staff in remaining flexible and responsive to customers’ changing needs.
Essential Duties & Responsibilities:
People Centered Human Resources Environment
- Shape an environment of inclusion in which staff feel empowered to seek resources and support to develop their skills; to identify and resolve challenges with their team or other coworkers; and to advocate for their professional needs.
- Develop and deploy talent development strategies to recruit, retain, and advance staff–particularly staff from historically underrepresented groups including but not limited to folks who identify as BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, or neurodiverse/disabled.
- Maintain knowledge of trends, best practices, regulatory changes, and new technologies in human resources, talent acquisition and management, and employment law; ensure compliance with federal, state, and local employment laws and regulations.
- Collaborate with various City and County of Denver agencies to manage risk exposure, identify best practices, and implement citywide initiatives.
- Serve as a strategic business partner to internal and external stakeholders in the promotion of a healthy and engaged staff culture.
Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion
- Collaborate with staff and committees (such as the Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion Advisory Committee, Staff Engagement Committee, and identity-based affinity groups) to identify, design, and implement diversity, equity, and inclusion strategies, policies, programs, and initiatives. Embrace, support, and integrate philosophies related to equity, diversity, and inclusion with a commitment to acknowledge, explore, and address other forms of social bias.
- In collaboration with DPL’s EDI Administrator and Equity Leads across the organization, develop and implement strategies to recruit and retain BIPOC staff and staff who carry other/additional historically marginalized identities; and support organization-wide efforts to develop staff awareness of and skill in enacting a commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion.
Organizational Development
- Translate DPL’s strategic plan into HR strategic and operational plans and leads the process for assessing organizational needs, employee performance, and values alignment.
- Serve as a thought partner as a member of DPL’s executive leadership team.
- Guide the Learning & Development team in building organizational capacity and individual proficiency in core competency areas, leadership skills, performance management, and staff engagement.
Culture and Staff Development
- Collaborate with library staff to build and execute evidence-based strategies and processes that promote a culture of belonging, mutual respect, positive work environment, and staff engagement.
- Draw on best and promising trauma-informed and culturally responsive employee relations practices to cultivate and sustain a workplace that recognizes and affirms cultural difference, promotes dialogue across difference, and seeks to identify and repair interpersonal and organizational conflict or harm.
- Provide support and guidance to management and other staff when complex, specialized, and sensitive questions and issues arise.
- Provide oversight and/or conduct investigations in response to employee complaints or concerns.
- Develop benchmarking strategies to evaluate and refine programs for enhancing employee engagement, satisfaction, and culture.
- Lead the library’s Learning Team in designing and implementing staff development programs that support the learning and growth of all DPL employees.
Human Resources
- Oversee Human Resources staff in implementing Operations and Learning programs for DPL employees.
- Prepare and manage an annual budget for Human Resources and support budget managers in developing and submitting budget requests for their units.
- Oversee day-to-day operations of the HR department.
Performance Excellence
- Support DPL leaders in setting and maintaining high expectations for staff performance and providing regular feedback on their teams’ performance.
- Develop, circulate, and act on results of regular staff satisfaction surveys.
Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:
Required:
- Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or related field; or an equivalent combination of training and relevant work experience.
- Ten (10) years of professional level human resources experience including five (5) years managing a human resources function. Additional appropriate education may be substituted for the minimum experience requirements.
- Two years of experience working directly with or managing equity, diversity, and inclusion efforts with a demonstrated ability to effectively interact, communicate, and collaborate with people from diverse cultural backgrounds.
- Demonstrated ability to confront bias (your own, others’, and systemic) with regard to race, gender, class, sexual identity, disability, and other social identities.
- Broad knowledge of and experience in employment law, compensation, organizational planning, organization development, employee relations, safety, and training and development
- Excellent written and oral communication skills with strong attention to detail.
- Strong analytical skills, problem solving skills, and conflict resolution/negotiation skills.
- Supervisory experience and demonstrated ability to give clear direction, guidance, constructive feedback, and coaching, develop, involve, and mobilize people in shared efforts.
- Ability to work full-time, including evenings.
- Ability to pass an employment background check after the offer has been made.
Preferred:
- A Master’s degree in Human Resources or Business Administration.
- Experience with compensation and classification, and demonstrated ability to develop a plan for enacting equitable compensation strategies. SHRM-CP, SHRM-SCP, or other professional Human Resources Certification
- Spanish speaking or bilingual preferred
The above is intended to describe the general content of and requirements for the performance of this job. It is not to be construed as an exhaustive statement of duties, responsibilities, or requirements.
Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) and others who identify as nonwhite, people with disabilities, and members of the LGBTQIA+ community are strongly encouraged to apply for this role.
Denver Public Library is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected status, or any other characteristic protected by law.
How to apply: Please send resume and cover letter to recruiting@thehrshop.com. with the role you are applying for in the subject line.