Director of Human Resources

Location:  City of Asheville, NC Download:  City of Asheville, NC - Director of Human Resources Brochure

City of Asheville, NC
Director of Human Resources

Community

The City of Asheville, with a population of 87,236 people, comprises an area of approximately 45.2 square miles in Western North Carolina. Asheville is the regional center for manufacturing, transportation, health care, banking, professional services, and shopping. The City is the county seat of Buncombe County, the largest city in Western North Carolina and the eleventh largest city in the State. Asheville is nestled between the Blue Ridge and Great Smoky Mountains and located astride the French Broad and Swannanoa Rivers. The City is surrounded by lush mountains, many with elevations above 5,000 feet.

Accolades

  • Asheville topped the list of"The 12 Best Places to Retire in the U.S."byCondé Nast Traveler (May 2016) and #3 among"The 30 Best Small Cities in America"and #7 among"The 2015 Friendliest Cities in the U.S."(August 2015)
  • Travel + Leisure featured Asheville at #11on its list of"The Best Cities in North America."(February2016)
  • U.S. News & World Report put Asheville on its round-up of the"Best Foodie Destinations in the USA."(February 2016)
  • SmarterTravel.com chose Asheville among its"10 Best Outdoor Towns in America."(October 2015)
  • Asheville was picked at #6 on MusicFromTheRow.com's list of the"Top 10 Music Cities Other Than Nashville."(July 2015)

Government

The City of Asheville, which was incorporated in 1797, operates under a Council/Manager form of government. The seven-members of City Council are elected at-large for staggered terms of four years. City Council, which acts as the City's legislative and policy-making body, selects the City Manager, who is the City's Chief Executive Officer and is responsible for implementing the policies and programs adopted by the City Council. The City's 1,203 full-time equivalent workforce provides a high level of City services including fire and police protection, planning, economic development, development services, public works (streets, sanitation, and stormwater services), parks and recreation, transportation and water.  Support service departments include General Services (Facilities & Asset Management, including Fleet Services), Communication and Public Engagement, Finance, and Information Technology.  While North Carolina law does not permit collective bargaining between the City and any labor union, trade union or labor organization as a bargaining agent for City employees, there are employee associations with membership in both the Police and Fire & Rescue Departments.  In accordance with North Carolina law, Asheville is subject to a Civil Service Board comprised of two members elected by employees, two members appointed by the City Council and one member appointed by the Board members. 

The Human Resources Department and City Organization

The Human Resources Department provides a variety of professional human resource functions in support of all City Departments in the recruitment and selection, administration of job classification and wage plans, employee training and development, organizational development, and compliance with employment regulations and guidelines as dictated by federal, state and local laws, including managing the city medical, dental and other health related benefits administration.  The Department also manages an off-site Employee Health Center that is staffed by a supervisor, physician assistant, two nurses, and a medical secretary.  The Employee Health Center is nationally recognized for the Asheville Project. 

The Department has a Fiscal Year 2016-2017 budget of $1,631,166 and 19.60 FTEs.  The new Director will assess roles, responsibilities, work flow and organizational needs to determine structure and will develop a team of collaborative consultant leaders who inspire confidence in the department's role of partner and resource provider for all other sectors. 

The City's executive leadership and management teams are committed to solidifying a quality-driven, forward-thinking, innovative, collaborative and team inspired culture.  The new Director of Human Resources will be a primary player in institutionalizing the hallmarks of that philosophy. 

The City is committed to being an employer of choice in the region and one of the best local government in North Carolina. More than a thousand employees in more than 250 positions work each day to bring this quality of service to Asheville residents.  The Human Resources Department provides residents and employees with a full range of services that includes recruitment and selection, competitive pay and benefits, wellness initiatives, and professional development.

The City is an organization transitioning toward an organizational development value system which emphasizes high performance, continuous improvement through team-based decision making and professional development.  Expected outcomes are set, progress is measured, and the definition of success is based on the achievement of the entire team.

The Position

The Director of Human Resources is appointed by and reports to the City Manager (with day to day supervision by an Assistant City Manager) and directs and administers the programs and activities of the Human Resources Department.  The Director of Human Resources supervises Compensation & Benefits, Strategic Services & Employee Relations, and Customer Solutions & Process Improvement. 

The Director is a member of the Management Team as a peer with the team but also provides support and guidance regarding personnel matters to team members.  The Director must be able to work in a fast paced and, at times, charged environment and must be a strategic thinker with a city wide perspective regarding personnel issues, organizational development, and staffing into the future.  The Director needs to implement innovative methods to recruit and retain employees and must be able to research and initiate effective organizational development, training, and succession planning programs.

Responsibilities (include but are not limited to):

  • Directs administration of position classification and pay plans by conducting studies on continued maintenance of classification and pay plans and recommending appropriate revisions.
  • Enhances department operations by developing performance benchmarks, determining long range vision and direction of City's workforce and providing advice to Quality Council and quality improvement teams.
  • Directs the administration of employee benefit programs by interpreting human resource policy for department directors and employees, conducting studies concerning development and administration of personnel policies and programs and submitting recommendations.
  • Manages employees by interviewing and hiring departmental employees, conducting training programs, completing performance evaluations, granting vacation, sick and time off and recommending employees for merit increases and promotions.
  • Advises, consults and counsels City Manager, department directors, legal staff, employees and board on personnel matters by monitoring and enforcing personnel actions in accordance with established rules, regulations and laws, directing process of employee disciplinary actions, grievance procedures, employee relations and employee assistance programs and making recommendations based on research and evaluation findings.
  • Prepares departmental budget and monitors expenditures. 

Education and Experience

The City of Asheville will only consider candidates with a proven history of forming and implementing strategies that support a culture driven towards service and performance excellence.  To be considered as qualified, candidates will have a Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Public Administration or related field from an accredited college or university.  Candidates should have a minimum of six years of progressively responsible broad-based, human resources management experience and at least two years of supervisory experience; municipal experience is highly preferred.

Certifications

An IPMA-CP/CS or an SPHR/PHR certification or the ability to obtain within a reasonable period is desired. 

Opportunities and Challenges

  • Develop and implement a compensation vision and strategy, building upon a compensation and classification study performed and compensation philosophy developed recently.
  • Develop and implement an effective and comprehensive talent management strategy
  • Develop a system through which all personnel policies are updated on a regular basis and known and implemented within the organization.
  • Develop and implement an organizational development strategy that emphasizes a culture of customer service, innovation, collaboration and high performance.
  • Continue to evaluate the City's benefit programs to assure compliance with the Affordable Care Act, in addition to making sure such benefits are fair for employees and sustainable and cost effective for the City. 

The Ideal Candidate

The City of Asheville is looking for a talented, experienced and innovative Human Resources professional driven toward organizational excellence with the knowledge and ability to effectively lead the evolution of the department.  Candidates for the position must be confident, exceptional leaders, and recognized by their peers as an expert in a wide variety of human resources disciplines.  The ideal candidate will be thoughtful, patient, and empathetic, able to see all points of view, boasting mediation skills and the ability to facilitate the development of a strong solution based, customer service focused department. 

The ideal candidate:

  • will be "hands on" and excel in a team environment, collaborating with fellow directors and staff;
  • will understand the internal and external customer service expectations of the department, be personable and able to build alliances throughout the organization to achieve city-wide goals;
  • should have extensive experience in compensation and benefits, civil service, policy /procedure development, organizational development, recruiting, and classification and compensation;
  • should be able to effectively communicate with all levels of the organization;
  • needs to be an innovative leader with the ability to solve problems, think strategically, identify alternative courses of action and provide recommendations;
  • should be efficient, effective, and responsive with a genuine interest in moving the human resources department forward;
  • should be able to build strong relationships across the organization;
  • should be able to create a positive atmosphere for employees in the organization and within the department; and
  • should have advanced written and oral communication skills.

Salary
The City of Asheville is offering a competitive salary commensurate with experience and a comprehensive benefits package. Relocation assistance will also be available for a successful out of area candidate. 

How to Apply
Applicants should forward a cover letter and resume to:

resumes@affionpublic.com
Reference: ASHEVILLEHR

Affion Public
2120 Market Street
Camp Hill, PA 17011
888.321.4922
Fax: 717-214-8004
www.affionpublic.com

 

*Deadline to receive resumes is August 02, 2016

Posted: 03/22/2022