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Duties Summary
The Director of Human Resources is the County’s principal human resource officer, serving as the administrative head of the Department of Human Resources. Pursuant to ยง76-75, Hawai’i Revised Statutes, the Merit Appeals Board “shall appoint and may at pleasure remove” the Director of Human Resources.
The Department of Human Resources is comprised of 30 positions, including the Director’s and Deputy Director’s positions, and has an operating budget of approximately $2.3 million dollars.
Pursuant to Article VII of the Hawai’i County Charter, the department is supervised by the Mayor through the Managing Director. As the chief administrative officer of the Department of Human Resources, the Director is responsible for administering a human resource management system in compliance with applicable laws and rules promulgated thereunder and in compliance also with various collective bargaining agreements.
The Director is responsible for the strategic human resource planning to provide the County with a human resource management program in line with the County’s overall goals and objectives.
The Director works with the Mayor and other members of the Mayor’s cabinet to ensure the County’s compliance with laws, rules, and administrative rulings of governmental organizations and other regulatory and advisory authorities relative to human resource management and equal opportunity.
As a cabinet level position, the Director may be called upon by the Mayor or Managing Director to serve in various capacities outside the realm of human resource management. As an example, the Director may be assigned to County- or state-wide ad hoc committees or other entities. The Director is fifth in line in the order of succession to the Mayor, following the Managing Director, Finance Director, Planning Director, and the Director of Research and Development.
Examples of Duties
Plans, develops, organizes, directs, and evaluates the County’s human resource management program and promulgates policy and procedures with respect to, but not limited to, the following human resource functional areas:
recruitment and examination of applicants/employees to fill County positions with qualified and competent individuals;
compensation and benefits program that will attract and retain qualified and competent individuals;
health and safety program that values employees as an asset to the County including a workers’ compensation program that seeks to appropriately compensate injured employees while seeking ways to continue their productivity and self-esteem through return to work programs;
employee and labor relations program that recognizes employee rights and properly balances these rights with the rights of the County in providing service to the public;
organizational and personnel development programs which effectively identify and meet the needs of the County organization and individuals within the organization.
Plans, develops, organizes, implement and monitors policies and procedures to ensure the County’s compliance with applicable laws and rules on fair employment, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and other similar laws, including ensuring that County facilities, programs, and other activities are equally available to all individuals.
Evaluates and advises the Mayor and the Mayor’s cabinet on the impact of laws, rules, and administrative rulings of governmental organizations and other regulatory and advisory authorities relative to human resource management and equal access to County facilities, programs, and other activities.
Participates as a member of the Mayor’s cabinet in the development, implementation, and evaluation of the County’s plans and programs from the perspective of human resource management and equal access to County facilities, programs, and other activities.
Continually assesses the “competitiveness” of the County’s human resource management program to ensure that the County continues to attract and retain qualified and competent individuals.
Develops and implements effective human resource management policies and procedures that will improve the overall effectiveness of County government in providing services to the public.
Assist with the activities and programs of other departments’ human resource management programs, along with providing technical advice and assistance to individuals either working in the human resource management discipline or needing to access expertise on human resource management matters.
Assist with the activities and programs of other departments, along with providing technical advice and assistance concerning equal access to County facilities, programs, and other activities.
Serves as the Mayor’s representative and spokesperson at the bargaining table with public sector unions. Receives, reviews, and assesses probabilities on proposed contract changes. Formulates and recommends strategies, goals, and objectives for negotiations with representatives of the Governor and other Mayors.
Proposes, tracks, and/or lobbies on legislation affecting human resource management or the merit principle and the County’s civil service system and on equal opportunity and access to County facilities, services, or programs.
Continually evaluates the County’s human resource management structure and employees and plans for continual improvement of the efficiency and effectiveness of these employees as well as providing them with professional and personal growth opportunities.
Provides technical and clerical staff services to the Merit Appeals Board and Salary Commission.
Keeps abreast of the dynamics of the human resources field and on matters of equal opportunity and access to facilities, services, or programs through professional activities and self development.
Minimum Qualification Requirements
citizen of the United States, and
resident of the State of Hawai’i for at least one (1) year immediately preceding appointment, and
a bachelor’s degree in human resources, public personnel administration, industrial relations, or a related field; however, human resource management experience may be substituted on a year for year basis in lieu of a bachelor’s degree. (Scan and attach your official college transcript), and
five (5) years’ experience in any human resource functional area (such as but not limited to recruitment and examination, classification and pay, labor relations, organizational and personnel development, workers’ compensation, administrative services, etc.), of which
three (3) years shall have been in an administrative capacity.
The Director, at the time of the Director’s appointment and thereafter, shall be thoroughly familiar with the principles and methods of personnel administration and shall believe in applying merit principles and scientific administrative methods to public personnel administration.
The Director shall have general knowledge of the following:
strategic management,
compensation and benefits,
workforce planning and employment,
human resources development,
employee and labor relations,
occupational health and safety, and
equal opportunity and access to facilities, services, or programs.
Note: In-person interviews and/or further testing in Hawai’i County will be required at the discretion of the Merit Appeals Board. Applicants who are referred to the Merit Appeals Board must be available to participate in person and at their own expense at that phase of the selection process.
Supplemental Information
Please scan and attach the following required documents to your on-line application:
one (1) page cover letter to include:
why you are interested in the Director of Human Resources position, and
your vision for the Department of Human Resources, and
an official college transcript, and
certifications by appropriate professional organizations (if applicable), and
no more than three (3) letters of reference.
AN INCOMPLETE APPLICATION WILL RESULT IN THE NON-ACCEPTANCE OF THE APPLICATION AND WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED BY THE MERIT APPEALS BOARD.
ELECTRONIC NOTIFICATION TO APPLICANTS:
Please ensure that the email address and contact information you provide is current, secure, and readily accessible to you. We will not be responsible in any way if you do not receive our emails or fail to check your email box or NEOGOV account INBOX in a timely manner. Checking your NEOGOV account INBOX daily is recommended and is the most secure method to check on notices sent to you. This is a new feature created by our vendor, NEOGOV.
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You will receive a confirmation email upon successfully submitting your application. Failure to receive this confirmation email, indicates that your application was not submitted.
Employee benefits are for full-time employment and include the following from the date of hire:* sick leave and vacation earnings* paid holidays * social security * credit union membership * life, dental, medical, vision, and prescription drug insurance plans* employee-employer paid retirement plan* flexible spending plan* tax-sheltered savings and investment program* mortgage loans through the State Employees’ Retirement SystemBenefits are subject to change due to legislative and other changes.
