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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for HR Director

💰 $120,000 - $200,000

Human ResourcesManagementLeadership

🎯 Role Definition

The HR Director (Human Resources Director) is a strategic leader responsible for partnering with the executive team to design and deliver people strategies that attract, develop, engage and retain top talent. This role leads HR operations, total rewards, talent acquisition, performance & leadership development, employee relations, compliance and HR analytics to drive business results, enable organizational change, and foster a high-performance, inclusive culture.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Senior HR Manager / HR Business Partner
  • Talent Acquisition Lead / Head of Talent
  • Compensation & Benefits Manager

Advancement To:

  • Vice President of Human Resources (VP HR)
  • Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO)
  • Head of People & Culture / Chief People Officer

Lateral Moves:

  • Director, Organizational Development
  • Director, People Operations
  • Director, Talent Management

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Develop and implement a comprehensive HR strategy aligned with the organization's short- and long-term business goals, translating business priorities into people plans that drive measurable outcomes.
  • Lead and manage full-cycle talent acquisition strategy for leadership and critical roles, including employer branding, sourcing, selection, onboarding, and workforce planning to ensure a high-quality candidate pipeline.
  • Design, implement and continuously improve total rewards programs (compensation, variable pay, equity, and benefits) that are competitive, cost-effective and aligned with market benchmarks and company strategy.
  • Oversee performance management programs and processes, including goal-setting frameworks, continuous feedback, talent calibration, performance reviews and performance improvement plans to raise organizational effectiveness.
  • Build and operationalize leadership development and succession planning programs to identify high-potential talent, close critical capability gaps, and ensure leadership continuity for key roles.
  • Serve as a trusted advisor and partner to the executive leadership team on organizational design, change management, restructuring, M&A integration and cultural transformation initiatives.
  • Lead employee relations strategy and case management, providing coaching, mediation and investigation oversight to resolve conflicts, reduce risk and maintain employee trust and engagement.
  • Oversee HR operations including HR policies, employee lifecycle processes, HRIS administration (Workday, SAP, Oracle, or similar), payroll coordination and HR data integrity to ensure efficient, compliant HR services.
  • Ensure compliance with federal, state and local employment laws and regulations, manage audits, update policies and partner with legal counsel to mitigate risk and maintain best-practice HR governance.
  • Lead diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, including strategy development, measurement, training, and partnering with business leaders to embed inclusive practices into talent processes.
  • Develop and maintain HR metrics and analytics (headcount, turnover, cost-per-hire, time-to-fill, engagement, diversity metrics) to inform decision-making and present workforce insights to the executive team and board.
  • Manage annual HR budget and financial forecasting for compensation, benefits, learning & development, recruiting and third-party HR vendors, ensuring effective spend and ROI.
  • Oversee compensation review cycles and salary planning, ensuring equitable pay practices, internal equity, and compliance with compensation policies.
  • Partner with finance and business leaders on workforce planning, headcount management, and scenario planning to align people costs with strategic business priorities.
  • Drive employee engagement and retention strategies, including survey design, action planning, recognition programs and targeted interventions for high-risk groups.
  • Own policy design, employee handbook updates and communications to ensure clarity on expectations, benefits, leaves, and company culture across multiple geographies.
  • Lead the HR team, hire, mentor and develop HR leaders and specialists, set priorities, and ensure a service-oriented, business-partnering HR function.
  • Oversee vendor relationships for benefits, EAP, HRIS support, talent assessments and external training providers to maximize service levels and negotiate competitive terms.
  • Lead workplace health and safety, accommodation and return-to-work programs in partnership with operations and legal to safeguard employees and meet regulatory requirements.
  • Drive employer branding and talent marketing initiatives to increase awareness of the company as an employer of choice and support targeted recruitment campaigns.
  • Plan and execute onboarding and offboarding experiences that deliver consistent, compliant, and high-quality employee lifecycle touchpoints.
  • Facilitate cross-functional programs such as compensation harmonization, HR technology implementations, and performance enablement projects to improve HR service delivery.
  • Oversee labor relations and bargaining (if applicable), including development of negotiation strategies, union engagement and compliance with collective bargaining agreements.
  • Manage HR-related aspects of mergers, acquisitions and divestitures, including due diligence, integration planning and people-risk mitigation.
  • Implement and monitor succession and career-pathing frameworks to accelerate internal mobility and reduce talent gaps across critical functions.

Secondary Functions

  • Support ad-hoc leadership and board reporting requests with HR data, trend analysis, and presentations that translate workforce insights into business implications.
  • Lead or contribute to HRIS upgrades, data migration, process automation and reporting enhancements to improve HR operational efficiency and analytics capabilities.
  • Act as escalation point for complex people issues and high-sensitivity employee relations cases, coordinating with legal, compliance and executive stakeholders.
  • Participate in cross-functional project teams for organizational initiatives like digital transformation, product launches or geographic expansion to ensure people considerations are integrated.
  • Partner with Learning & Development or external providers to design manager training, new leader onboarding and capability building for critical skills and cultural priorities.
  • Conduct periodic compensation and benefits market reviews and implement changes to maintain market competitiveness and internal equity.
  • Maintain and publish HR dashboards and scorecards for leaders, tracking improvements against HR and business KPIs.
  • Provide oversight for global HR compliance and localized policy adoption where the organization has multiple jurisdictions.
  • Support corporate social responsibility, wellness, and community engagement programs that enhance employer brand and employee experience.
  • Coordinate crisis response planning from a people perspective, including communications, pay/benefits continuity and employee support during emergencies.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • HR Strategy & Workforce Planning — experience designing people strategies that align with business objectives and translate into tangible HR programs.
  • Talent Acquisition & Executive Search — proven ability to lead senior hires, design sourcing strategies, and partner with external recruiters.
  • Compensation & Benefits Design — strong knowledge of market benchmarking, salary structures, incentive plans, and benefits administration.
  • HRIS & HR Technology — hands-on experience with Workday, SAP SuccessFactors, Oracle HCM, ADP, or similar HR systems and HR data management.
  • Performance Management Systems — experience implementing continuous performance frameworks, calibration processes, and performance improvement plans.
  • Employment Law & Compliance — deep knowledge of federal/state/local employment laws, FMLA, ADA, EEO, and labor law compliance; experience managing audits.
  • HR Analytics & Reporting — ability to build and interpret HR KPIs, dashboards, turnover and engagement analytics to inform business decisions.
  • Change Management & Organizational Design — experience leading restructuring, integration or large-scale organizational change programs.
  • Talent Development & Succession Planning — design and execution of leadership development, career frameworks and succession pipelines.
  • Project Management — ability to plan, prioritize and deliver HR programs and system implementations on time and on budget.
  • Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Program Design — experience designing DEI strategies, metrics and inclusive talent processes.
  • Labor Relations (where applicable) — experience handling collective bargaining, union negotiations and grievance processes.

Soft Skills

  • Strategic Thinking — ability to translate business goals into scalable people strategies and measurable HR outcomes.
  • Executive Presence & Influence — credible partner to C-suite leaders, able to influence strategy and drive alignment across stakeholders.
  • Coaching & People Development — skilled at developing leaders, providing candid feedback and building high-performing teams.
  • Communication & Storytelling — excellent written and verbal communication; ability to present HR insights and recommendations clearly to executives and teams.
  • Problem Solving & Decision Making — pragmatic, data-informed approach to resolving complex people challenges under ambiguity.
  • Emotional Intelligence & Conflict Resolution — ability to manage sensitive employee relations matters with empathy and fairness.
  • Change Leadership — resilient and adaptable leader who can lead teams through transformation and uncertainty.
  • Collaboration & Stakeholder Management — proven ability to build cross-functional partnerships and drive consensus.
  • Results Orientation & Accountability — focus on measurable impact, deadlines, and delivering on commitments.
  • Cultural Sensitivity & Global Mindset — experience working across multiple geographies and adapting HR programs to diverse workforces.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Organizational Psychology, or related field.

Preferred Education:

  • Master’s degree (MA, MS) in Human Resources, Organizational Development, MBA, or HR certifications such as SPHR, SHRM-SCP.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Human Resources Management
  • Business Administration / Management
  • Organizational Psychology
  • Industrial Relations
  • Labor Law

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 8–15+ years of progressive HR experience with at least 5 years in senior HR leadership or director-level roles.

Preferred: Demonstrated track record of leading HR functions in mid-to-large organizations, experience with multi-state or multinational workforces, hands-on experience with HRIS implementations, and prior exposure to board-level reporting and C-suite partnering.

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