Human Resources Director

The Human Resource Director manages, oversees Human Resources for the City, including recruiting, onboarding, setting up new employees for payroll and benefits, evaluating and recommending modifications to employee benefits, assisting with discipline, employee relations, employee engagement, collective bargaining, and other human resources functions as needed.  The Human Resource Director works with the City Administrator/Utilities General Manager and serves as the lead on various projects that include personnel policies, compensation, benefits, and personnel issues.

• Performs or assists with the completion of multiple human resources tasks, such as recruiting, employee selection, onboarding, enrolling new employees, making benefit information available, collecting personnel information, filing, and maintaining personnel data, and preparing employee notifications. 
• Manages the recruitment and onboarding processes across the City including creating and maintaining job advertisements and postings, overseeing application pointing, conducting interviews, preparing job offers, and verifying all pre-employment conditions. 
• Oversees and coordinates Fire Fighter and Police Civil Service testing.
• Takes the lead on modifying and updating personnel policies and maintains awareness of changes to laws that affect personnel management. 
• Tracks and manages the City’s performance review system, including maintenance of forms, filing of documentation, and coordinating payroll changes. 
• Coordinates, analyzes, and researches compensation and benefit programs and annual open enrollments, including administration of health insurance and other benefit requests for proposals; provides COBRA notices; and educates potential employees, active employees, and retirees on benefit plans.
• Develops and maintains job descriptions; conducts analyses and classification studies; and assists management by providing information related to labor negotiations.
• Assists management with conformance and interpretation of labor agreements, responses to bargaining units, and coordination of the bargaining process. 
• Supervises the payroll functions of the City; maintains payroll related employee leave records; reviews wage computations and corrects errors; supervises record changes affecting net wages and ensures conformance with policies and procedures; supervises payroll deduction accuracy; responds to payroll related questions from employees.
• Administers the Workers’ Compensation forms, reporting, posting, and processes. 
• Administers Minnesota Unemployment Claims.  
• Manages FMLA, ESST, Paid Family and Sick Leave, and other related leaves, ensuring compliance with state and federal laws and completion of required reports. 
• Manages the DOT (MMUA) drug testing and DOT Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration requirements.
• Coordinates compliance with Minnesota government data practices related to human resources data.
• Develops and coordinates internal employee communications, including postings and newsletters.
• Leads employee engagement initiatives, training and development initiatives, wellness program, employee recognition program, and other employee events and programs.
• Attends Safety Committee meetings as the management liaison and reports to management staff; and ensures adherence to OSHA standards. 
• Assists and coordinates employee coaching, performance, discipline, and termination processes. 
• Assists with personnel-related annual budget preparation. 
• Provides professional advice to City supervisors.
• Evaluates work procedures, schedules, and workflow; studies and standardizes procedures to improve efficiency and effectiveness of operations.
• Prepares other federal and state reports, including the Minnesota Pay Equity Report. 
• Attends all city council meetings.
• Attends meetings, training, seminars, and workshops to maintain professional competence, current requirements, and best practices.
• Oversees and assists in the duties and responsibilities of the “City Clerk” and fills the role in his/her absence. 

While these are the primary focus of the position, we believe strongly in teamwork and employees will be called upon to perform a variety of duties as part of their role with the City.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Knowledge of the principles, practices and techniques of public administration and of modern office practices and procedures.
•  Knowledge of the principles and standard practices in the field of personnel administration, labor relations, budgeting and purchasing.
• Considerable knowledge of the organization and functions of City government including ordinances, regulations, and policies controlling its operation and a strong initiative to improve processes and productivity.
• Considerable ability to supervise subordinate personnel in a manner conducive to full performance and high morale.
• Considerable ability to read, assemble, organize and present, in oral or written form, statistical, financial and factual information derived from a variety of original and secondary sources.
• Ability to inspire and motivate others to perform well; inspires respect and trust; accepts feedback from others; provides vision and inspiration to peers and subordinates; gives appropriate recognition to others; displays passion and optimism; mobilizes others to fulfill the vision. 
• Be a team player with the ability to collaborate and implement effective customer service and ability to maintain a positive and effective working relationship with Council, commissions, businesses, residents and staff.  Makes self-available to others.
• Ability to deal with complex and significant variables, which require analytical ability and inductive thinking in adapting policies, procedures and methods to fit complex situations.
• Ability to apply professional/managerial principles and judgement within overall goals and direction established by senior management.

Physical and Mental Requirements

Positions in this job typically require frequent sitting and standing, intermittent bending or stooping, kneeling or squatting, working with arms above shoulders and climbing. This position encounters unexpected and prolonged workdays, stress and pressure from dealing with emotional issues and conflicts. There is also sustained exposure to computer keyboards and video screens. This position is generally light-duty and may require the exertion up to 25 pounds of force on occasion and the ability to lift, carry, push, pull and move objects.

Education and Experience

A four-year degree in public administration, human resources, or a related field and three years’ experience working in human resources; or an equivalent combination of education and experience. Experience with recruitment and selection.  Knowledge of experience and classification systems.

Requirements

• Valid MN Driver’s License or evidence of equivalent mobility.
• HR certification (SHRM-CP, PHR, or PSHRA-CP) preferred.
• Public Notary.

Both sick banks will align with Minnesota Earned Sick and Safe Time guidelines

Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) - Beginning January 1, 2026, employees will be eligible for Paid Family and Medical Leave benefits in accordance with Minnesota law. The City of Detroit Lakes will participate in an approved equivalent plan administered through MetLife. The total premium rate for the program is 0.79% of eligible wages, which will be split equally between the City and the employee (0.395% each). The program provides partial wage replacement and job protection for qualifying family and medical leave events, including the employee’s own serious health condition, bonding with a new child, caring for a family member, military-related events, or safety leave. Eligibility, duration, and benefit amounts are determined by statute and plan terms. Paid Family and   Medical Leave benefits coordinate with, but are separate from, accrued sick leave and vacation benefits.