Description

Position Summary 

The Human Resources Director leads the Town’s human resources and labor relations 
programs.  The director advises the Town Manager, department heads, and supervisors on 
personnel matters and helps ensure that employees are treated fairly, consistently, and in 
accordance with law, Town policy, and collective bargaining agreements. 
The director serves as the Town’s chief labor negotiator and is responsible for collective 
bargaining, contract administration, recruitment, compensation, benefits, employee relations, 
workplace investigations, performance management, workers’ compensation, workforce 
planning, and employment-law compliance. 
This position requires independent judgment, political neutrality, discretion, and substantial 
experience in a multi-union environment. 

Essential Duties

Human Resources Leadership

• Develops, recommends, and administers Town-wide human resources policies, procedures, 
  and programs.
• Advises the Town Manager, department heads, and supervisors on staffing, employee 
  relations, performance, discipline, organizational structure, and compliance with personnel 
  requirements.
• Helps align staffing, compensation, labor relations, and employee-development programs 
  with the Town’s operational and financial needs.
• Prepares and administers the Human Resources Department budget and assists with 
  personnel and benefit costs in the Town budget.
• Provides technical direction to departments on human resources matters but does not 
  normally supervise employees assigned to other departments.

Labor Relations 

• Serves as the Town’s chief spokesperson or lead representative in collective bargaining 
  unless otherwise directed by the Town Manager.
• Develops bargaining strategies, prepares costs proposals, drafts contract language, 
  evaluates union proposals, and advises the Town Manager and Town Council on 
  negotiations.
• Interprets and administers collective bargaining agreements, personnel policies, pay plans, 
  benefit programs, and work rules.
• Represents management in grievances, mediation, arbitration, prohibited-practice 
  proceedings, and related matters.
• Works with labor counsel and prepares records, correspondence, proposals, and other 
  documents needed for negotiations and hearings.
• Monitors the administration of labor agreements to promote consistent practices across 
  Town departments. 

Employee Relations and Investigations

• Advises managers on employee performance, coaching, corrective action, discipline, and 
  termination.
• Reviews proposed hiring, disciplinary, suspension, and termination actions for compliance 
  with law, contracts, policies, and Town procedures.
• Prepares or reviews warnings, pre-disciplinary notices, suspension and termination letters, 
  settlement agreements, and related documents.
• Conducts or coordinates fair and timely investigations involving misconduct, harassment, 
  discrimination, retaliation, workplace violence, policy violations, and other employee 
  concerns.
• Interviews witnesses, reviews evidence, prepares findings, and recommends appropriate 
  action.
• Maintains confidentiality and impartiality in sensitive personnel matters.

Recruitment and Workforce Development 

• Plans and manages recruitment, selection, promotion, hiring, and onboarding.
• Develops recruitment strategies for professional, technical, public-safety, managerial, 
  hourly, and difficult-to-fill positions.
• Develops or reviews job descriptions, job announcements, interview questions, rating 
  standards, tests, background-screening procedures, and selection records.
• Promotes fair, inclusive, and job-related hiring practices.
• Works with departments to improve employee retention, communication, training, and 
  professional development.
• Analyzes vacancies, turnover, retirements, staffing levels, and critical-position risks and 
  recommends workforce and succession plans. 
  Classification, Compensation, and Performance
• Administers the Town’s position classification and compensation systems.
• Conducts or coordinates job reviews, salary surveys, market studies, internal-equity 
  reviews, and compensation analyses.
• Reviews requests for new positions, reclassification, promotion, and compensation 
  changes.
• Identifies pay compression, internal inequity, and recruitment problems and recommends 
  practical solutions.
• Develops and supports consistent performance-evaluation, coaching, and performance
  improvement practices.
• Trains and advises supervisors on effective management, documentation, contract 
  administration, and conflict resolution.
• Reviews organizational structures and work practices and recommends improvements in 
  accountability, communication, and service delivery.

Benefits, Leave, and Workers’ Compensation 

• Administers or oversees employee health, dental, life, disability, retirement, employee
  assistance, and other benefit programs.
• Works with the Finance Department, consultants, insurers, brokers, and benefit providers to 
  evaluate and manage benefit programs and costs.
• Coordinates compliance with leave, disability, accommodation, and workers’ compensation 
  requirements.
• Administers the reasonable-accommodation and interactive processes required by law.
• Coordinates issues involving FMLA, the Connecticut Paid Leave Act, ADA 
  accommodations, workers’ compensation, fitness for duty, and collective bargaining 
  agreements.
• Serves as or oversees the Town’s Workers’ Compensation Claims Administrator.
• Processes and monitors claims, communicates with employees and departments, and 
  supports safe return-to-work arrangements. 

Compliance, Records, and HR Information

• Promotes compliance with federal and Connecticut employment, labor, civil-rights, wage, 
  leave, safety, privacy, and public-records laws.
• Maintains working knowledge of laws including MERA, FLSA, FMLA, ADA, Title VII, 
  the Connecticut Fair Employment Practices Act, the Connecticut Paid Leave Act, OSHA 
  and CONN-OSHA requirements, COBRA, HIPAA, workers’ compensation laws, and the 
  Connecticut Freedom of Information Act.
• Identifies legal and operational risks and recognizes when review by legal counsel or 
  another specialist is needed.
• Maintains accurate and secure personnel records and complies with confidentiality, public
  records, record-retention, and litigation-hold requirements.
• Administers or supports human resources information systems, applicant-tracking systems, 
  payroll and benefit interfaces, and electronic personnel files.
• Develops and reviews HR data, including vacancies, hiring times, turnover, overtime, 
  grievances, workers’ compensation claims, benefit costs, and workforce trends.
• Prepares clear reports and recommendations for management and elected officials.

Other Duties 

• Responds to employee questions about policies, benefits, contracts, and workplace 
  procedures.
• Prepares and maintains required equal-employment-opportunity and affirmative-action 
  programs and reports.
• Attends negotiations, hearings, evening meetings, and emergency meetings when required. 
  Leads special administrative or organizational projects assigned by the Town Manager.
• Performs related duties consistent with the position. 

 Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Considerable knowledge of public-sector collective bargaining, contract administration, 
  grievance handling, arbitration, employee discipline, and municipal labor relations.
• Considerable knowledge of federal and Connecticut employment and labor laws and the 
  ability to apply them fairly and consistently.
• Knowledge of strategic human resources management, workforce planning, succession 
  planning, recruitment, classification, compensation, benefits, performance management, 
  and organizational development.
• Knowledge of fair workplace-investigation methods, including interviewing, evidence 
  review, credibility assessment, documentation, and preparation of findings.
• Knowledge of HR information systems, applicant-tracking systems, personnel records, data 
  security, and human resources reporting.
• Ability to develop bargaining strategies, cost proposals, draft contract language, and 
  communicate management positions clearly and persuasively.
• Ability to analyze staffing, compensation, benefit, financial, legal, and organizational 
  issues and recommend practical solutions.
• Ability to conduct impartial investigations and handle confidential and sensitive matters 
  with sound judgment.
• Ability to advise and coach managers and supervisors on employee relations, performance, 
  discipline, and contract administration.
• Ability to explain complex personnel, legal, contractual, and financial matters in clear oral 
  and written language.
• Ability to work professionally with employees, unions, department heads, attorneys, 
  consultants, elected officials, government agencies, and the public.
• Ability to remain neutral and effective in a visible municipal environment and to 
  distinguish the roles of the Town Council, Town Manager, department heads, and Human 
  Resources Department.
• Ability to manage several complex assignments, meet deadlines, respond to changing 
  priorities, and work independently.
• Skill in conflict resolution, negotiation, project management, public speaking, professional                                                                                                          writing, and the use of modern office and human resources technology. 

Minimum Qualifications

A bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in human resources, labor 
relations, public administration, business administration, law, organizational development, or a 
related field. 

• At least seven years of progressively responsible professional experience in human resources 
  or labor relations, including:
• At least three years in a management, supervisory, or senior advisory role; 
  Substantial experience with collective bargaining and contract administration; and
• Experience in a multi-union environment. 

A relevant graduate degree may substitute for up to two years of general professional 
experience. It may not replace the required collective bargaining, multi-union, or senior-level 
experience. 

An equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered if it provides the 
knowledge, skills, and abilities required for the position.

Preferred Qualifications 

• Public-sector or municipal human resources experience.
• Experience serving as a chief spokesperson or lead negotiator.
• Experience with Connecticut municipal labor and employment law.
• Experience conducting workplace investigations and advising on discipline and 
  termination.
• Experience with compensation studies, organizational development, workforce planning, 
  and HR data analysis.
• A relevant master’s degree, law degree, or professional HR certification.
• Professional working ability in English and Spanish. 

Special Requirements  

• Must possess and maintain a valid motor vehicle operator’s license.
• Must be available for evening meetings, negotiations, hearings, and other work outside 
  normal business hours when required.
• Must complete any employment screening required by Town policy and applicable law. 

Physical and Work Requirements

• The position is primarily professional and administrative work performed in offices and 
  meeting settings.
• The employee must be able to communicate accurately in person, by telephone, through 
  virtual-meeting systems, and in writing, with or without reasonable accommodation.
• The employee must be able to use a computer, review electronic and printed records, attend 
  meetings at Town facilities, and occasionally carry ordinary work materials.
• The position may involve long periods of sitting, standing, reading, writing, speaking, 
  listening, and computer use.
• The employee may encounter stressful or confrontational situations and must maintain 
  professional judgment and composure.
• Reasonable accommodations may be made to allow qualified individuals with disabilities                                                                                                          to perform the essential functions of the position. 

Equal Employment Opportunity

The Town of Windham is an equal opportunity employer. Employment decisions are made 
without regard to any status protected by federal or state law.

The Town provides reasonable accommodations to qualified applicants and employees with 
disabilities as required by law. 

General Statement 

This description explains the general nature and level of the work. It is not an employment 
contract. The Town may change the duties, responsibilities, qualifications, or reporting 
relationships of the position as its needs and legal requirements change.