The City of Richmond is seeking a strategic workforce planning and organizational development leader to serve as it Director of Human Resources.
About the City of Richmond
At the head of the James River in the east-central part of the Commonwealth, Richmond is the capital city of the Commonwealth of Virginia. The city offers a wide range of historical and cultural attractions, fine dining, outdoor recreation, theme parks, and sporting events.
The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts features collections from Europe, the Far East, and the Americas. Other major museums include the Science Museum of Virginia, the Children’s Museum, the Edgar Allen Poe Museum, the Valentine Museum, and the American Civil War Museum at Historic Tredegar.
Musical entertainment is varied with the Richmond Symphony and the Virginia Opera Association representing just a few of the numerous organizations presenting regular productions to the community. The Richmond Ballet and the Concert Ballet of Virginia add to the diversity in the performing arts.
The region is home to fourteen public and eighteen private golf courses. The James and Appomattox Rivers provide an excellent opportunity for water sports, including swimming, boating, canoeing, water skiing, and fishing.
The City of Richmond operates under a Mayor-Council form of government whereby the Mayor is elected at large by a majority of voters in at least five of the city’s nine council districts. The Mayor serves a full-time, four-year term overseeing the executive management of the city’s departments and agencies.
The Mayor acts as chief executive officer (CEO) with responsibilities that include submitting the annual budget to City Council, selecting a Chief Administrative Officer, issuing regulations, and making recommendations on revenue and funding transfer matters. The Chief Administrative Officer (CAO), who reports to the Mayor, is directly responsible for the city’s day-to-day municipal operations. The CAO is appointed with the approval of City Council.
Richmond City Council consists of one elected representative from each of the city’s nine council districts to represent their residents in creating and amending local laws, providing policy and government oversight, and approving the annual city budget.
About the City of Richmond Director of Human Resources
The Director of Human Resources (HR Director) provides strategic leadership, direction, and management oversight for the Department of Human Resources and ensures alignment with the goals, policies, and performance expectations established by the Mayor, City Council, Chief Administrative Officer (CAO), and Deputy Chief Administrative Officer (DCAO) for Finance and Administration. The HR Director is responsible for designing, developing and executing a workforce strategy that aligns with the City’s fiscal, operational, and service delivery goals.
The HR Director is responsible for all HR functions, including Talent Acquisition, Employee Relations, Performance Management, HR Business Partnership, Total Rewards, Training and Talent Management. The HR Director reports to the DCAO of Finance and Administration (under the Chief Administrative Officer) of the City of Richmond. The salary range for this position has been set at $165,000 – $205,000 annually.
The responsibilities of the City of Richmond Director of Human Resources include the execution of the following activities:
- Leads workforce planning and hybrid workplace policies to optimize engagement, productivity, and service delivery.
- Develops workforce analytics dashboards to monitor recruitment, retention, training, and DEIB metrics; reports quarterly to the CAO and City Council committees.
- Leverages HR technology, HRIS, and process automation to improve efficiency, compliance, and user experience.
- Oversees all major HR programs: Talent Acquisition, Employee Relations, Classification and Compensation, Total Rewards, Training and Organizational Development, and HR Business Partnership functions.
- Oversees HR budgets, contracts, forecasts, and performance metrics; ensures fiscal responsibility and alignment with enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems.
- Serves as executive liaison for collective bargaining strategy, contract implementation, and workforce communications.
- Collaborates with Budget, Finance, and Law Departments to align HR actions with fiscal policy, risk management, and legal standards.
- Builds and maintains strong relationships with employees, unions, and stakeholders.
- Coaches and develops HR leadership staff, fostering a culture of accountability, innovation, and continuous improvement.
- Leads vendor and partner management for citywide HR programs, benefits, and tech platforms.
- Measures and reports outcomes on key performance indicators, including employee engagement, time-to-hire, retention, and compliance metrics.
- Ensures compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local employment laws and City policies.
- Manages a broad portfolio of vendor partners.
Mission Statement – City of Richmond, Department of Human Resources
To provide high-quality, holistic, innovative, and human-centric services for its internal and external customers, who include administrators, staff, and prospective employees of the City of Richmond. The department’s services elevate the city to an employer of choice by building a progressive, innovative, and inclusive organization, designing employee wellness and development programs and administering equitable and consistent policy.
Position Qualifications
The qualified candidate for the position of Director of Human Resources will have a bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or Public Administration and a minimum of ten years of progressively responsible human resources experience, including five (5) in senior management. Fifteen (15) years of human resources experiences with seven (7) at the executive level along with a master’s degree in Human Resources, Organizational Leadership, Public Administration, or related field are preferred.
The exceptionally qualified candidate will have the following experience:
- Experience leading modernization or transformation initiatives in a public sector or large enterprise setting
- Demonstrated success establishing HR Shared Services, Centers of Excellence, or customer service transformation models
The qualified candidate will also hold at least one of the following certifications:
- HRCI Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) or
- SHRM Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP) designation.
To Apply
The City of Richmond has partnered with POLIHIRE to recruit their Director of Human Resources. To be considered for this position, please attach 2 PDFs – a letter of interest and your resume – in an email to Richmond_HR@polihire.com. Please include only your name (Last, First) in the subject line of the email.