Human Services Human Resources Manager

The Human Services Department is looking for an experienced Human Resources Manager to lead their Human Resources team!

Starting salary up to $80.40/hour ($167,804/year) plus a competitive total compensation package!*

About the Position

The Human Services Department (HSD) is looking to hire a strategic, experienced Human Resources leader to direct the Department's comprehensive human resources program. The Human Services Human Resources Manager will manage, plan, organize, implement, and oversee all aspects of human resources for HSD. As the largest agency in Sonoma County government, the Human Services Department's mission is to build upon strengths, as we bridge clients to opportunities through responsive safety-net services. This position will directly supervise managers and lead an amazing team of human resources subject-matter experts who work across a variety of Department program areas, including Safety, Employee and Labor Relations, Disability Management, Staff Development, Training, Recruitment and Classification, Civil Rights/Fair Hearings, and Payroll. This role works closely with the Department's executive management team, divisional and administrative managers, and other stakeholders to provide organizational and high-level leadership, advice, recommendations, and consultation to achieve departmental objectives and navigate complex issues. In addition, this position will:

• Serve as a key advisor to the Department's executive management team, guiding workforce planning, organizational development, and consistent policy interpretation related to human resources functions
• Cultivate collaboration between the Human Resources team and the Department's executive management team to evaluate, improve, and implement human resources processes, tools, and initiatives that promote an equitable, efficient, and service-oriented workforce
• Interpret, apply, and maintain compliance with all County and Department policies, ordinances, Civil Service Rules, collective bargaining agreements, and applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations
• Champion Department-wide efforts that support employee wellbeing, workplace culture, equity, compliance, and organizational priorities
• Oversee and manage complex employee and labor relations matters, including investigations, performance management, corrective action, and conflict resolution
• Lead departmental classification and compensation activities, including position reviews, reclassifications, and organizational structure assessments
• Coach and support managers and supervisors on HR practices, County policies, and labor agreements; and develop and deliver related training
• Design, improve, and implement HR processes, tools, and initiatives that support an equitable, efficient, and modern workforce

As the ideal candidate for this position, you will demonstrate the ability to promote positive staff relationships at all levels, have excellent communication skills, and possess many of the following:

• Experience supervising and leading a team of individuals with diverse backgrounds, preferably in a public sector organization, or a field with similar complexity, regulatory requirements, and labor structures
• The ability to be a trustworthy and approachable leader who can respond to critical situations and apply sound judgement
• Experience leading or supporting organizational change initiatives
• A strong understanding of employment laws, County policies, labor relations practices, and collective bargaining environments
• The proven ability to manage and prioritize multiple high-impact assignments simultaneously, ensuring timely completion and consistent follow-through with minimal oversight
• The ability to assess issues, identify systemic patterns and causes, and develop sustainable solutions while paying close attention to critical details
• High emotional intelligence and the ability to create an environment of trust across all organizational levels
• A commitment to strengthening the Department's workplace culture and organizational performance
• Demonstrated expertise in developing concise written guidance and formal documentation for leadership and managers
• The ability to explain complex HR concepts in a clear, supportive, and actionable manner
• A passion for providing ethical and accountable leadership committed to transparency, responsible use of public resources, and equitable service delivery in support of the Department's mission
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, particularly Excel, Word, Outlook, and PowerPoint

Hear the Human Services Director, Angela Struckmann, talk more about the department in a recent OpenDoors campaign on SoCo Chat.

About the County of Sonoma

Named by Forbes Magazine as one of America's 500 Best Midsized Employers in 2022, 2023, and 2024 (one of only two government agencies in California to make the 2024 list), the County of Sonoma has a mission to enrich the quality of life in Sonoma County through superior public services. The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors is fully committed to a mission and vision to support and enrich the community and values high-quality services, strong leadership, engaged citizen participation, transparency and accuracy in information, and efficient and fiscally sustainable governance. The Sonoma County 2021-2026 Strategic Plan is based on the following pillars:

• Climate Action and Resilience
• Healthy and Safe Communities
• Racial Equity and Social Justice
• Resilient Infrastructure
• Organizational Excellence

For more information, visit socostrategicplan.org. The County provides a full range of services to the community through 29 departments, agencies, offices, and special districts, and employs approximately 4,400 regular personnel with an annual budget of $2.9 billion for Fiscal Year (FY) 2026-2027.

What We Offer

Working at the County of Sonoma offers expansive opportunities for growth and development, the ability to be a part of a challenging and rewarding work environment, and the satisfaction of knowing you're working to better our communities. You can also look forward to flexible work arrangements and excellent benefits* including:

• Salary Advancement - A salary increase after 1,040 hours (6 months when working full-time) for good work performance; eligibility for a salary increase for good performance every year thereafter, until reaching the top of the salary range
• Paid Time Off - Competitive vacation and sick leave accruals, 12 paid holidays, and an additional 8 floating holiday hours per year
• Staff Development/Wellness - Annual benefit allowances of up to $2,000 and ongoing education/training opportunities
• County Paid Health Premium Contributions - 100% premium contribution for the majority of employee-only and employee + family health plan options
• Post-Retirement Health Reimbursement Arrangement - County contributions to help fund post-retirement health insurance/benefits
• Retirement - A pension fully integrated with Social Security
• Incentive Retirement Savings Plan (IRSP) and 457 Voluntary Deferred Compensation - 3% of salary County contribution to a 401(a), in addition to the County matching up to 1% of base salary in 401(a), based upon employee contribution
• Paid Parental Leave - May be eligible for up to 8 weeks (320 hours) after 12 months of County employment
• Additional Benefits - Excellent dental, vision, disability, life insurance, employee assistance program, professional development, and more
• Student Loan Debt Relief - County employees may be eligible for Public Service Loan Forgiveness through the U.S. Department of Education

*Salary is negotiable within the established range. Benefits described herein do not represent a contract and may be changed without notice. Additional information can be found in the Salary Resolution (SalRes) and our Employee Benefits Directory.

This recruitment is being conducted to fill a Human Services Human Resources Manager position in the Human Services Department. This employment list may also be used to fill future full-time, part-time, or extra-help (temporary) positions as they occur during the active status of the list. Qualified County employees who wish to be considered for future positions should consider applying to this recruitment. The Civil Service title for this position is Senior Department Human Resources Manager.

Application submissions require the Supplemental Questionnaire to be completed.

Thorough knowledge of: principles and practices of public sector human resources administration including recruitment, selection, training, job analysis, classification and compensation, personnel record keeping, performance management, payroll, and position control; principles and practices of public sector labor relations administration, including interpretation and application of negotiated agreements, employer-employee relations practices, meet and confer obligations, and progressive discipline; principles and practices of management, supervision, and training; applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations related to EEO, employee health and safety, collective bargaining, and labor relations; applicable federal, state, and local employment compliance requirements including Civil Rights Act, ADA, Family Medical Leave Act, California Family Rights Act, Pregnancy Disability Leave, Fair Labor Standards Act, Age Discrimination in Employment Act, and Worker's Compensation.

Considerable knowledge of: state and federal laws and regulations pertaining to California local government human resources administration and related personnel practices; theory and practices of organization analysis, behavior, and systems; effective group leadership, conflict resolution, and problem-solving; functions and operations of a local government public agency.

Ability to: effectively manage complex human resources programs and related activities; formulate, develop, and implement goals and objectives that achieve quality performance measures and accountability; select, train, engage, and motivate professional and clerical subordinates; analyze complex personnel and organizational problems, develop effective resolutions, and implement effective courses of action; represent the department in grievances, meet and confer, and arbitration hearings; prepare clear and concise reports; work effectively as a member of the executive team; maintain objectivity in the administration of the department's human resources management program; understand, interpret, and apply federal, state, and local laws and regulations as they relate to human resources administration; advise and collaborate with other division directors and staff to ensure compliant personnel practices; evaluate statistical data and effectively present the facts, conclusions, and recommendations; understand and accept differences in human behavior, particularly those with diverse ethnic, cultural, and socio-economic backgrounds; communicate with tact, skill, and diplomacy when engaging in difficult problem solving and issues; advise and engage the cooperation and support of the public and other parties concerned with personnel operations; communicate effectively in writing and orally in a clear, logical, and concise manner; develop and maintain effective working relationships with staff in the department, other departments, and external agencies.

• Your application information and your responses to the supplemental questions are evaluated and taken into consideration throughout the entire selection process.
• You should list all employers and positions held within the last ten years in the work history section of your application. Be as thorough as possible when responding to the supplemental questions.
• You may include history beyond ten years if related to the position for which you are applying. If you held multiple positions with one employer, list out each position separately.
• Failure to follow these instructions may impact your competitiveness in this process or may result in disqualification.

Please visit Getting a Job with the County of Sonoma to review more detailed information about the hiring process, including the application process, examination steps, and department selection process.

Application submissions require the Supplemental Questionnaire to be completed.

Responses to supplemental questions will be scored using position-specific criteria. Please provide specific and detailed responses of a reasonable length to allow for a thorough assessment of your qualifications. Responses that state, "See Resume" or "See Application" may be considered insufficient and therefore may not be scored.

The selection procedure will consist of the following examination:

An Application and Supplemental Questionnaire Appraisal Examination (weight 100%) will be conducted to evaluate each applicant's application and supplemental questionnaire for satisfaction of minimum qualifications (pass/not pass); and for educational coursework, training, experience, knowledge, and abilities which relate to this position. Personally identifiable information (PII) is removed from the standard application fields and applicable attachments. This PII blind screening practice redacts a candidate's personal information that could potentially influence or bias the scoring process. Personal information includes the applicant's name, former last name, address, phone number, email, driver's license number, school name, education start and end dates, age, date of birth, gender, and race. This PII blind screening practice helps contribute to a fair and equitable examination process.

Each applicant will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

• Relevance of work history, related experience, and achieved level of education and/or training as described in the application and responses to the supplemental questions.

Candidates demonstrating possession of the minimum qualifications will be placed on an employment list in order of most qualified to least qualified based on the achieved score received in the Application and Supplemental Questionnaire Appraisal Examination. Scores may be adjusted based on such factors as the number of candidates, anticipated vacancies, past practice, and natural breaks in the scores achieved by this group of candidates.

Additional Information

A background investigation is required prior to employment. Candidates referred to departments for a selection interview are typically required to sign authorization and release forms enabling such an investigation. Failure to sign prescribed forms will result in the candidate not being considered further for that vacancy. Reference information will not be made available to candidates.

Additional requirements, such as successful completion of a physical exam, drug screen, etc., may apply, depending on the duties and responsibilities of the position. If you receive a conditional job offer for the position, the requirements upon which the offer is contingent will be outlined in the conditional job letter. You may also review the Job Classification Screening Schedule to determine the requirements for this position.

How to Apply

Applications are accepted online at www.yourpath2sonomacounty.org. Paper applications may be submitted by person, fax (707-565-3770), email, or through the mail. All applications and appropriate supplemental information as outlined in the job announcement must be received by the time and date specified on the first page of this job announcement. Applications received after the recruitment closes will not be accepted.

The County of Sonoma values diversity and is dedicated to creating a workplace environment that provides individuals with a sense of belonging. We are committed to having a diverse workforce that is representative of the communities we serve. The County is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer where all aspects of employment are based on merit, competence, performance, and business need.