Director of Human Resources
City of Long Beach, CA
Salary DOE/DOQ: $222,201 - $267,651
The City of Long Beach, California is seeking a dynamic, energized and innovative Director of Human Resources (HR Director) to lead its efforts in fostering a thriving and diverse workforce. Reporting directly to the City Manager, this position oversees a team of approximately 111 employees and plays a critical role in shaping the City’s human capital strategies. The HR Director will manage critical functions such as labor relations, employee relations, benefits, organizational development, talent recruitment and retention, salary and classification administration, HRIS administration, merit-based hiring and adherence to Civil Service rules and regulations, personnel investigations, EEO compliance, occupational health services, risk management, and safety compliance all while ensuring the City’s workforce remains engaged and productive. This role requires expertise in implementing cutting-edge HR systems, navigating complex regulatory landscapes, and driving organizational change. The ideal candidate will demonstrate strong leadership and collaboration skills, will inspire reform and modernization, will work across department lines, and have a proven track record of developing innovative solutions that address the unique challenges of a large public sector organization.
This is an exceptional opportunity for a visionary leader to drive impactful change and ensure the City remains an employer of choice.
THE COMMUNITY
Idyllically located on the Pacific Coast just south of Los Angeles and adjacent to Orange County, Long Beach is a vibrant city of approximately 450K residents. Known for its diverse and inclusive community, Long Beach features a unique blend of urban sophistication, cultural richness, and coastal charm. The City encompasses about 51 square miles; offering an array of parks, beaches, and recreational opportunities. Residents enjoy mild climate year-round perfect for outdoor activities such as biking, hiking, and surfing. Long Beach is home to world-class attractions; including the Aquarium of the Pacific, the historic Queen Mary, and the annual IndyCar Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach. Long Beach will be the largest venue city for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Long Beach also boasts a thriving economy supported by industries such as aerospace, education, health services, manufacturing, and professional services. With two advanced educational institutions—California State University Long Beach and Long Beach City College, and robust K-12 schools, the City is a hub for learning and innovation. Transportation options abound. The Long Beach Transit system, and the City’s own airport provide convenient access throughout the broader Southern California region. Long Beach is recognized as one of the nation’s most walkable and bike-friendly cities.
THE CITY GOVERNMENT
Long Beach operates as a charter city governed by an elected Mayor and nine City Council members. The City Manager, appointed by the City Council, oversees the daily operations of 15 departments and an FY25 annual budget of $3.6B. The City employs 6K+ full-time staff; dedicated to providing exceptional public services with the vast majority being represented by twelve employee associations.
The City of Long Beach fosters an environment where every employee is celebrated for their individuality and unique talents they bring to their role. Reflecting the diversity of the community within the workforce is a key priority embraced at every level of the organization—from management to policy creation. City Leadership actively promotes equity and inclusion by partnering with staff and community stakeholders to advance fairness in all initiatives. Transparency remains a cornerstone of these efforts with demographic data, including workforce diversity and pay equity by race and gender, shared publicly to ensure accountability and progress.
THE HR DEPARTMENT
The HR Department (Department) plays a critical role in supporting the City’s mission by attracting, developing, and retaining a talented and diverse workforce. Measure JB, which was approved by voters in November 2024, will integrate the Civil Service Department with the Department in early 2025. The integrated Department will operate with approximately 111 staff and an annual FY 25 budget of $49.1M. The Department includes seven bureaus comprised of: Administration, City Safety, Labor Relations, Personnel Operations, Talent Management, Risk & Occupational Health Services, and Systems Management. The Department partners with all other City departments to ensure alignment with strategic objectives and community needs, fostering an organizational culture of collaboration and high performance.
Continued Modernization & Future Change Initiatives
The Department has made significant strides in modernizing and centralizing its processes by streamlining workflows and enhancing service delivery across the organization. These reform efforts have transformed how the Department supports the City’s workforce by creating a more efficient and effective operational framework. However, exciting work remains to be done, and the incoming HR Director will play a pivotal role in leading these efforts.
Key upcoming projects and initiatives include:
- Implementing Measure JB: Successfully merging the Civil Service and HR Department into a unified hiring department, modernizing recruitment processes, implementing local hiring preferences and achieving a goal of hiring within 90 business days.
- Leading Public Safety Labor Negotiations: Navigating the 2025 negotiations for Police, Fire, and Lifeguards. Addressing critical recruitment and retention challenges, and setting the tone for subsequent labor agreements.
- Advancing HR Technologies: Collaborating with the Technology & Innovation Department to drive the transition from paper-based to automated processes. Leveraging significant budget allocations to enhance interim HR systems and preparing for the eventual implementation of a full ERP system.
THE POSITION & IDEAL CANDIDATE
The HR Director is a pivotal member of the City’s executive leadership team; reporting directly to the City Manager. With eight direct reports and approximately 111 staff under their direction, this individual will lead and inspire staff and the organization with humility, responsiveness, and a focus on relationship building. The HR Director will build strategic initiatives and operational excellence to meet the evolving needs of the City’s workforce.
With critical change management initiatives underway for the Department, the ideal candidate is a visionary leader with a proven track record of: innovative problem solving, collaborative leadership, dedication to advancing equity and inclusion and brings a willingness to listen and communicate across all levels within the organization.
In addition, the ideal candidate will bring experience with…
- Reform and modernization
- Meet and confer experience with labor groups
- Modernization and centralization processes
- HR technology proficiency
- Budget and resource management skills
- Talent acquisition efficiency (ideally in the arena of Civil Service)
- Policy development proficiency
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
- Education: Bachelor’s degree in human resources, business administration, public administration, labor relations, or related field.
- Experience: Five years of increasingly responsible management experience in complex human resources systems.
DESIRED
- Education: Master’s degree
SUBSTITUTIONS
- Education may be substituted for lengthy experience and will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis
SALARY AND BENEFITS
An annual salary of $222,201 – 267,651 DOE/DOQ, plus a generous benefits package that includes:
- Retirement: California Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS) defined benefit retirement plan, which is coordinated with Social Security. 2.5% @55 for "Classic" members and 2% @62 for new members as defined by PEPRA. Subject to employee contribution. Both the City and the employee contributes toward CalPERS retirement contributions. The City also participates in Social Security.
- Health and Dental Insurance: City pays a major portion of the premiums.
- Life Insurance: Equal to three (3) times annual salary up to a maximum of $500,000.
- Short- and Long-Term Disability Insurance
- Management Physical: Annual City-paid physical examination.
- Vacation: 12 days per year, increasing with years of service. Prior years of public sector service counted towards vacation accrual tier
- Executive Leave: 40 hours per year. City Manager has discretion to grant an additional 40 hours annually
- Sick Leave: One day earned per month; unlimited accumulation; conversion upon retirement to cash credit toward health and/or dental insurance premiums.
- Holidays: 11 designated holidays per year, plus four personal holidays.
- Transportation Allowance: $650 per month.
- Deferred Compensation: 457 Deferred Compensation Plan; 401(a) plan with City contribution of 2% (Classic) or 4% (PEPRA; will increase to 5% October 2025)
- Optional Flexible Spending Account (FSA)
- Flexible/Hybrid Work Schedule: Available (subject to City Manager approval).
- Paid Parental Leave: After 6 months of City employment; up to 30 calendar days (160 hours) of PPL, taken in full-day increments, in connection with the birth, adoption, or foster placement of a child, up to the age of 17.
HOW TO APPLY: For first consideration, apply by January 23, 2025, at: www.tristargovsolutions.com/#JOBBOARD
SAVE THE DATES: Interviews have been firmly scheduled to take place in-person on February 13th and February 14th. Candidates must be available for both interview dates.
QUESTIONS? Please contact your recruiter, Sam Sackman, with any questions:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: www.tristargovsolutions.com
- Phone: 408-605-0790