Director of Human Resources

About the role

The City of Evanston is seeking an experienced, strategic, and collaborative human resources leader to serve as its next Director of Human Resources. Located along the shores of Lake Michigan, immediately north of Chicago, Evanston is a vibrant, diverse, and progressive community of approximately 78,000 residents. Home to Northwestern University and recognized for its commitment to innovation, equity, and public service, Evanston offers the opportunity to make a meaningful impact within a highly engaged municipal organization.

Responsibilities

• Lead innovative recruitment, retention, and workforce development initiatives in a competitive labor market.
• Foster productive labor-management relationships across multiple bargaining units.
• Oversee the City's employee benefits, wellness, and workers' compensation programs, balancing employee well-being, fiscal stewardship, and risk management.
• Modernize HR systems, processes, and service delivery models to improve organizational effectiveness.
• Influence policies and practices that strengthen organizational culture and employee engagement.
• Build organizational capacity that will support the City for years to come.

Qualifications

• A bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Public Administration, Business Administration, or a related field.
• A master's degree is preferred.
• Eight or more years of progressively responsible human resources leadership experience.
• Demonstrated experience overseeing multiple HR disciplines, including labor relations, employee relations, recruitment, compensation and classification, benefits administration, workers' compensation, compliance, and organizational development.
• Strong knowledge of employment laws, labor relations practices, and modern human resources management principles.
• SHRM-SCP, SPHR, IPMA-SCP, or comparable professional certification is desirable.
• Municipal or other public-sector experience is highly desirable; however, candidates from similarly complex organizations are encouraged to apply.

Strategic Priorities

During the first 12 to 24 months, the next Director will have the opportunity to:

• Establish a shared vision, clear priorities, and consistent service standards across all HR functions.
• Strengthen collaboration, communication, and accountability within the Human Resources team to ensure a seamless customer experience for departments and employees.
• Develop and document key HR processes and operating procedures to promote consistency, efficiency, knowledge transfer, and organizational resilience.
• Enhance onboarding, training, and professional development programs for HR staff, supervisors, and employees.
• Continue modernizing HR technology, workflows, and service delivery practices.
• Partner closely with departments to better understand operational needs and deliver responsive, customer-focused HR solutions.
• Advance recruitment, retention, succession planning, employee engagement, and workforce development initiatives that position the City for future success.

Compensation and Benefits

The anticipated salary range is $155,507 to $233,261, with placement dependent upon qualifications and experience, and in most cases is no higher than the midpoint of the range. The City offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes health, dental, vision, life insurance, retirement benefits, paid leave, employee wellness programs, and professional development opportunities.