Human Resources Director

The Health Care Authority is seeking a people leader who can develop and deploy strategic, relational, operational, and technical HR capabilities at scale, in alignment with the agency’s values and objectives. If you pride yourself on cultivating a culture of organizational connectedness, compliance, and equity, and have a strong background in HR administration or related field at the executive level, this may be the opportunity for you.

About the division

The Division of Legal Services (DLS) provides support to the entire agency to mitigate risks, comply with changing laws, and assist the agency in accomplishing its strategic and tactical goals. DLS’ mission is to “deliver legal and specialized professional support so HCA can provide high quality health care through innovative health policies and purchasing strategies.” Its vision is to “be a model of excellent customer service and efficiency in the delivery of legal and specialized professional services.” In addition to the agency-wide values, DLS values include excellence, dependability, customer focus, and integrity.

About the role

The Human Resources Director (HR Director), who is the Deputy Assistant Director of DLS and serves on the agency’s Executive Leadership Team, reports directly to the Chief Legal Officer (CLO). This position is eligible to telework but is frequently required to report on-site to meet business needs. The default assigned work location is within the State of Washington, reporting to Olympia, WA. Frequency of onsite work will vary based on business and operational needs. All agency employees are required to report on-site in Olympia on their first and last days of employment to pick up and return state-issued equipment, regardless of telework status or location.

Responsibilities

• Direct an agile human resource unit and serve as the key advisor to the CLO and other agency executive leadership, ensuring compliance with federal, state, and local employment laws.
• Represent HR on the division’s leadership team and actively participate in division initiatives, employer of choice strategies, portfolio management activities, and projects.
• Ensure the effective and proactive identification and management of risk as it relates to all human resources operations and functions.
• Plan, lead, and set the strategic direction of the human resource work performed by the agency.
• Collaborate across the agency in coordinating the interconnected operations of HR with other HCA divisions.
• Serve as key advisor to the HCA Director, Deputy Director, and agency executive leadership in all matters related to collective bargaining, labor relations, protected leave, and recruitment strategy.
• Guide and oversee employee and leadership development and training programs.
• Oversee and set the strategic direction of HCA’s diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) workforce initiatives.

Requirements

Qualifying candidates will satisfy all of the following criteria:

• Bachelor’s degree in human resources, public administration, business, law, social or organizational sciences, labor relations, or closely related field.
• Eight (8) years of recent, broad-based, progressively responsible professional human resources experience, which includes direct experience with the majority of the functions encompassed within the human resources portfolio.
• Three (3) years of recent experience managing professional human resources staff.
• Note: Additional years of progressive management responsibilities may substitute year-for-year for education.

Skills

Required competencies:

• The ability to take action to learn and grow.
• The ability to take action to meet the needs of others.
• Expert knowledge of human resource management practices and strategies.
• Expert knowledge of employment, privacy, disability, and medical leave laws as they relate to employment.
• Superior interpersonal skills, especially the ability to build strong collaborative relationships with a variety of people at multiple levels to facilitate cross-agency and inter-agency initiatives.
• Excellent verbal and written communications.

Demonstrated ability to:

• Think strategically and innovatively, plan and execute with passion, communicate effectively, be a strong leader and developer of others, and formulate and implement policy.
• Consistently demonstrate the values of integrity, trust, sensitivity, and mutual respect.
• Influence organizational change; provide consultation to develop change strategies, be an effective change agent; and align changes with the organization’s strategic direction and objectives.
• Develop and execute sophisticated negotiation strategies in complex employment risk management and employment tort litigation.
• Proactively consult with and influence senior managers on organizational and management issues.
• Provide clear direction, coach, manage, and motivate staff and others to accomplish the agency’s strategic goals, in a manner that builds trust in public service.
• Adhere to the highest ethical and professional standards in support of the Governor’s policy initiatives and the agency director’s strategic direction while consistently meeting established deadlines.
• Work effectively and fairly with labor management representatives and in framing collective bargaining strategy.

Preferred qualifications

• Master’s degree in human resource management.
• Direct experience working in human resources within a Washington State government agency, including experience in the following areas:
  • Washington State civil service rules.
  • Washington State classification and compensation system and appeals processes.
  • Just Cause principles and progressive discipline.
  • Washington State collective bargaining process.
  • Washington Federation of State Employees collective bargaining agreement.
  • Washington State Human Resources Management System.
  • State and federal protected leave and accommodation rules.
• Formal mediation and change management training or certification.
• Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM) Certified Professional (SHRM-CP) or SHRM Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP) certification.
• Diversity management certification.
• Proficiency in independently completing complex, high-risk employment investigations.
• Experience responding to external complaints from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and/or Washington State Human Rights Commission (HRC).
• Experience representing the organization in formal hearings, mediation, and/or litigation.
• Strong organizational knowledge.
• Excellent crisis management skills, including the ability to remain calm and make appropriate critical decisions under pressure.
• Proven ability to work collaboratively with internal and external stakeholders, such as Office of Financial Management (OFM), Attorney General Office (AGO), Department of Enterprise Services (DES), Governor’s Office, Executive Ethics Board, and the State Auditor’s Office.