Chief Human Resources Officer

Education: 

• Master’s degree from an accredited college or university in human resources, business administration, public administration, educational administration, law, or a related field. 

Experience: 

• Minimum of 7 years of progressively responsible leadership experience in human resources, employee and labor relations, or a related field, including:  

• Supervision of professional and senior-level staff  

• Experience leading complex organizational change and strategic initiatives  

• Experience developing, monitoring, and evaluating programs using data and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)  

• Direct communication, collaboration, and partnership with executive leadership, a Board of Education or other comparable governing body, government officials, and internal and external stakeholders  

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS 

The ideal candidate for this role will also possess a combination of the additional qualifications below. If you don’t meet every one of the preferred qualifications, we still encourage you to apply, as we welcome applications from candidates with diverse backgrounds and experiences. 

• Three (3) years of leadership experience in a mid-size to large PreK–12 public school system  

• Experience leading or supporting collective bargaining negotiations within the last two (2) years  

• Significant experience working closely with legal counsel on matters including employment, labor relations, student matters, Board governance and policy, procurement and contracts, and litigation in a public sector or education setting  

• Experience overseeing or aligning total rewards strategy within a large organization  

• Demonstrated experience using data analytics to inform organizational decision-making and workforce strategy  

• Professional human resources certification (e.g., SHRM-SCP, SPHR, IPMA) 

ESSENTIAL POSITION RESPONSIBILITIES 

The below list is a summary of the functions of the job, not an exhaustive or comprehensive list of all possible job responsibilities, tasks, and duties. 

Strategic and Systemwide Leadership  

• Serves as a senior advisor to the Superintendent and Board of Education on human capital, labor relations, and employment-related legal matters.   

• Establishes and leads a comprehensive, data-driven human capital strategy aligned with system priorities, student outcomes, and workforce needs.   

• Leads a comprehensive data and accountability strategy, ensuring the integrity and effective use of human capital data systems to drive performance and inform decision-making.   

• Presents data, recommendations, and progress updates to the Superintendent and Board of Education, including the Human Resources Annual Report.   

• Supervises the Human Resources Executive Director, Executive Director of Employee and Labor Relations, ensuring alignment and accountability across all functional areas.  

• Collaborates closely with the General Counsel as a member of the leadership team.  

• Establishes clear expectations for performance and service delivery, and builds leadership capacity through effective delegation and development of staff.  

• Ensures that policies, procedures, and practices align with compliance and equity standards.  

• Partners with system leaders to enhance engagement, well-being, and organizational culture.  

Workforce Strategy & HR Operations  

• Oversees the development and implementation of strategies to recruit, hire, develop, and retain a diverse and high-performing workforce.  

• Ensures effective and efficient human resources operations, grounded in exceptional customer service.  

• Ensures the design and delivery of responsive, high-quality human resources services through clear service standards, streamlined processes, and continuous feedback mechanisms that consistently exceed stakeholder expectations.  

• Leads workforce planning aligned to enrollment trends, programmatic needs, and budget constraints.  

• Leads the development and oversight of the Human Resources budget, ensuring strategic allocation of financial and human resources aligned with system priorities, enrollment trends, and organizational needs.  

• Oversees classification, compensation, and position control strategies to support organizational effectiveness.  

• Ensures the effective design and oversight of employee services, including total rewards, to support recruitment, retention, and employee well-being.  

• Ensures the integrity and strategic use of human resources information systems (HRIS) and data, including the development of dashboards, metrics, and reporting structures to support decision-making, accountability, and continuous improvement.  

Employee & Labor Relations  

• Provides executive oversight of labor relations strategy, including collective bargaining, contract administration, and dispute resolution.  

• Ensures consistent, fair, and legally compliant handling of employee relations matters, investigations, and grievances.  

• Serves as a key member of the Board of Education’s negotiation team.  

Legal Counsel & Policy   

• Collaborates with the Office of Geneal Counsel to ensure the provision of timely, accurate, and strategic legal advice to the Superintendent, Board, and system leaders.  

• Ensures compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local laws, regulations, and policies.  

• Advises on legal risk related to employment, labor relations, Board governance, policy implementation, student matters, and organizational decision-making.  

• Collaborates with legal counsel on Board policies, administrative procedures, contracts, and litigation matters.  

• Maintains appropriate balance between legal independence and operational alignment to uphold ethical standards and minimize organizational risk.  

Performance Management   

• Works with system leaders to establish and implement a systemwide performance management framework that defines clear expectations, evaluation standards, and feedback processes to ensure consistency, accountability, and high performance across all employee groups.  

• Collaborates with appropriate teams to integrate performance management with professional learning, leadership development, and succession planning to support workforce effectiveness and retention.  

ESSENTIAL KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES 

The below list is a summary of the knowledge, skills, and abilities  for success in this position, not an exhaustive or comprehensive list.  

• Knowledge of human resources management, employee and labor relations, and applicable federal, state, and local laws, regulations, and policies.  

• Knowledge of employment-related legal frameworks and the ability to partner effectively with legal counsel to ensure compliance and mitigate organizational risk.  

• Knowledge of human capital strategy, workforce planning, and organizational development in a complex organization.  

• Knowledge of data analysis, performance measurement, and the use of key performance indicators (KPIs) to drive decision-making and continuous improvement.  

• Knowledge of the PreK–12 public education environment, including current issues, trends, and the budget process.  

• Ability to provide strategic leadership and align multiple functional areas toward a common vision and system priorities.  

• Ability to build strong relationships and collaborate effectively with executive leadership, the Board of Education, labor partners, and internal and external stakeholders.  

• Ability to analyze complex issues, interpret data, and make sound, informed decisions.  

• Ability to balance innovation, operational effectiveness, and compliance within a complex public-sector environment.  

• Ability to communicate effectively with diverse audiences, including presenting complex information clearly and concisely.  

• Ability to manage multiple priorities and ensure timely, high-quality outcomes.  

• Skilled in leadership, organizational development, and change management.  

• Skilled in long-range planning, project management, and implementation of systemwide initiatives.  

• Skilled in developing high-performing teams through clear expectations, feedback, and accountability.  

• Skilled in leveraging technology and systems to improve efficiency and service delivery. 

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS  

Working Hours 

• This position is classified as “essential” and requires the ability to be on call and respond to calls 24 hours per day, 7 days per week.  Individuals in this position are issued an HCPSS mobile phone for these purposes.  Accepting this position would require that you meet these requirements during your tenure with HCPSS. 

• This position will be in the Superintendent’s Cabinet and is considered to be an at-will position. 

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS 

Complete applications must be submitted, and once your application has been submitted, you will not be able to add documentation or make any changes. Incomplete applications will not be considered.  Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of a completed application.  
 
Supplemental Application Questions 

This position requires applicants to provide responses to the below supplemental application questions to determine whether you meet the minimum and preferred qualifications. Please upload your responses in a separate file to the supplemental application questions section of the application. 

1. Describe your leadership experience in human resources, employee and labor relations, or a related field. In your response, include your experience with the following:  Supervision of professional and senior-level staff, experience leading complex organizational change and strategic initiatives, experience developing, monitoring, and evaluating programs using data and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), and direct communication, collaboration, and partnership with executive leadership, a Board of Education or comparable governing body, government officials, and internal and external stakeholders. Identify the position(s) in which you gained this experience. 

2. Describe your experience leading or supporting collective bargaining negotiations within the last two (2) years. Identify the position(s) in which you gained this experience. 

3. Describe your experience working with legal counsel on matters including employment, labor relations, student matters, Board governance and policy, procurement and contracts, and litigation in a public sector or education setting. Identify the position(s) in which you gained this experience. 

4. Describe your experience overseeing or aligning total rewards strategy within a large organization. Identify the position(s) in which you gained this experience. 

5. Describe a specific example of how you have used data analytics to inform organizational decision-making and workforce strategy. Identify the position in which you gained this experience. 

6. Describe any professional human resources certifications that you hold (e.g., SHRM-SCP, SPHR, IPMA). 

SELECTION CRITERIA 

Applicants who meet the minimum qualifications will be included in further evaluation. Interviews will be limited to those applicants who, in addition to meeting the basic requirements, have experience and education which most closely match the position qualifications and the needs of the school system.  

EMPLOYMENT INFORMATION 

Compensation 

This is a 12-month per year position in the Executive employee unit. The salary range for this position is $206,000-$225,000. Actual salary placement will be in accordance with the salary procedures of the Howard County Public School System which considers relevant prior experience. Under the Fair Labor Standards Act, this position is exempt from overtime.   

Retirement 

Membership in the Maryland State Retirement Agency (MSRA) pension plan is a mandatory condition of employment for all employees who meet the eligibility and membership criteria defined in the State Personnel and Pensions Article and the Code of Maryland Regulations (COMAR). A qualifying employee cannot reject membership, nor can an ineligible employee elect membership. The annual contribution to the pension plan will be 7% of an employee’s annual salary.  

Benefits 

HCPSS offers a comprehensive benefits package for eligible employees. Information about additional benefits such as paid time off can be found in the negotiated agreement for employees in this bargaining unit. 

Pre-Employment Requirements