Director of Human Resources
1 day ago
Las Cruces
Job Description Position Summary: The Director of Human Resources to serve as a strategic partner to executive leadership in a complex, highly regulated, and politically nuanced operating environment. This role provides enterprise-wide HR leadership across multiple states, supports public-sector and academic partnerships, and serves as the organization’s primary lead on employment law strategy and risk management. This position combines strong technical expertise with sound judgment, discretion, and the ability to navigate competing stakeholder interests. Work is performed under independent judgement; however, the employee is expected to exercise rational judgment and discretion within the limits of established procedures. Essential Job Duties: • Serve as a trusted advisor to executive leadership on workforce strategy, organizational risk, and employment law implications., • Partner with leadership to align HR strategy with business objectives, regulatory obligations, and public-sector relationships., • Provide guidance in sensitive and high-impact matters requiring discretion, sound judgment, and political awareness., • Act as the organization’s lead HR representative in employment litigation, working closely with outside counsel on strategy, discovery, and resolution., • Oversee responses to agency complaints, including EEOC, state labor departments, and similar entities., • Ensure legally defensible employment decisions through policy, documentation, and consistent application of standards., • Monitor developments in employment law and proactively assess organizational risk., • Direct HR operations for a geographically distributed workforce across the continental United States and Alaska., • Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local employment laws, including wage and hour, leave laws, and employee classification., • Develop and maintain compliant HR practices that account for jurisdictional differences while maintaining organizational consistency., • Draft, revise, and maintain all HR policies, procedures, and employee handbooks., • Ensure policies are current, legally compliant, and aligned with organizational culture and operational realities., • Serve as a key contributor to governance discussions involving workforce issues, risk mitigation, and compliance., • Draft and manage employment agreements, consulting agreements, and related workforce contracts., • Partner with legal counsel to ensure contracts appropriately balance organizational protection with operational flexibility., • Maintain consistency in contractual terms while addressing role-specific and jurisdiction-specific needs., • Oversee compensation structures, job classifications, and pay practices with an emphasis on internal equity and market competitiveness., • Administer employee benefits programs and vendor relationships., • Lead labor relations efforts, including employee relations strategy, investigations, and resolution of workplace issues., • Ensure compliance with OSHA requirements and workplace safety standards., • Oversee workers’ compensation programs, claims management, and return-to-work processes., • Identify and mitigate organizational risk related to workplace safety and employee well-being., • Performs other related duties as assigned.