Head of Human Resources HR

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Head of Human Resources Job Details:

Snell & Wilmer is seeking a dedicated and experienced executive to lead our Human Resources department. This role will lead a team of HR professionals and will be responsible for overseeing compliance with relevant federal and state employment, compensation, and regulatory requirements. This role will report directly to the firm’s Chief Operating Officer and coordinate administrative needs with the firm’s Chief Administrative Officer and other peers across the firm.  You may be located in one of the offices across the firm.

This role will oversee the centralized HR team consisting of seven positions: two team members in benefits, two team members in recruiting, one team member in training and development, and two specialists.

The successful candidate will have a natural ability to establish and maintain strong working relationships with our firm’s partners, attorneys, and professional staff.  This role will be the primary HR administrator and as such will require some travel to our offices to interface with partners and employees at all levels.  In conjunction with administrators across our offices, this role will develop and implement HR strategies, policies, and procedures that support the firm's goals and objectives.

The ideal candidate will have their SHRM-SCP or equivalent certification and several years of experience working in the legal industry in a leadership capacity.  This role will best be filled with someone who is hands-on, in-person, technically proficient, and team oriented.

The position key responsibilities include, but are not limited to the following:

• Compliance Management:
  
  
  
  • Ensure compliance with all relevant federal and state employment laws and regulations, including but not limited to legislation and regulations under the ACA, FLSA, FMLA, ADA, Title VII, OSHA, ERISA, and others as applicable.
  
  
  • Fulfill the annual compliance and reporting requirements within the HR function to regulatory bodies which require annual or other periodic filings.
  
  
  • Consult with the Firm’s General Counsel, Employee Benefits Counsel, and other experts as needed.
  
  
  • Develop, implement, and regularly update HR policies and procedures to ensure legal compliance and best practices.
  
  
  • Conduct regular audits to ensure ongoing compliance with administration of firm benefits plans.
  
  
  • Oversee and conduct internal investigations related to employee or compliance issues and manage responses to external audits or investigations by regulatory bodies.
  
  
  • Proficiency in developing and conducting training programs on compliance with respect to the ADA, EEO, workplace safety, harassment prevention, and other required content.
  
  
  • In coordination with the Firm’s General Counsel, review and revise the Firm Policy and Procedure manual annually and make revisions as necessary.
    
    
  
  
  
  


• Employee Relations:
  
  
  
  • Foster a positive and productive work environment through effective communication, conflict resolution, and employee engagement initiatives.
  
  
  • Provide guidance and support to administrators and/or managers on employee relations issues, including conflict resolution, disciplinary action, and termination.  Assist with employee improvement plans, coaching and development, and managing employee issues.
  
  
  • Considers impact of HR decisions on the rest of the organization and effectively team with and communicate across the organization to create awareness and gain support for policy and decisions.
  
  
  • Implement and oversee improvements to the employee performance management processes, including improvements to regular performance reviews and professional development paths.
  
  
  • Contribute to the development of HR initiatives such as employee satisfaction, engagement, and retention programs.
    
    
  
  
  
  


• Compensation and Benefits Administration and Benchmarking:
  
  
  
  • Serve as the administrator of the firm’s HRIS platform (UKG) and ACA compliance platform (Wix) and manage the vendor contracts and relationships, including managing the ticket/support needs of our internal Payroll and Benefits teams who require support from these vendors.
  
  
  • Design and manage competitive compensation and benefits programs to attract and retain top talent of non-attorney staff. Conduct regular benchmarking studies to evaluate the competitiveness of the firm’s compensation and benefit offerings and recommend adjustments as necessary.
  
  
  • Ensure compliance with Federal and State legal and regulatory requirements related to compensation and benefits.  Be aware of and compliant with various federal and state equal pay and pay disclosure requirements.
  
  
  • Serve as a member of the firm’s Health & Welfare committee to help review and consider benefits plan needs, changes, and best practices.  This includes interfacing with the firm’s benefit broker(s) and internal benefits team to validate effective and efficient delivery of firm benefits and compliance.
  
  
  • Serve as a participant (non-voting) of the firm’s Profit Sharing & Savings Plan committee to be aware of the retirement plan structure and benefits to all employees that are available under the plan design.
    
    
  
  
  
  


• Staff Recruitment and Hiring:
  
  
  
  • Working with our CAO and office Directors of Administration, develop improvements to the firm’s non-attorney staffing support models and talent pipelines.
  
  
  • Develop and implement effective recruitment strategies to attract and retain top talent for non-attorney staff positions of the firm.
  
  
  • Oversee the recruitment process, from job posting and candidate screening to interviewing, selection, and onboarding.
  
  
  • Continually improve employee onboarding and integration to provide a consistent and unified process across all firm locations.
  
  
  • Maintain and update job descriptions for all positions within the firm, including compliance with employee classifications (exempt/non-exempt).  Perform audit on active employees to make sure job classifications are accurate and work with General Counsel to adjust as necessary.
    
    
  
  
  
  

• Strategic Leadership:
  
  
  
  • Develop and manage programs that enhance workplace inclusion and community outreach. These would include planning and execution of community involvement and opportunities to partner with other charitable or client initiatives to give back.  Manage the firm’s charitable giving campaign efforts.
  
  
  • Gathers and organizes data for discussion, including attending meetings with practice groups, office representatives, administrators, or committee meetings, as requested.
  
  
  • Coordinates and manages complex projects, staff meetings, or programs, liaising with other firm leaders and administrators as required.
  
  
  • Collaborates in the creation of presentations, meeting agendas, meeting minutes, correspondence, and task completion with various firm leaders and administrators as required.
  
  
  • Manage, maintain, and execute the firmwide employee appreciation platform and recognition events throughout the year.
  
  
  • Support the implementation of firmwide learning and development to enhance employee skills and career growth.
  
  
  • Analyze and diagnose business and people performance, organizational climate and culture, and create insights that drive higher thinking and outcomes.
  
  
  • Regularly seek creative/innovative cost reduction strategies for the firm.
  
  
  • Speak, inspire, and motivate all levels of firm organization.
  
  
  • Demonstrate strong leadership skills in the ability to make balanced, difficult, and complex decisions while considering potential opposition.
  
  
  • Motivate and develop team members to deliver outstanding results.
  
  
  • Maintain confidentiality and exercise good judgment with sensitive information.
  
  
  
  

Experience and Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in HR, Business Administration, or a related field, or equivalent experience. A master’s degree such as an MBA or a Master’s in HR Management is preferred.


• SPHR or SHRM-CP/SCP certification preferred.


• 7-10+ years of experience in senior leadership roles such as HR Director, VP of HR, or similar positions, preferably in large law firms or professional services environments.


• Strong knowledge of HR best practices and employment laws and regulations.


• Strong leadership and management skills with excellent communication, interpersonal, and relationship-building skills.


• Experience managing a team of HR professionals.


• Strong background in CA employment law and compliance


• Proficient with Microsoft Office products, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook.


• Experience with UKG or another major HRIS system is important, and ability to run reports and analyze data is a must.


• Flexibility to work extended time to meet deadlines as required.


• Strong organization planning, critical thinking, and prioritization skills.

Snell & Wilmer offers a competitive performance-based compensation and a generous benefits package starting on your first day. The benefits package includes medical, dental, vision, disability, life insurance, 401K/profit sharing,  paid holidays, tuition reimbursement and paid time off including vacation time, personal time, and sick time where appropriate.  Snell & Wilmer values the principles of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.  Be Seen, Be Heard, Be Valued, Belong.

This role is an exempt position under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), and as such, it is not eligible for overtime pay.  The salary range for this position is  $165,000 to $230,000 depending on experience and location. 

Snell & Wilmer is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer.