Description

Job title:                        Director of Human Resources & Risk Management 

Department:                  Administration

Reports To:                    Town Administrator

FLSA Status:                   Exempt

Prepared By:                  Town Administrator

Approved Date:             09/14/2026

OBJECTIVE: This is a highly responsible director-level management position that leads the Town’s human resources and employee risk-management functions. The Director plans, organizes, develops, directs, and administers programs and activities related to recruitment, classification and compensation, payroll, employee benefits, retirement administration, employee and labor relations, performance management, personnel policy, affirmative action, regulatory compliance, workplace investigations, workers’ compensation coordination, employee training, organizational development, and risk management. The work requires the application of professional knowledge and sound independent judgment to a variety of technical, personnel, and managerial matters. The Director advises the Town Administrator and department leadership on workforce strategy, employee relations, and employment-law compliance and works directly with the Town Administrator, Deputy or Associate Town Administrator, the Administration Department, Mayor, Town Council, Department Heads, and employees to identify and advance shared goals and objectives for the betterment of the organization.

JOB DUTIES: Specific job duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:

1. Directs and administers the Town’s human resources functions and works closely with the Town Administrator, Mayor, Town Council, Department Heads, legal counsel, and other officials regarding personnel, administrative, organizational, and operational matters.
2. Advises Town leadership and Department Heads on employee relations, performance management, disciplinary matters, policy interpretation, organizational changes, staffing needs, employment practices, and related legal or operational risks.
3. Serves as the administrative contact for employee complaints, workplace concerns, grievances, and other employee relations matters. Conducts or coordinates workplace investigations, maintains appropriate documentation, and provides findings and recommendations to the Town Administrator or other appropriate officials.
4. Coordinates the full recruitment and employment process, including reviewing staffing needs, developing and updating job descriptions, preparing job postings, screening applicants, coordinating interviews and selection activities, preparing employment offers, completing pre-employment requirements, onboarding employees, and processing employment separations.
5. Administers the Town’s payroll operations, including reviewing timesheets and payroll data for accuracy and compliance, entering employee information and payroll changes, processing payroll, reconciling payroll information, maintaining and updating deductions, and preparing required payroll reports and submissions.
6. Administers the Town’s employee benefit programs, including medical, dental, vision, prescription, life, disability, flexible spending, health reimbursement, voluntary benefit, retirement, and other employee benefit plans. Processes enrollments, changes, qualifying life events, and terminations and coordinates annual renewals, open enrollment, employee communications, and benefit education.
7. Serves as the Town’s benefits liaison with employees, retirees, insurance brokers, plan administrators, carriers, and other vendors. Resolves complex eligibility, enrollment, coverage, billing, claims, and administrative issues and evaluates plan services, costs, and available options.
8. Administers the Town’s retirement program and ensures the accurate and timely submission of enrollment information, payroll data, reports, forms, payments, service retirement information, and other required documentation to the Maryland State Retirement and Pension System. Maintains the required Maryland State Retirement Coordinator certification.
9. Administers employee leave and workplace accommodation programs, including the Family and Medical Leave Act, Maryland FAMLI, military leave, workers’ compensation leave, disability-related accommodations, return-to-work processes, and other paid and unpaid leave programs. Maintains required medical and confidential records separately from general personnel files.
10. Develops, maintains, and administers the Town’s drug- and alcohol-free workplace and testing programs, including federally regulated testing requirements applicable to commercial driver’s license holders and other safety-sensitive positions.
11. Ensures the Town’s compliance with applicable federal, state, and local employment laws and regulations. Monitors legislative and regulatory developments, evaluates their effect on Town operations, and recommends or implements necessary changes to policies, procedures, systems, and employment practices.
12. Develops, reviews, interprets, and recommends revisions to the Employee Handbook of Personnel Policies and other personnel or departmental policies, procedures, forms, notices, and administrative practices. Communicates policy changes and assists management with consistent application.
13. Administers the Town’s classification and compensation programs, including maintaining the Step and Grade Pay Scale, reviewing job descriptions and classifications, conducting or coordinating compensation and market analyses, evaluating pay adjustments, and preparing compensation and personnel-budget recommendations.
14. Maintains accurate and confidential personnel, payroll, benefit, medical, training, disciplinary, and employment records in accordance with applicable legal requirements and record-retention schedules. Processes and documents personnel actions, including hires, promotions, transfers, compensation changes, status changes, leave actions, and separations.
15. Prepares and submits required personnel, payroll, benefit, retirement, unemployment, regulatory, audit, and compliance reports to Town leadership and/or appropriate federal, state, and local agencies. Coordinates responses to audits, records requests, wage verifications, unemployment claims, and other official inquiries.
16. Develops, maintains, and administers the Town’s risk management and employee safety programs in coordination with Department Heads, legal counsel, insurers, and other appropriate parties. Identifies potential exposures, recommends corrective measures, and supports organizational efforts to reduce workplace injuries and liability.
17. Reports, coordinates, and monitors workers’ compensation, property, automobile, and other liability claims. Communicates with employees, supervisors, medical providers, insurance representatives, claims adjusters, and legal counsel and coordinates injury reporting, medical documentation, modified duty, return-to-work arrangements, and claim follow-up.
18. Identifies, organizes, and documents required and recommended employee training, including training related to employment compliance, workplace conduct, safety, risk management, insurance requirements, supervisory responsibilities, and professional development.
19. Oversees and maintains the Town’s human resources and payroll information systems. Uses payroll, HRIS databases, spreadsheets, word-processing, and other software to maintain employee data, process transactions, analyze information, and prepare reports, correspondence, charts, and presentations.
20. Develops and distributes employee communications regarding payroll, benefits, leave, policies, legal requirements, workplace expectations, safety matters, organizational changes, and other employment-related topics.
21. Prepares and administers human resources-related and personnel-related budget requests, monitors program and provider costs, reviews invoices for accuracy, and assists Town leadership with workforce planning and evaluation of the financial impact of personnel and benefit decisions.
22. Drafts, reviews, and responds to complex and sensitive inquiries from employees, applicants, retirees, members of the public, benefit providers, government agencies, and other parties by telephone, electronically, and in person while maintaining appropriate confidentiality and accuracy. This includes employment notices, reports, agreements, public notifications, policies, procedures, audit responses, and other official documents.
23. Provides administrative and operational continuity support and guidance during emergencies, transitions, vacancies, and staffing shortages. This may include attending meetings, preparing or recording minutes, assisting with official records requests, and providing coverage for other critical administrative functions as needed.
24. Performs other related duties and special projects as assigned to support the effective administration and operation of the Town.

RESPONSIBILITY & AUTHORITY: Responsible for maintaining knowledge and skills necessary to perform the work required. This position is a merit position as defined in the Town Code. This position is subject to all other general personnel regulations and procedures of the Town of Berlin, including disciplinary policy and grievance procedures.

Requirements

EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE: Bachelor’s degree in human resources, business administration, public administration, or a related field is required. Five years of progressively responsible experience in human resources, personnel administration, or a closely related field may be substituted for the degree requirement. 

A minimum of five years of progressively responsible professional or upper-level administrative experience is required, including experience providing guidance to management or supervising staff, projects, or organizational functions. An equivalent combination of education, training, and relevant experience may be considered.

JOB KNOWLEDGE & SKILLS:

• Comprehensive understanding of human resources principles, techniques, and procedures as well as strategies to assess and resolve human resources issues.
• Demonstrated knowledge of and experience applying federal, state, and local employment laws and regulations, including, but not limited to, the ADA, ADEA, COBRA, Maryland FAMLI, FMLA, FLSA, HIPAA, OSHA/MOSH requirements, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and other laws governing employment practices, employee benefits, workplace safety, and equal employment opportunity. Ability to formulate strategic plans and execute strategic initiatives.
• Knowledge of, or prior success with, the principles and practices of performance management, particularly with progressive disciplinary actions and conflict resolution.
• Demonstrated knowledge of, or prior success with, effective employee recruitment and retention practices, e.g., mentoring, employee assistance, etc.
  Knowledge of organizational behavior and organizational development, including leadership development and change management theory, and the ability to apply concepts.
• Proven experience in developing, implementing, facilitating, and evaluating successful personnel policies and procedures.
  Supervisory experience, including the ability to lead teams through change.
• Documented ability to research, identify, analyze, and implement best practices.
• PC skills and excellent knowledge of Microsoft Office software, internet, and online research tools.
• Skilled in typing at a minimum speed of 40 words per minute. Ability to perform basic arithmetic computations and maintain confidentiality of records, reports, and other materials. 

LICENSES AND CERTIFICATES:

• Must have a valid Maryland Class “C” Driver’s License or equivalent from another state.
• Possession of, or ability to obtain, a Maryland certification as a Notary Public.
• SHRM’s HR Professional Certification is preferred with the goal of obtaining Senior HR Professional Certification.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS AND WORK CONDITIONS: Minimal physical effort is required. Work generally requires intermittent sitting, standing, or walking. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions. All work is conducted inside a climate-controlled environment. Must be able to travel and attend evening meetings.

ADMINISTRATIVE, SUPERVISORY, AND OPERATIONAL REPORTING: Reports directly to the Town Administrator.

RELATIONSHIPS: Must possess human relations skills and the ability to work well with coworkers, as well as elected and appointed officials, consultants, vendors, outside agencies, and members of the public.