Confessions of a Hiring Manager: What 20 Years of Interviews Taught Me
My primary role is Director of IT Procurement and Budget. Human Resources isn’t in my title, and I certainly don’t consider myself an HR professional. Yet over the years, I’ve realized that hiring, developing and managing people is a subtle but very important part of my job.
I hire employees and consultants for my own operation, and I also regularly help colleagues identify consultants to support their areas. That has meant reviewing hundreds of résumés, deciding whom to interview, assessing compensation, evaluating technical and interpersonal skills, participating in structured interviews, and ultimately trying to answer a deceptively difficult question:
Is this person likely to succeed here?
Hiring, of course, is only the beginning. After someone arrives, there is training, development, performance management, retention, career expectations and, occasionally, the difficult determination that a relationship simply isn’t working.
I’ve hired some outstanding people. I’ve also made mistakes.
Anyone who has hired enough people probably has.
And I’ve learned almost as much about hiring from being a candidate myself.
I’ve Said “No” to Some Good Jobs
I’ve interviewed for positions, received offers and walked away because the opportunity didn’t make sense for me.
Early in my career, I passed on a higher-paying position to accept a lower-paying one because I believed the experience would be more valuable over the long term. At that point in my career, I decided that acquiring the right skills was worth more than maximizing my immediate salary.
At another point, I considered leaving government for the nonprofit sector during an economic downturn. The opportunity was interesting, but government offered considerably greater job security. At that particular moment in my life, security mattered more.
Later, I turned down an opportunity to become Comptroller of a prominent nonprofit. The title was attractive, but when I considered pension, healthcare, commute and overall quality of life, staying where I was made more sense.
I also passed on a finance position at a well-known public university. The commute would have been difficult. More importantly, the panel interview gave me pause. Several people I met appeared deeply dissatisfied with the organization’s status quo while simultaneously looking to the incoming person to guarantee that it could be fixed. The proposed salary was also approximately $20,000 below what the incumbent had earned.
I decided it wasn’t the right fit.
Another opportunity offered me only about $4,000 more per year. I would have lost free parking, incurred new commuting costs, encountered worse traffic and assumed responsibility for roughly 200 employees and approximately $200 million in parking revenue.
The title and responsibilities were larger. The actual benefit to me wasn’t.
At some point, every candidate has to ask a perfectly legitimate question:
What’s in it for me?
Employers shouldn’t be offended by that question.
Every serious candidate is already asking it.
Employment Is a Two-Way Value Proposition
Organizations naturally ask candidates, Why should we hire you?
Candidates should be asking, Why should I work for you?
A successful hire requires good answers to both questions.
That’s why I increasingly think of employment as a symbiotic relationship rather than a one-sided transaction.
The organization has objectives it needs the employee to accomplish. The employee has financial, professional and personal objectives that he or she hopes the organization will help fulfill.
The best hires occur where those interests meaningfully overlap.
Salary matters. Skills matter. Career goals matter. Organizational needs matter. Work location matters. Workplace culture matters. Advancement opportunities matter. So do the expectations each side brings to the relationship.
If someone sees a position only as somewhere to collect a paycheck until something better appears, that may not be a great investment for the employer.
But the reverse is equally true. If an organization treats employees as interchangeable resources, it shouldn’t be surprised when employees treat employers the same way.
Salary Satisfaction Matters
Managers sometimes underestimate the difference between someone being willing to accept a salary and actually being satisfied with it.
If a new employee begins on Monday already convinced that he or she is substantially underpaid, you may have hired someone who starts looking for the next job on Tuesday.
For a recent consultant hire supporting one of my primarily administrative functions, I researched what appeared to be an appropriate market rate based on the responsibilities, required experience and comparable work.
Then I asked the candidate what she believed would be appropriate.
Interestingly, she proposed essentially the same hourly rate I had independently arrived at. She even indicated that she would be willing to accept approximately $5 per hour less if necessary to secure the opportunity.
There was no need to push her lower simply because she was willing to accept less.
Our expectations were already aligned.
My objective in hiring isn’t to obtain labor at the lowest possible price. It’s to obtain the right person at a price where both sides believe the arrangement is fair.
Saving a few dollars per hour isn’t much of a victory if the employee leaves six months later and you have to recruit, interview and train a replacement.
Logistics Are Part of Fit
For positions requiring regular in-person attendance, I also pay attention to whether the logistics of getting to the workplace appear sustainable.
That isn’t about assuming that someone who lives farther away will be a poor employee. Plenty of people successfully manage long commutes.
It’s about having a candid conversation about the requirements of the position and whether they realistically fit the candidate’s circumstances.
For many administrative positions, I can teach the work.
I can teach processes, systems, procurement procedures, budgeting practices, spreadsheets and institutional knowledge.
What I can’t control is someone’s transportation environment.
For remote positions, the considerations change. Remote work requires independence, responsiveness, communication, self-management and the ability to produce measurable results without continuous in-person supervision.
The larger lesson is that workplace fit includes the practical conditions under which the work will actually be performed.
Credentials Are Not the Same as Demonstrated Ability
One of my less successful hires taught me an important lesson about assumptions.
I once gave someone an opportunity partly because she was studying quantitative applied mathematics. I assumed that someone pursuing that discipline would naturally be very strong with spreadsheets, data and quantitative administrative work.
I didn’t test those skills.
That was my mistake.
There was also a human element. She had described significant personal tragedies involving her father and brother and their alleged involvement in cleanup efforts associated with Chernobyl. I empathized with what she told me and wanted to give her an opportunity.
Once she joined the team, however, the technical capabilities I had assumed were not at the level I expected. There were also interpersonal and communication challenges, and ultimately it wasn’t a good fit for the team.
I learned two lessons from that experience.
First, never substitute credentials for demonstrated capability.
If Excel is central to the job, test Excel.
If writing is important, evaluate writing.
If the position requires analytical reasoning, give the candidate a realistic problem and see how he or she approaches it.
If communication is critical, create enough interaction during the interview process to assess communication.
A résumé tells you what someone says they can do. A thoughtful selection process should help establish whether they can actually do it.
The second lesson was more personal: empathy should influence how we treat people, but it shouldn’t replace objective judgment about whether someone is right for a particular job.
I still believe strongly in giving people opportunities. I’ve simply learned to validate the assumptions underlying that decision.
AI Can Help Screen Candidates- But It Shouldn’t Make the Decision
Technology has added another dimension to recruiting.
Receiving hundreds of applications for a position isn’t unusual. When 300 or 400 résumés arrive, objectively comparing every candidate becomes a significant undertaking.
I still like to manually review every résumé.
But I also use AI as a second set of eyes.
I might use it to compare applicants against stated requirements, identify experience I may have overlooked, recognize transferable skills or independently rank candidates so I can compare the results with my own assessment.
What I don’t want is an algorithm making the hiring decision for me.
I see AI as a tool for challenging and validating human judgment, not replacing it.
That distinction is important, particularly in public-sector hiring, where fairness, consistency and defensible selection processes matter.
I Prefer Interviews That Feel Like Conversations
Government hiring often requires structure, and for good reason.
When required, I use a formal process- often asking every candidate the same set of approximately ten questions so applicants can be evaluated consistently.
But within that framework, I prefer an interview that becomes a conversation.
I’m less interested in discovering who prepared the most polished interview answers than in understanding how someone thinks.
Why does this person want the job?
What motivates them?
What are they hoping to learn?
What do they want to be doing several years from now?
How do they approach a problem they haven’t encountered before?
What are they expecting from me?
And can I realistically provide it?
Sometimes the most revealing part of an interview occurs after the formal questions are finished.
A conversation can reveal curiosity, judgment, listening skills, communication style and whether the candidate understands what the job actually entails.
Most of My Hires Have Been Excellent
While mistakes provide useful lessons, I don’t want to overstate them.
Most of the people I’ve hired have been excellent.
Many have eventually left the organization, but often that wasn’t because the hiring decision failed. They had developed professionally and reached a point where our organization couldn’t provide the advancement, compensation, responsibilities or new challenges they wanted.
Others simply found interesting opportunities elsewhere- sometimes with impressive organizations inside government and sometimes outside it.
I actually consider that a positive reflection on the selection process.
If someone I hired performs well, develops professionally and becomes competitive for excellent opportunities elsewhere, then I probably identified good talent in the first place.
Retention matters, but retention alone isn’t the measure of a successful hire.
Sometimes a strong employee leaving tells you more about the limitations of the organization’s career ladder than it does about the hiring process.
Good people should have options.
As managers, we’d naturally prefer to retain our strongest employees. But I think there is also something rewarding about hiring someone with potential, giving that person meaningful experience, watching them develop and then seeing them advance—even when their next opportunity takes them somewhere else.
A bad hire and a good employee who outgrows an organization are two very different things.
Organizational Fit Matters
A candidate can be extremely talented and still be wrong for a particular organization.
That doesn’t make the candidate a bad employee.
Someone who thrives in an entrepreneurial environment may become frustrated by extensive governmental approval processes. Someone who prefers highly defined responsibilities may struggle in a position where priorities change frequently. Someone seeking rapid advancement may become dissatisfied in an organization where promotions depend on Civil Service titles, examinations, vacancies or other structural limitations.
That’s why managers should be candid during interviews.
Don’t sell candidates a fictional version of the job.
If the organization is bureaucratic, don’t pretend it isn’t.
If advancement opportunities are limited, don’t imply otherwise.
If the workload is demanding, explain it.
If the person will inherit difficult problems, say so.
A candidate accepting the job you actually have is far more valuable than a candidate accepting the job you marketed to them.
People Don’t Have to Stay Forever for a Hire to Be Successful
I don’t expect everyone I hire to remain with the organization forever.
That’s neither realistic nor necessarily desirable.
What I want is enough alignment that the relationship creates value for both sides for a meaningful period.
If someone joins my operation, learns, contributes, takes on greater responsibilities and eventually advances somewhere else, that can still be an extremely successful employment relationship.
Managers should be developing people, not holding them hostage to the positions in which they were hired.
And when excellent people repeatedly leave because there is nowhere internally for them to go, leadership should recognize what the data may be telling them.
That is no longer primarily a recruitment problem.
It may be a retention problem, a compensation problem, a succession-planning problem or an organizational-design problem.
Probation Has a Purpose
There is another side to hiring that managers sometimes avoid discussing: occasionally, a hire simply doesn’t work.
Hiring someone creates an obligation to give that person a reasonable opportunity to succeed. Managers should communicate expectations, provide appropriate training, offer feedback and distinguish between someone learning a job and someone fundamentally unable or unwilling to perform it.
But compassion shouldn’t become an excuse for avoiding a necessary management decision.
Probationary periods exist for a reason.
They aren’t merely a countdown until permanent employment. They’re an opportunity for both the employee and organization to determine whether the relationship actually works.
If someone consistently cannot perform the job, isn’t meeting clearly communicated expectations or demonstrates that the position simply isn’t a good fit, delaying a necessary decision can create larger problems.
Other employees absorb the work.
Strong performers become frustrated.
Managers spend disproportionate amounts of time compensating for deficiencies.
And the organization suffers.
There are circumstances where additional training, coaching or appropriate accommodation is warranted. There are also circumstances where separation is the responsible decision, subject, of course, to applicable Civil Service requirements, collective bargaining agreements, HR policies and employment law.
Consultants Require Accountability Too
The principle is even more straightforward with consultants.
A consultant is retained to provide expertise, capacity or defined deliverables.
If that value isn’t being delivered, management has an obligation to address it.
That doesn’t mean terminating someone because of one mistake or one difficult week. It means establishing expectations, identifying deficiencies, communicating them, allowing a reasonable opportunity for correction where appropriate, and then making a decision.
Keeping a poorly performing consultant indefinitely because ending the engagement feels uncomfortable isn’t responsible stewardship of public resources.
At the same time, managers should remain human.
People get sick. Families experience emergencies. Good employees have bad weeks. People make mistakes.
Context matters.
The management challenge is distinguishing between a temporary problem affecting an otherwise strong performer and a sustained pattern demonstrating that the arrangement isn’t working.
Being Human Doesn’t Mean Avoiding Difficult Decisions
Letting someone go is unpleasant.
I think it probably should be.
If ending someone’s employment becomes emotionally meaningless to a manager, that’s a problem of its own.
But empathy doesn’t require paralysis.
A manager can treat someone respectfully, communicate clearly, follow the appropriate process and still conclude that an employment relationship needs to end.
Some of the worst personnel problems aren’t created by managers being too harsh. They’re created when managers postpone difficult conversations.
They wait.
They hope the problem resolves itself.
They compensate for the employee.
They redistribute the work.
They gradually lower expectations.
Eventually, a manageable personnel issue becomes an organizational problem.
Being human doesn’t mean avoiding difficult decisions.
It means making them fairly, appropriately and with dignity.
Hiring Is Ultimately About Matching
After years of interviewing people, being interviewed myself, accepting jobs, declining jobs, hiring excellent employees, making a few hiring mistakes, managing staff and overseeing consultants, I’ve become convinced that hiring is fundamentally an exercise in matching.
You’re matching skills to responsibilities.
Compensation to expectations.
Career goals to organizational opportunities.
Work arrangements to personal circumstances.
Personality and working style to the team.
Experience to what can reasonably be taught.
Credentials to demonstrated capability.
And one person’s expectations to an organization’s reality.
The candidate with the most impressive résumé isn’t automatically the best hire.
The highest-paying job isn’t automatically the best career move.
An excellent employee who leaves isn’t automatically a retention failure.
And someone who doesn’t succeed in one position isn’t necessarily a bad employee.
Sometimes it’s simply the wrong match.
So I’ve come to believe that the most important question in hiring isn’t simply:
“Can this person do the job?”
It’s something broader:
“Does this relationship make sense for both of us- and have we done enough to know?”
If employers and candidates asked that question more candidly at the beginning, I suspect we’d have fewer bad hires, fewer unhappy employees, better retention and stronger organizations.
And in government, where every position ultimately exists to help deliver something to the public, getting that decision right matters far beyond the interview room.
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ABOUT THE ROLE The Kings County District Attorney’s Office (KCDA) is seeking a Deputy Director for its Human Resources Unit/Employee Services. As one of the largest prosecutorial offices in the nation, KCDA is dedicated to maintaining safety in Brooklyn while guaranteeing fairness and justice. The HR Department oversees all personnel matters, ensures adherence to civil service rules, and manages recruitment, onboarding, performance management, benefits, training, labor relations, and data management. Working under the general direction of the Chief of Employee Services, the Deputy Director will facilitate daily operations and advance agency objectives. KEY RESPONSIBILITIES - Represent KCDA at City government meetings and build collaborative relationships with oversight agencies (DCAS, OLR, OPA, Mayor's Office, labor unions, etc.). - Oversee all recruitment processes, including timely job postings, correct title categorization, and accurate salary alignment. - Manage the interview and selection process using the NYCAPS e-hire platform Smart Recruiter, facilitating civil service hiring pools, list calls, and DP-72/DP-189 processes. - Oversee NYCAPS data entry for all personnel transactions (new hires, transfers, promotions, separations, leaves) to ensure accurate processing. - Manage onboarding for new employees, interns, consultants, volunteers, and 211/212 candidates, ensuring document and deadline compliance. - Organize onsite consultation and plan, coordinate, and execute performance management training for legal and non-legal staff. - Manage job classifications, including drafting justification documents, job descriptions, identifying civil service titles, and attending classification hearings. - Provide oversight to recruitment, benefits, onboarding, and performance management areas. - Facilitate meetings with various departments to troubleshoot and resolve HR-related issues and inquiries. - Direct and assist with special projects delegated from executive management and perform other related HR management tasks. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS 1. A master's degree from an accredited college in a relevant field (e.g., human resources management, business/public administration, psychology, sociology, labor relations, etc.) AND two years of satisfactory full-time professional experience in relevant areas (e.g., budget administration, management analysis, personnel administration, labor relations, etc.), with at least 18 months in an executive, managerial, administrative, or supervisory capacity; OR 2. A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college AND four years of professional experience in the areas described above, including 18 months of executive, managerial, administrative, or supervisory experience. SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS - Candidates must be permanent in the Administrative Staff Analyst title (or comparable) or reachable on the Open-Competitive Exam. - Preferred: Master's degree with 10 years of HR management experience (City experience preferred) OR Bachelor's degree with 15 years of HR management experience (City experience preferred). - Possession of HR and EEO certifications is preferred. - Knowledge of structured interviewing, Civil Service laws/policies, City personnel rules/processes, and experience interfacing with unions. - New York City residency is generally required within 90 days of appointment (exceptions may apply for City employees with 2+ continuous years of service in specific counties). SELECTION PROCESS - An exam may be required. - Only candidates permanent in the Administrative Staff Analyst title (or comparable) or reachable on the Open-Competitive Exam will be considered for an interview. - Applicants must include a copy of their Notice of Result card or indicate if already permanent in the title. - Only candidates under consideration will be contacted. HOW TO APPLY - Click the "Apply Now" button. - Non-City/External Candidates: Visit the External Applicant NYC Careers site, search "DA - Brooklyn", and locate Job ID 765734. - Current City Employees: Visit Employee Self Service (ESS), navigate to Recruiting Activities and Careers, and search by Job ID 765734. - A resume and cover letter are strictly required. - The cover letter must indicate how the applicant heard about the position. - Incomplete applications will not be considered. EMPLOYMENT DETAILS - Job ID: 765734 - Title Code: 1002E - Civil Service Title: Administrative Staff Analyst - Title Classification: Competitive-1 - Experience Level: Manager - Number of Positions: 1 - Work Location: 350 Jay St, Brooklyn, NY - Category: Administration & Human Resources - Posted Date: 08/24/2026 - Posted Until: 09/23/2026 - The City of New York is an inclusive equal opportunity employer committed to a diverse workforce free from discrimination and harassment.
ABOUT THE ROLE The Policy General Manager serves as the internal consultant for City Departments developing or revising employee-related policies, administrative directives, procedures, and standard operating practices. Reporting to the Chief Policy and Planning Officer, this role has macro-level responsibility for leading the policy function to efficiently serve internal customers while ensuring compliance with all laws, rules, and regulations. The position collaborates with department leadership, Human Resources, Labor Relations, Civil Service, the Law Department, and executive leadership to ensure policies are legally sound, operationally effective, and aligned with collective bargaining agreements and the City's strategic priorities. KEY RESPONSIBILITIES - Provide vision, leadership, planning, and project management for policy operations, processes, and procedures. - Plan, direct, train, and supervise employees, including work assignment and performance reviews. - Act as a liaison between customer departments and the Human Resources Department to develop and maintain employee-related policies and programs. - Propose strategic advice to city-wide leaders to drive organizational effectiveness, mitigate risk, and ensure compliance. - Support consistent application of HR policies and conduct audits to address compliance issues. - Consult with directors and division heads on compliance initiatives and internal investigations regarding policy violations. - Assist in creating and maintaining policy best practices with the Chief Policy and Planning Officer. - Develop compliance metrics, perform risk analysis, and evaluate policy effectiveness. - Interpret federal and state employment laws and regulations, including FLSA, FMLA, ADA, and HIPAA. - Assist with developing detailed justifications for proposals in the budget development process. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS - Bachelor's degree in Human Resource Management, Business Administration, Public Administration, or a related field of study. - Minimum of seven (7) years of progressively responsible experience in employment law, human resources, policy development and governance, or public administration. - Must include five (5) years of direct experience over human resource functions. - Significant experience directly handling and providing guidance on a variety of Human Resource compliance matters. - Preferred: Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree, experience practicing employment law, public sector or unionized environment experience, and experience developing enterprise policy and governance frameworks. SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS - Michigan Bar membership is preferred. - SHRM-CP or SHRM-SCP Certification is preferred. - Designations from the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) or International Personnel Management Association - HR (IPMA-HR) are preferred. - Equivalent combinations of education and experience providing the required knowledge, skills, and abilities will be evaluated on an individual basis. SELECTION PROCESS - Writing Sample: Pass/Fail - Interview: 70% - Evaluation of Training, Experience and Personal Qualifications: 30% - Total Evaluation: 100% HOW TO APPLY - Applications must be submitted referencing Job Number 2026111993882526HRJS. - The closing date for applications is September 13, 2026, at 11:59 PM Eastern. - Applicants should apply through the official City of Detroit employment portal or designated human resources application system. EMPLOYMENT DETAILS - Employer: City of Detroit - Department: Human Resources Dept, Policy, Planning, & Operations Division - Job Type: Certified-Regular Civil Service - Bargaining Unit: 9002-Senior Management - Location: Coleman A. Young Municipal Center, 2 Woodward Ave ste 316, Detroit, Michigan, 48226 - Work Environment: Sedentary work in a comfortable, appropriately lighted, heated, and cooled office environment. Some site visits, walking, and standing may be required for meetings and conferences away from the work site. - Equal Opportunity Employer: The City of Detroit does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, or other prohibited criteria.
ABOUT THE ROLE King County Metro Transit’s Employee Services Division is seeking a Disability Services Specialist to provide critical support and case management for employees seeking disability services, medical leave, and reasonable accommodations. This role involves advising management and employees on Federal, State, and King County laws and policies, requiring strong coaching, collaborative coordination, and empathy in a high-volume environment. KEY RESPONSIBILITIES - Facilitate the reasonable accommodation and interactive process, including researching and recommending accommodations. - Perform case management for employees with medical conditions impacting their ability to work. - Review and analyze confidential medical information and employee records, and communicate with health care providers. - Provide direct support and information about benefits, FMLA/KCFML, and Washington state leave laws. - Advise management on leave administration and options for employees unable to meet contractual requirements. - Coordinate job modification evaluations and transitional return-to-work assignments. - Facilitate medical separations and forward referrals to Transitional Duty Assignment and Reassignment Programs. - Track disability services and leaves to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements and collective bargaining agreements. - Provide education and training to workgroups on reasonable accommodation, disability, and leave laws. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS - Bachelor’s degree in a related field AND at least two years of increasingly responsible experience in coordinating or providing medical leave, reasonable accommodation, and/or disability services, OR an equivalent combination of experience and education. - Experience interpreting and applying WLAD, ADA, FLSA, FMLA, Title VII, and applicable WAC, RCWs, and court rulings related to disability. - Excellent written and oral communication skills, including the ability to translate technical information to non-technical audiences. - Demonstrated commitment to quality customer service, effective interpersonal skills, and conflict resolution. - Knowledge of medical terminology, ability to interpret technical reports, and understand disabilities. - Proficiency in MS Word, Teams, OneDrive, Excel, Outlook, and SharePoint. SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS - Employees must reside in Washington state and within a reasonable distance to their King County worksite. - Must maintain a home workspace with a reliable internet connection for remote workdays. - Final offers are contingent on successful completion of reference checks and/or a record review. SELECTION PROCESS - Applications will be screened for completeness and competitiveness. - Most competitive candidates may be invited to one or more interviews and possibly other selection process elements. - The eligibility list will be retained for 12 months and may be used for future Special Duty Assignment, Term Limited Temporary, and Career Service vacancies. HOW TO APPLY - Submit an online King County application with accurate contact information and relevant work history. - Complete all supplemental questions. - Submit a current resume. - Submit a cover letter addressing your interest in the role and how your experience, skills, and education prepare you for the position. - Note: Applications missing any required materials will not be considered. EMPLOYMENT DETAILS - Location: King Street Center, 201 S Jackson St, Seattle, WA 98104. - Job Type: Term-Limited (Special Duty Assignment/Term Limited Temporary), anticipated to last until 12/31/2027 and may be extended. - Full- or Part-Time: Full Time (40 hours per week, Monday - Friday). - FLSA Status: Exempt (not overtime eligible). - Remote Employment: Hybrid (minimum of 2 days per week onsite, remote workdays may be adjusted based on operational needs). - Bargaining Unit: Z3 : KC Personnel Guidelines (Position is not represented by a union). - Opening Date: 08/28/2026. - Closing Date: 09/13/2026 11:59 PM Pacific. - Employer: King County, Metro Transit.
ABOUT THE ROLE King County Metro Transit’s Employee Services Division is seeking a Disability Services Specialist to provide critical support and case management for Metro employees seeking disability services. This role involves consultation and coordination in medical leave, reasonable accommodations, and disability services for over 6,000 staff. The position ensures compliance with State and Federal disability and leave laws, collective bargaining agreements, and court decisions. This is a Term-Limited Temporary (TLT) / Special Duty Assignment (SDA) position anticipated to last until 12/31/2027, with potential for extension or to fill future vacancies. KEY RESPONSIBILITIES - Facilitate the reasonable accommodation and interactive process, including researching and recommending accommodations. - Perform case management for employees with medical conditions impacting their ability to work. - Review confidential medical information and communicate with healthcare providers to clarify work restrictions. - Prioritize multiple and competing demands from various workgroups and employees. - Provide direct support and information on benefits, FMLA/KCFML, and state leave laws. - Advise management on leave administration, sick leave misuse, and medical separations. - Coordinate job modification evaluations and transitional return-to-work assignments. - Track disability services, accommodations, and leaves to ensure regulatory and collective bargaining compliance. - Provide education and training to workgroups on disability and leave laws and policies. - Maintain comprehensive, confidential case notes and documentation. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS - Bachelor’s degree in a related field AND at least two (2) years of increasingly responsible experience in coordinating or providing medical leave, reasonable accommodation, and/or disability services, OR equivalent work with people with disabilities. - Equivalent combination of experience and education providing the required skills and knowledge. - Experience interpreting and applying WLAD, ADA, FLSA, FMLA, Title VII, and applicable WAC, RCWs, and court rulings. - Excellent written and oral communication skills, including the ability to translate technical information to non-technical audiences. - Proficiency in MSWord, Teams, OneDrive, Excel, Outlook, and SharePoint. - Ability to establish and maintain effective, cooperative, and equitable working relationships in a diverse, unionized workforce. SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS - Must reside in Washington state and within a reasonable distance to the King County worksite. - Hybrid work schedule requiring a minimum of 2 days per week onsite at King Street Center. - Ability to operate without well-defined policy and recognize precedent-setting situations. - Must maintain a home workspace with a reliable internet connection for remote workdays. SELECTION PROCESS 1. Applications will be screened for completeness and competitiveness based only on explicitly requested materials. 2. The most competitive candidates may be invited to participate in one or more interviews and possibly other selection elements. 3. Final offers are contingent on successful completion of reference checks and/or a record review. 4. This recruitment may generate an eligibility list for future SDA, TLT, and Career Service vacancies, retained for 12 months. HOW TO APPLY Submit the following required materials through the official King County application portal: - An online King County application updated with accurate contact information and relevant work history. - Completed supplemental questions. - A Resume. - A Cover Letter addressing your interest in the role and how your experience, skills, and education prepare you for it. For accommodations or alternate formats, contact Sabrina Brazzle at sbrazzle@kingcounty.gov. EMPLOYMENT DETAILS - Employer: King County - Department: MTD - Metro Transit - Division: Enterprise Employee Services - Job Number: 2026SB27696 - Job Type: Term-Ltd (SDA/TLT), Full Time - FLSA Status: Exempt - Bargaining Unit: Z3 : KC Personnel Guidelines (Note: Position is not represented by a union) - Location: King Street Center - 201 S Jackson St, Seattle, WA - Opening Date: 08/28/2026 - Closing Date: 9/13/2026 11:59 PM Pacific
ABOUT THE ROLE The HR Director is a senior executive role responsible for leading the Free Library of Philadelphia's human resources strategy and overseeing a comprehensive range of HR functions. Reporting directly to the First Deputy Director, this role serves as a key member of the executive leadership team. Responsibilities span DEI initiatives, employee relations, payroll, labor relations, training and development, safety, and risk management, ensuring the Library fosters an inclusive and supportive workplace while advancing its mission. KEY RESPONSIBILITIES - Lead the development and implementation of DEI strategies and integrate DEI principles across all HR practices and policies. - Manage recruitment, onboarding, performance management, and employee engagement while ensuring HR policies comply with laws. - Oversee accurate payroll processing and competitive compensation strategies to support recruitment and retention. - Address employee concerns, mediate conflict, and investigate and resolve workplace conduct violations. - Ensure compliance with collective bargaining agreements and engage with union representatives to maintain positive labor relations. - Develop and implement training programs to enhance staff skills, support professional growth, and collaborate on DEI-focused initiatives. - Oversee workplace safety compliance, manage injury claims, and provide safety-related training. - Ensure compliance with EEOC regulations and manage claims related to workplace discrimination. - Lead policy creation and revisions to ensure legal compliance and alignment with the Library's mission. - Track and report on DEI and HR metrics to evaluate program effectiveness and progress. - Participate in Board of Trustees meetings and quarterly public hearings, providing strategic insights on staffing and policy matters. - Ensure compliance for Free Library Foundation employees, aligning personnel practices with Library policies and standards. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS - Education: Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Labor, Public Administration, or a closely related field. - Experience: Minimum of 5 years of experience in implementing human resources initiatives, policies, and cross-cultural resource efforts. - Management: At least 3 years of management or supervisory experience in a related role. - DEI Experience: Minimum of 3 years of experience developing and administering DEI initiatives, and 3 years of experience designing and implementing diversity and inclusion strategies. - Equivalency: Any equivalent combination of education and experience that meets the outlined requirements will be considered. SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS - Residency: The successful candidate must be a resident of the City of Philadelphia within 6 months of hire. - Vaccination: Vaccinations are no longer required for new employees in non-medical, non-emergency, or non-patient-facing positions. - Competencies: Proven ability to develop HR and DEI strategies, expertise in anti-racist practices, legal acumen in EEO laws, and strong conflict resolution and emotional intelligence skills. SELECTION PROCESS - Candidates are evaluated based on their alignment with the minimum qualifications, competencies, and job requirements. - The City of Philadelphia is an Equal Opportunity employer and does not permit discrimination based on race, ethnicity, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, national origin, ancestry, age, disability, marital status, source of income, familial status, genetic information, or domestic or sexual violence victim status. HOW TO APPLY - Interested candidates must submit a cover letter and resume. EMPLOYMENT DETAILS - Employer: Free Library of Philadelphia (City of Philadelphia) - Location: Philadelphia, PA - Job Type: Full-time - Benefits: Unlimited free public transportation through SEPTA's Key Advantage program, 8 weeks of paid parental leave, comprehensive health coverage, discounted medical plan wellness program, paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays, generous retirement savings options, Public Service Loan Forgiveness eligibility, and tuition discounts or scholarships (10 percent to 40 percent) with partner colleges and universities.