Chief Human Resources Officer

The Opportunity:

Overview

Multnomah County is looking for our next Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) who is a seasoned trauma-informed strategic leader with proven experience navigating complex organizational change and cultivating a culture of safety, trust, and belonging.

As an advisor to executive leadership, elected officials, and a member of the leadership team, the CHRO leads a team of HR professionals serving more than 6,500 Multnomah County employees. The CHRO develops and implements strategies to drive retention within HR. The CHRO also partners, builds relationships, and negotiates contracts with 13 labor unions — collaborating with them in problem-solving. 

The CHRO oversees a budget of $180 million and is responsible for developing metrics, reporting on HR programs, and advocating for the necessary resources and staffing levels to support the sustainability of quality and timely HR services. 

This is an opportunity to lead a critical role in optimizing HR practices across Multnomah County. The County is transitioning from a decentralized to a shared services HR model. The CHRO will lead the organization through this significant structural change, provide clear countywide policy direction, and support department HR teams.

The CHRO will set the vision and strategic direction for HR operations. They will develop and implement innovative practices to bolster HR programs, ensure compliance with laws, and establish the County as an employer of choice. This includes implementing the County’s comprehensive Workforce Equity Strategic Plan (WESP), which will further promote equitable opportunities and foster a countywide culture of safety, trust, and belonging.

Responsibilities in this role will include:

Strategic Leadership & Vision

• Developing, implementing, and setting priorities for a comprehensive human resources strategy and vision.

• Advocating confidently to the Board and Department Directors regarding the value of HR, the realities of HR workload, and the necessity of resource allocation.

• Proven business savvy, cultural competence, political understanding, and sensitivity with the ability to think ahead, anticipate issues, and proactively develop response plans are essential. Demonstrate strong business acumen.

• Innovative strategic thinking and problem solving. Problems you encounter in this role require you to apply advanced management principles in a diverse and complex County government organization.

Organizational Culture, Equity & Belonging

• Deep commitment to intersectionality-centered equity and an ability to engage with diverse staff and leadership to promote collaboration and partnership across departments and levels of leadership.

• Unwavering commitment to cultivating a work culture of safety, trust and belonging. Embraces the Workforce Equity Strategic Plan.

• Set the tone for supervision by leading with humanity, dignity, and respect, ensuring that all employees feel valued and heard.

• Ability to develop and monitor indicators of organizational culture and engage employees and senior leadership to create organizational change.

Operations, Shared Services & Change Management

• Overseeing and administering all Countywide HR programs, including Labor Relations, HRIS, Classification and Compensation, Benefits, Wellness, Organizational Learning, Organizational Change, and Talent Acquisition.

• Establishing and communicating clear expectations and standardized policies to ensure consistency across all departments.

• Championing the Centralization/Shared Services implementation by clarifying roles, streamlining complex processes, and reducing administrative burdens on HR staff.

• Demonstrating expertise in Change Management to address high-priority shifts in operations, ensuring staff are supported through the transition of the Shared Services.

Communication, Partnership & Customer Service

• Commitment to keeping people informed by using compassionate, clear, trauma-informed language to communicate with staff and foster open communication, trust, and transparency. The CHRO should be highly visible within the County organization, proactively communicating with departments.

• Create genuine feedback loops (e.g., surveys, collaboration) to listen to staff concerns and take accountability for results.

• Serve as a collaborative partner with departments, ERG’s, Unions, working seamlessly to support County operations and the achievement of the County’s goals.

• Possess the organizational understanding to view County departments as internal customers, deeply grasping their unique work environments.

• Customer focused approach. The CHRO must bring a commitment to customer service and expectations of efficiency and responsiveness.

Labor Relations, Compliance & Staff Development

• Providing strong leadership to mentor staff and help teams grow.

• Possessing deep subject matter depth in labor relations to act as a definitive decision-maker on the most complex issues.

• Responding to and resolving confidential and sensitive inquiries, investigating complaints, and ensuring compliance with federal, state, and local laws and regulations. 

• Championing fair, equitable workplace policies that strengthen employee trust and support a collaborative environment.

To Qualify

We will consider any combination of relevant work experience, volunteering, education, and transferable skills as qualifying unless an item or section is labeled required. Please be clear and specific about how your background is relevant. 

Minimum Qualifications/Transferable Skills:

• A Bachelor’s degree or equivalent related work experience

AND

• Minimum of 6 years of increasingly responsible professional experience in government, community, or educational programs related to Human Resources

• Experience managing and working in a Union (represented) environment.

• Demonstrated experience communicating complex human capital strategies and organizational data clearly and persuasively to diverse audiences, ranging from frontline employees and union representatives to executive leadership and the Board of Commissioners

• Substantial experience in budget planning, financial management, and resource optimization. Examples include managing multi-million dollar departmental budgets, forecasting personnel costs, and overseeing capital expenditures for HR initiatives.

• Demonstrated ability to guide the organization through complex changes with care and clarity, transforming HR goals into meaningful outcomes that inspire genuine collaboration and actively support the success of our diverse teams.

• Advanced HR Certification (SPHR, SHRM-SCP, etc) 

Preferred Qualifications/Transferable Skills: You do not need to have the following preferred qualifications/transferable skills to qualify. However, keep in mind we may consider some or all of the following when identifying the most qualified candidates. Please clearly explain on your application how you meet any of the following preferred qualifications/transferable skills.

• Master’s Degree 

• Minimum of 8 years of experience in a Senior Level role focused on Human Resources with direct supervisory experience including managers. 

• Public Sector/Governmental Experience: Direct, substantial experience in a large county, state, or municipal government or other comparable complex public-sector entity.

*Transferable skills: Your transferable skills are any skills you have gained through education, work experience (including the military) or life experience that are relevant for this position. Be sure to describe any transferable skills on your application and clearly explain how they apply to this position.

Screening and Evaluation 

Your completed application must include the following items:

• Required: A completed online application.

• Required: A resume covering relevant experience and education. Please be sure your resume includes the following for each employer: name of employer, location, dates of employment, your title, a brief summary of your responsibilities, the number of employees under your supervision.

• Required: A cover letter that expands on your resume, addresses why you are interested in this position and demonstrates how your experience and skill set align with the minimum and preferred qualifications listed. If you have centralized HR experience please highlight in the cover letter.

Note: The application,  resume and cover letter should demonstrate your work experience/skills and how it is related to those shown in the Overview and To Qualify sections of the job announcement. Please be thorough, as these materials may be scored and determine your eligibility for an interview.