The County is an equal opportunity employer. The County shall, upon request, provide reasonable accommodations to otherwise qualified individuals with disabilities.

This job description is intended to reflect core areas of responsibility and an incumbent employees’ knowledge and skill set needed to complete those functions. This document is not intended to catalog each individual duty; employees are routinely called upon to address emerging employer requirements in alignment with individual work units and assignments of jobs. The job description does not constitute an employment agreement between the employer and employee and is subject to change by the employer as the needs of the employer change.

Job Title: Human Resources Director/Payroll Clerk/Safety Coordinator
FLSA Status: Non-Exempt
Department: Human Resources
Reports to: County Commissioners

Work Unit Overview:
The Human Resources Department provides services, support and expertise for county departments in the areas of human resource administration and employee and labor relations. The department works with elected officials, managers, supervisors, County employees, County appointed boards and the public. Work activities include ensuring compliance with state and federal laws, regulations, and County policies regarding management and employment; staffing; human resource development; employee and labor relations; workplace health, safety, and security; classification and pay; and may include payroll and benefit administration.

Job Summary:
The Human Resources Director establishes policies and procedures and directs or administers the personnel activities of the County including staffing and strategic planning, recruitment and selection, compensation, payroll, benefits, performance management, training, and employee and labor relations. The position reports to the County Commission, and is responsible for managing the staff of the Human Resources Department.

This position also serves as the Payroll Clerk and is responsible for compiling and recording County employee time and payroll data to ensure that employees receive accurate paychecks in accordance with established procedures and the law. Duties include processing and computing employee time and payroll information, maintaining employee records related to pay and benefits, and assisting in managing the employee benefits program for County employees.

This position also serves as the Safety Coordinator/Risk Manager and supervises and manages safety and risk management operations and functions for the County according to departmental policies and applicable rules and laws to promote safe workplaces. Duties include administering and maintaining the County’s liability insurance; providing safety and loss control services; ensuring regulatory compliance by inspecting, investigating safety, and environmental conditions; and managing worker’s compensation. Duties also include analyzing, developing, and recommending new and improved risk management initiatives, procedures, and programs to promote awareness of workplace health and safety throughout the County.

Essential Functions (Major Duties or Responsibilities):
These duties are the essential functions and are not all-inclusive of all duties that the incumbent performs.

• Confer with the County Commission to coordinate and implement the County’s personnel systems and its components. This includes initiating, researching, developing, and recommending the implementation of personnel and related policies and practices and providing advice and direction to the Commission to ensure their proper and consistent application. Develop, implement, and monitor policies for the County consistent with state and federal laws, rules, regulations, and collective bargaining agreements, and make recommendations to the Commission regarding proposed policies and procedures. Alert management of current and potential personnel problems in the County with recommendations for resolution to maintain compliance with state and federal regulations related to personnel administration.
• Develop, implement, and oversee policies and procedures required to administer payroll processing and benefit plans. Coordinate County payroll and benefit administration functions to assist employees and to ensure accurate and timely processing of payroll/benefit activities in compliance with federal and state laws and county policies. This involves supervising County payroll functions including ensuring accuracy and quality control. Recommends, develops, and implements changes to benefit plans and inform employee of current and future benefits.
• Serve as in-house expert on Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), the Safety Culture Act, and other employment laws to coordinate work assignments with employees, managers and medical providers; ensure compliance with applicable regulations; and ensure all documentation and records are maintained. Review information pertaining to workers compensation, disability retirement, disability and maternity leave and ADA and FMLA situations on a case-by-case basis. Interact with retirement, insurance, workers compensation, physicians, and outside consultants and claimants’ attorneys in dealing with requests.
• Act as County contact for the managers to ensure corrective and disciplinary actions are effective and comply with policy and law by assisting in the preparation and administration of disciplinary action and coordinating with legal staff as needed. This includes reviewing management’s documentation of problem, employee history and status, union contracts, county and department policy, and past practice to determine what, if any, action is necessary, and advising management of necessary steps to improve such problems. Provide training to management as a means of preventing disciplinary problems before they start. Review manager’s personnel decisions to ensure they are appropriate and to attempt to resolve grievances at the earliest stages.
• Develop and oversee County recruitment and selection strategies and tools to attract and hire qualified applicants, ensure compliance with employment, civil rights, and equal employment opportunity and to proactively promote diversity and explore untapped labor markets. This includes developing and administering policies procedures (including forms, letters, informational materials, etc.); reviewing workforce data and addressing turnover problems and difficult to fill positions; assessing the effectiveness of procedures and forms for the best service to the County; and compiling and evaluating to recommend recruitment activity.
• Ensure recruitment, selection and promotion procedures are coordinated and carried out in compliance with federal, state and county guidelines and policies (such as EEO, ADA, and bargaining agreements). Provide technical assistance and advice to the County hiring authorities in complex and/or non-routine recruitment/selection actions. Respond to complaints/grievances from employees, applicants, or others concerning the hiring process. Investigate complaints and determine corrective action through communication with appropriate department head.
• Develop selection devices and practices such as structured interviews, application supplements or performance tests and/or assists managers in the development of screening criteria and interview questions when requested. Provide in-depth training in recruitment and selection (state and federal laws and County policies and procedures) for the County on an as needed basis. Oversee or perform County recruitment and selection efforts including advertising (where to recruit geographically, what media, posting time, wording of written information, special preferences, etc.); timely distribution of internal and external vacancy announcements; receiving completed hiring files; entering/maintaining accurate applicant flow/EEO data, storing files; etc.
• Administer and monitor County Drug and Alcohol Testing, written and physical ability testing, and other specialized selection and monitoring processes as needed to ensure qualified staff for special positions in compliance with applicable state and federal regulations (e.g., occupations subject to DOT drug testing).
• Identify training needs and develop training programs to meet County goals and objectives by designing training or contracting with outside training providers. Design and perform training need assessments by identifying audiences, assessing their current competency levels and training needs, assessing specific training needs in context of broader countywide initiatives to determine compatibility and feasibility and planning approaches to meet identified needs.
• Oversee countywide safety committees and activities (in accordance with the Montana Safety Culture Act) to identify and eliminate hazards in the workplace and to implement strategies to enhance workplace safety. This includes facilitating meetings, ensuring safety concerns are brought to the attention of management and following up to ensure they’re resolved, and informing employees of the consequences of safety violations. Review accidents and incidents involving injury or potential injury to identify causes and develop changes to reduce accidents. Develop new policies, procedures or protocols to ensure safety and distribute findings countywide.
• Administer County employee and labor relations to keep employees informed, develop and implement solutions to problems, maintain effective relationships with labor unions, and ensure countywide consistency in human resource administration. Interpret and apply personnel policies, rules and laws and advise County managers, supervisors, and employees on all aspects of personnel activities. Conduct research into employment law, current best practices in human resources, and department policy and precedent (including those of other counties) to develop solutions to non-routine issues. Develop and advise on alternative courses of action and mediate meetings between County staff and management to resolve conflicts. Interpret and advise management on personnel policies and multiple collective bargaining agreements and provisions to ensure contract compliance.
• Lead investigations into employment complaints and disciplinary cases to ensure appropriate and timely completion in compliance with policy and law, and to resolve problems. Interview employees and conduct research to ascertain information regarding the issue; review past practices of the County; interpret collective bargaining agreements, laws, and policies; prepare disciplinary letters and other documentation for management; and mediate corrective counseling meetings.
• Investigate and resolve grievances and complaints at the lowest level possible by gathering information through research and interviews; reviewing past practices of the County; interpreting collective bargaining agreements, laws, and policies; advising on alternative courses of action; negotiating solutions; and developing case materials for and testifying at administrative hearings.
• Direct internal communications to keep employees informed of all changes in personnel policies and systems to ensure consistency and understanding among management and staff. This includes interpreting new policies and rules and determining their effect on County operations, and providing training and information on policies and procedures through public presentations and individual consultation.
• Identify and develop work modifications for employees covered under the ADA, or for injured employees participating in early-return-to-work or similar programs by identifying the essential functions of the job, developing accommodations, and evaluating alternatives.
• Conduct employee relations counseling and exit interviews to assist County employees.
• Provide training and technical assistance to supervisors in developing performance standards and completing appraisals.
• Recommend, develop and implement appropriate procedures and policies governing the County’s classification process to ensure it is efficient, equitable, and consistent. Recommend and implement classification plans such as identifying/conducting appropriate occupational reviews or planning and supporting the development of career ladders. Administer classification and pay activities using knowledge of public personnel administration and classification practices and methodology including overseeing or performing position classification, providing updates to management on classification issues, and answering questions or explaining decisions to employees and managers.
• Develop and interpret pay plan rules for County management to ensure compliance with pay plan rules, County policies and practices, and union contracts. Investigate and gather data to justify pay adjustments and exceptions as needed or as requested by Department managers. Coordinate pay exception requests for department positions; conduct/coordinate pay surveys for specific classes of positions or for individual positions; and respond to classification and wage appeals by conducting investigations, including the preparation of the County’s response to the appellant’s grievance as well as providing testimony at hearings as necessary.
• Interpret FLSA regulations and makes determinations of FLSA status of positions in the department, with cooperation of the appropriate Department head.
• Participate in County strategic planning and goal setting to provide input into County long-term goals and objectives, ensure Human Resources Department objectives meet the County’s objectives and strategic plan, and to provide information and advice on human resource issues. Participate in Commission and management meetings.
• Oversee the development, enhancement, implementation, and maintenance of human resource information systems (HRIS) and payroll systems, coordinating benefit and insurance administration, and ensuring accurate and timely documentation in paper files and HRIS.
• Participate in the countywide budget process to provide information regarding pay, benefits, staffing and other human resource budget issues each fiscal year.
• Perform a variety of other duties as assigned. This includes directing or participating in special projects and events, conducting research, representing the County at meetings and conferences, and attending continuing education and training.

Physical Demands and Working Conditions:
The demands and conditions described here are representative of those the employee must meet to perform the essential functions of the job.

• Work is in a normal office environment, and may involve overtime and weekend work during peak workloads.
• Work involves physical demands associated with working on a computer, communicating over the phone and in person, and light lifting and filing.
• Ability to read laws, rules, regulations, contracts, computer printouts and other printed materials; ability to participate in conversations in person and over the phone; dexterity to operate office equipment; mobility to move in a normal office environment and conduct work site inspections (e.g., safety inspections); strength sufficient to lift and carry office supplies and materials; and endurance sufficient to maintain activity throughout the entire shift.

Supervision Exercised:
List jobs reporting to the subject position and level of supervisory authority. The position manages the staff of the Human Resources Department.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
The job requires an advanced knowledge of the concepts and theories of human resource management and program administration. This includes knowledge of state and federal employment regulations; management and employment practices; staffing; human resource planning and analysis; compensation and benefits; classification and pay; payroll/benefit administration; employee and labor relations; training and adult education; occupational health, safety, and security practices and regulations; and Human Resource Information Systems (HRIS).

The job requires skill in the operation of a personal computer utilizing updated word processing software, human resources/payroll software system, and other business software (e.g., spreadsheets, databases, email, Internet, etc.). Incumbent must have excellent communication and interpersonal skills.

The job requires the ability to organize, implement, and maintain a variety of personnel functions simultaneously; counsel people in stressful situations; quickly learn applicable laws, rules, regulations, and guidelines; research detailed information and compile data; establish and maintain effective working relationships with employees, managers, other agencies and the public; discreetly keep/use confidential information; effectively communicate verbally and in writing; research and develop new personnel systems and policies; ensure compliance with established laws, rules, policies, and procedures; and analyze a broad range of organizational issues.

This position requires strict standards of confidentiality.

Preferred Education and Experience:

• Preferred background would be a Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Public Administration, or other closely related field and five (5) years of professional Human Resources experience.
• Professional or Senior Professional in Human Resources (PHR/SPHR) certification preferred.
• Experience at a government level preferred.

If interested please submit a completed Beaverhead County Job Application, Cover Letter, Resume and three References in a sealed envelope to:

Attn: Human Resources
C/O Stacey Reynolds
Beaverhead County Clerk & Recorder’s Office
2 S Pacific St #3
Dillon, MT 59725
sreynolds@beaverheadcountymt.gov

Position open until January 23, 2026 or until filled.