If you are a mission-minded and strategic HR executive with the experience and expertise to leverage existing momentum to take an HR department to the next level, your next career move could be the Human Resources Director (HR Director) of Burke County – an adventurous NC mountain community known as “nature’s playground.” This HR Director will join an organization with a highly engaged and respected County Manager and a culture that emphasizes Public Purpose, Prioritizes its People, and Promotes High Performance. 

The next HR Director will transition the Burke County Human Resources Department to a centralized structure, emphasizing organizational culture change, and updating and implementing initiatives such as performance evaluation, and policy development. The ideal candidateis approachable, receptive,and demonstrates passion and enthusiasm for enhancing the department's services and values. 

The County Manager desires an HR Director who:

• has extensive knowledge of the philosophy, principles, and practices of public personnel administration, such as classification and pay, recruitment and selection, and federal, state, and local laws about employment. 
• values High Performance and embraces constant reinvention (Re-Engineering) to meet the needs of community members; 
• has a diverse background in risk management, impeccable conflict resolution skills, and the ability to explain nuanced differences with other departments; 
• is an excellent trainer and subject matter expert who confidently educates and trains a team of dedicated professionals, ensuring consistency and accuracy within the department and organizational-wide; 
• challenges ideas and approaches with a DEI perspective to ensure compliance and accountability and fair and equitable treatment for all; 
• exhibits creativity and vision in their decision-making skills; 
• demonstrates keen analytical skills and the ability to evaluate, analyze, interpret, and use data to make informed decisions that drive positive changes; 
• is knowledgeable and experienced with HR software (the County currently utilizes Munis; 
• is knowledgeable and has understanding of the concept of substantial equivalency and familiarity with OSHR standards; 
• addresses challenges and opportunities proactively and strategically; 
• is a champion for employees regardless of department, tenure, or position with a track record of building trust, ensuring accountability, and developing employee programs that support high morale; and, 
• is an empowering leader who will serve as an ambassador for the County and advocate for resources to support a cohesive HR vision throughout the County while working with stakeholders to deliver collaborative solutions and execute the strategic vision.

About the Organization:

Burke County operates under the Commission-Manager form of government. The Burke County Commissioners are a five-member board elected at large to serve four-year staggered terms. The County is dedicated to maintaining a working environment where staff listen more than they speak. The organization is united around processing information through the ODI framework. This decision-making framework provides a non-debatable chronological order - Organization, Department, Individual – to ensure uniformity in how and why decisions are made in Burke County Government. 

The Board's strategic goals, which speak to a County positioned for excellence, are outlined within five focus areas: Community Advancement, Economic Growth & Sustainment, Public Safety & Well-Being, Fiscal Stewardship, and Employer of Choice.

The County’s comprehensive services are provided by 700 dedicated employees across 28 departments and supported by a General Fund FY 23-24 budget of $108M. Burke County has the third largest concentration of state employment in North Carolina. For more information about Burke County, visit https://www.burkenc.org. 

About the Department and Position:

The Burke County Human Resources Department is responsible for recruiting and hiring new employees, overseeing employee relations, administering employee benefits, training, classification and pay, and managing safety and risk. 

The HR Director oversees a budget of $1.6M and 6 direct reports. Embracing a relatively new but competent workforce, the next HR Director will work strategically and authentically to establish trust with employees and integrate a culture of trust throughout the organization. Employees desire an open-minded leader who will evaluate opportunities to expand employee benefits and offerings and demonstrate a sincere commitment to ensuring that the employees of Burke County are cared for, appreciated, and valued.

Key Position Priorities: 

• Evaluate current HR staffing, departmental organization, policies, procedures, and practices to assess what alignment and changes are needed to meet organizational needs that ensure outstanding, legally compliant HR outcomes.
• Support staff to be passionate about the Burke County vision, meet high-performance standards, work together in a unified fashion, and collaborate with partners to achieve strategic goals.
• Develop a vision and strategic priorities for the department to support its growth and sustainability further. 
• Assess the County’s training and development needs to create initiatives that ensure effective employee development, crisis and discipline management, engagement, retention, and succession planning. 
• Build relationships with key stakeholders within and beyond the County government organization to enhance the recruitment of a highly skilled and dedicated workforce. 

A bachelor’s degree in personnel management, public administration, business administration, or a related field is required, along with ten (10) years of increasingly responsible executive-level experiences, preferably in a private or public sector human resources operation. A master's degree is highly preferred. HR certification (e.g., SPHR, SHRM-SCP, IPMA-CP) or eligibility and desire to sit for certification are preferred. Extensive knowledge of HR technology solutions, Substantial Equivalency, & OSHR regulations, personnel management: classification and compensation, employee climate versatility, personnel policy development, professional leadership development, metrics evaluation, and cross-department collaboration to solve complex human resources issues is required.

About the Community: 

Located in the west central section of North Carolina’s Mountain region, just 50 miles east of Asheville, Burke County and its eight municipalities provide a slower pace of life to its nearly 90,000 community members. Morganton, the County seat, covers 19 miles and is home to almost 17,000 people. Formed from Rowan County in 1777, Burke County was named for Thomas Burke, who served as a delegate to the Continental Congress(1777 to 1781). He was later elected Governor of North Carolina, serving from 1781 to 1782.  

Burke County’s diverse economy includes industrial products from technological, furniture, medical, chemical, machine component, and textile manufacturers and a thriving tourism industry driven by the charm of growing downtowns and abundant natural lakes, rivers, forests, mountains, and protected parklands. The County is home to Lake James State Park, South Mountains State Park, Linville Gorge, the Fonta Flora State trail, and a portion of the Pisgah National Forest. Because of the size of these parks and forest lands, the U.S.government and the state of NC are two of the three largest landholders in the County.

A popular spot for visitors and locals, Lake James, a pristine lake fed by three rivers, covers 6,500 surface acres and 150 miles of shoreline. Located at the base of the Blue Ridge Mountains, not far from the charming towns of Morganton and Marion, Lake James is surrounded by the Linville Gorge Wilderness and the Pisgah National Forest. The Lake James State Park offers a public beach for swimming, picnic areas, canoe rentals, nature trails, and camping. 

Burke County is also home to the western campus of the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics (NCSSM) and Western Piedmont Community College. The NCSSM Morganton campus opened in August 2022 and now serves 300 juniors and seniors from across NC through its two-year residential high school program that includes rigorous math, science, and humanities courses. 

Burke County's rich history is reflected in over 40 historic sites and attractions listed on the National Register of Historic Places, many of which are in Morganton. Morganton's Downtown National Historic District encompasses 62 commercial, industrial, and governmental buildings built between 1889 and 1940. It includes representative examples of Classical Revival, Art Deco, and Italianatearchitecture. Attractive sites include the Old Burke County Courthouse, Morganton Post Office, and the Morganton Community House.

Salary and Benefits: The hiring range is $105,000.00 - $125,000.00, dependingon experience and qualifications. View the County's comprehensive benefits package here. 

To apply, please visit https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/developmentalassociates and click on the Human Resources Director – Burke County, NC title. 

• All applications must be submitted online via the Developmental Associates application portal (link above) – NOT the County’s employment application portal or any other external website. 
• Resumes and cover letters must be uploaded with the application. 
• Applicants should apply by May 16, 2024. 
• Successful semi-finalists will be invited to participate in virtual interviews and skill evaluation interviews on June 11 - 12, 2024. Candidates are encouraged to reserve these dates for virtual meetings should they be invited to participate. Interviews with the leadership team will follow quickly at a subsequent time in person. 
• Direct inquiries to hiring@developmentalassociates.com.  

Burke County, NC, is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Developmental Associates, LLC manages the recruitment and selection process for this position. To learn more about our selection process, visit https://developmentalassociates.com/client-openings/, select "Client Openings," and scroll down to "Important Information for Applicants."

 
The recruitment and selection process is being managed by Developmental Associates, LLC.