What are the responsibilities and job description for the Human Resources Director position at Comma Journalism/The Spokesman-Review?
Comma Journalism Lab dba The Spokesman-Review
The Spokesman-Review, one of the Northwest's most respected and historic media organizations, is seeking a strategic and people-focused Human Resources Director to help lead our organization through the next era of mission-driven journalism and media innovation.
This executive leadership role will oversee all human resources operations, including employee relations, talent acquisition, compliance, compensation, organizational development, and labor relations within a dynamic newsroom and publishing environment. The ideal candidate is an experienced HR leader who thrives in fast-paced, evolving organizations and understands the importance of balancing operational excellence with a strong employee-centered culture.
Position: Human Resources Director
Status: Exempt
Salary: $95,000-$105,000 DOE
Location: Spokane, WA
Key Responsibilities:
- Serve as a strategic advisor to executive leadership
- Lead employee relations, investigations, and workforce planning
- Oversee HR compliance with Federal and Washington State labor laws
- Support labor relations and collective bargaining activities
- Drive recruitment, retention, onboarding, and leadership development initiatives
- Maintain HR policies, systems, and organizational best practices
- Help strengthen organizational culture, accountability, and mission alignment
- Partner with newsroom and operational leaders to support sustainable growth and transformation
Qualifications:
- Bachelor's degree in HR, Business Administration, or related field
- 8 years of progressive HR leadership experience
- Strong knowledge of Washington State employment law
- Experience in unionized environments preferred
- Exceptional communication, judgment, and leadership skills
- Experience within media, publishing, nonprofit, or mission-driven organizations strongly preferred
- Experience with Rippling or other app-based, decentralized HRIS preferred
Benefits:
- Executive leadership opportunity within a highly respected media organization
- Collaborative, mission-focused work environment
- Opportunity to help shape the future of local journalism in the Inland Northwest
- A complete list of benefits can be found here: heyzine.com/flip-book/commabenefitsguide2026
To Apply:
Please submit a resume and cover letter outlining your qualifications and leadership experience to: aaronk@spokesman.com
The Comma Journalism Lab is an equal opportunity employer committed to building a diverse and inclusive workplace.
Salary : $95,000 - $105,000