GENERAL SUMMARY

Lead a dynamic, collaborative, and solution-oriented HR leadership team focused on delivering excellence within a fast-paced and highly complex environment.  Responsible for the leadership, direction, oversight, and alignment of all human resource strategies, programs, and policies in support of strategic plan and business objectives and compliance with regulatory requirements. Manages labor relations, employee relations, talent acquisition/ staffing, compensation, benefits, EEO, affirmative action, HR information systems, and leadership training & development. Consults with management and staff at all levels on human resource matters and ensures the HR department provides excellence in customer service and a solution-oriented approach. Provide strategic HR consultation to executive leadership on emerging workforce risks, organizational readiness, talent trends, and long-term HR capabilities.  

PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTABILITIES

EXCELLENCE IN LEADERSHIP – HR DEPARTMENT:

• Establish human resource strategies and action plans that attract, develop, and retain a high performing diverse workforce in support of business objectives. Manage the operations of the Human Resources Department in a way that delivers performance excellence and results, including effective customer service, solution-oriented approaches, program administration, compliance, and budget management. Participate in special assignments and provide human resources leadership in various forums (e.g., committees, management meetings).

• Effectively performance manage the human resources staff by providing clear expectations, timely feedback, coaching, and a learning environment conducive to high productivity, strong customer service, a solution-oriented approach to supporting the agency, and development of a proficient HR staff. Ensure HR teammates utilize industry best practices and benchmarking, appropriate use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and other technologies, and internal partnering to deliver excellence in support and results.

• Serve as chair on the HR Committee to the Senior Leadership Team. Maintain appropriate and value-added agenda content for this monthly core business meeting.

• Ensure policies, programs, and training courses comply with state and federal regulations and pertinent case law (e.g., FLSA, PERC, ADA, FMLA/PFML, EEO, etc.).

• Prioritize, coordinate, and monitor work, demonstrating sensitivity to customer needs and effective issues resolution.

• Demonstrate effective communication skills of all types (oral, written, performance management, public speaking, etc.).

EXCELLENCE IN LEADERSHIP – KEY STAKEHOLDERS:

• Agency Leaders: Consult with various members of management, including senior and executive leaders, and present/communicate recommendations, processes, policies and/or program changes as appropriate. Work in a collaborative nature with other departments.

• Board Relations: Serve on the Executive Board’s HR-related committee and provide excellence in support. Present to the Executive Board and Board of Directors as needed (attendance at Board meetings typically requires travel at least a few times/year). Serve as the primary back-up to HR Manager-Total Rewards staff liaison role.

• External Agencies: Prepare, review, revise, and update assigned policies, procedures, and programs to ensure continual compliance with regulatory requirements and support of current business needs. Ensure team is reliable and accurate in supporting multiple audits and meeting with auditors. Frequently meet with and be interviewed on HR programs and practices by industry experts, auditors, etc.

OVERSIGHT – HR LEADERSHIP TEAM DISCIPLINES:

HR Business Partners/Employee Relations and Labor Relations:

• Promote an environment that fosters healthy labor relations and proactive assistance for the agency’s employee relations and other HR support needs. Provide oversight and support to the HR Manager-Labor/Employee relations in managing the negotiation of collective bargaining agreements and grievances, using the principles of interest-based bargaining. Provide avenues for resolving work related and personal issues through internal problem resolution mechanisms and external professional assistance.

Total Rewards & HR Information System:

• Provide oversight and support to the HR Manager – Total Rewards on the development and maintenance of a total rewards philosophy, practices and programs that result in competitive, rewarding, and cost- effective salaries, benefits, recognition programs and incentive compensation. Ensure the HR team implements and maintains best practice HR information systems that result in reliable, efficient, and user-friendly processes and data.

Talent Acquisition:

• Develop and maintain talent acquisition and workforce planning strategies that result in highly qualified and diverse applicant pools. Oversee and support the HR Supervisor-Talent Acquisition in managing the requisition, screening, and selection process. Promote and administer a compliant affirmative action plan. Provide effective workforce planning processes and key performance indicators (e.g., workforce dashboards, metrics, and reporting).

Leadership Training & Development:

• Lead a team responsible for coordinating world-class leadership training and development programs. EN’s leadership training & development courses, programs and tools should serve as a catalyst for developing effective, knowledgeable and proficient leaders. Appropriately partner and collaborate with other EN organizations and leaders on the maintenance and delivery of leadership training and development programs.

OTHER DUTIES / ROLES AS ASSIGNED

• Complete special projects as assigned and periodically provide backup to SVP/CAO on additional business needs.

• Support emergency preparedness organizational efforts and serve in designated role for EN’s Emergency Response Organization (requires training and participation in response to drills or events).

• Serve in an outage and/or pre-outage role as needed to support EN’s refueling outages.

• Oversee continuous improvement initiatives aimed at optimizing HR operational effectiveness.

REQUIRED EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Human Resource Management or related field from an accredited college or university and twelve years of exempt level experience in human resources, five of which must be in management. (Up to five of the twelve years can be in a related field such as organizational development, employee concerns or legal services);

OR in lieu of degree, twenty years of exempt level experience in human resources or a related field, five of which must be in management.

Pay Range

Midpoint:

Typically, selected candidates are hired between the minimum and midpoint of the range, based on applicable experience and qualifications, market rate, internal equity, and budgetary allowances.

Offers will be negotiated based on each candidate's qualifications.

Incentive Compensation

This role may be eligible to participate in our annual incentive plan. Incentives are earned based on employee performance against defined metrics and company goals.

Benefits

Energy Northwest (EN) provides a phenomenal benefits package. Washington State also has no state income tax, and the Tri-Cities provides a cost-of-living lower than the national average.

EN offers substantial retirement benefits through three retirement programs including the Washington State Public Employees' Retirement System pension plan (PERS), a 401(k) savings plan with an employer match component, and a 457(b) savings plan. EN also offers multiple options for medical, dental, vision, disability and life insurance coverage. Other voluntary benefits may include flexible spending accounts (FSAs), tuition reimbursement, student loan repayment, childcare subsides, health reimbursement arrangement (HRA VEBA), health savings account (HSA), supplemental life insurances, credit monitoring/identity theft insurance, and more! Qualifying employees will typically start a personal time accrual rate of 160 hours per year and EN provides nine paid holidays throughout the Calander year; personal time accruals grow significantly at various service intervals.

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and do not discriminate due to race, color, age, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, ethnicity, religion, national origin, veteran status or on the basis of disability.

Know Your Rights: Workplace discrimantion is illegal