Division of Personnel Director

The Office of Administration (OA) serves as the administrative arm of the Governor’s Office coordinating the central management functions of state government to help executive departments operate efficiently and effectively. OA includes seven divisions and a collective of boards, commissions, and programs. OA performs vital functions necessary for the operation of state government, from management of position classification, personnel compensation, centralized accounting, budgeting, information technology, document solutions, and procurement services to maintenance of state buildings, and beyond.

The State of Missouri is leading a transformative approach to end-to-end talent management as part of its broader management agenda. At the center of this effort is the OA’s Division of Personnel, responsible for advancing lasting change across a workforce of approximately 50,000 team members. We are seeking a visionary Director of Personnel to lead this division and guide innovative statewide initiatives!

The Director of Personnel will drive all aspects of talent management transformation and strategic workforce planning across all executive agencies to include administering State Personnel Law, as prescribed in RSMo Chapter 36 and Division of Personnel Regulations, 1 CSR 20. This position directly collaborates with executive statewide leadership to identity, develop, and manage transformative talent management initiatives across the executive branch to implement innovative strategies to enable a high-performing, dynamic state workforce. In this role, you’ll also be at the forefront of driving effective human resources (HR) practices across state government.

The Director of Personnel oversees all aspects of strategic workforce planning, talent management, and best practices for HR operations across Missouri’s executive agencies. Key responsibilities include:

Leadership and Collaboration

• Work with executive leadership across OA and state government to develop and execute statewide talent management and workforce planning strategies.
• Guide, mentor, and inspire a team of professionals specializing in talent acquisition, professional development, rewards and recognition programs, data analysis, and classification, compensation, and compliance.
• Provide guidance to the HR teams in all state departments.
• Cultivate a culture of teamwork, continuous improvement, high performance, rewards and recognition, and accountability.
• Model excellence in leadership, acting with urgency to achieve results and lead efforts to cultivate a culture of effective, data-based decision making.

Strategic Planning

• Lead statewide strategic initiatives and legislative priorities concerning talent management, workforce planning, and compensation.
• Oversee the implementation of legislative changes affecting HR polices and operations.
• Identifies compensation strategies based upon recruitment and retention data and labor market trends/influences.
• Lead statewide strategic succession planning efforts to reduce risk and disruption and provide for stability and continuity of operations within a culture of leadership development.

Talent Management and Compliance

• Promote fair and equitable HR practices, labor relationships and negotiations, and ensure compliance with state and federal employment laws.
• Review and evaluate talent management operations to identify areas for improvement to drive impact and efficiencies.
• Develop innovative programs for recruitment, retention, and employee development to meet workforce needs

Minimum Qualifications

• Candidates must meet the following requirements under Missouri law. Section 36.080.1 RSMo (Supp. 2023):
  • Experienced in the principles and methods of personnel administration and familiarity with the application of merit principles and efficient methods of public administration.
  • Must not engage in the following activities while serving as director or during the prior year:
    • A member of any local, state or national committee of a political party;
    • A member of any partisan political club or organization;
    • Actively participate in any partisan political campaign; or
    • Hold or be a candidate for any partisan public office.
• Candidates must possess a minimum of six years of professional experience in talent management/personnel/human resources administration, with at least three years in a senior management role within a large organization.
• A Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in business administration, human resources, government affairs, or similar field is preferred. A Master’s degree is a plus.

Lack of a post-secondary education will not be used as the sole basis denying consideration to any applicant.

Preferred Qualifications

• Proven ability to lead and manage complex HR or talent management programs in public or private sectors.
• Extensive knowledge of employment law.
• Experience designing and implementing recruitment, retention, and workforce development initiatives.
• Knowledge of data analysis best practices.
• Commitment to data-driven decision-making and performance.
• Knowledge of public sector compensation systems, including the role of non-financial incentives in a comprehensive structure, and legislative processes.
• Experience in implementing business process improvements, such as Lean Six Sigma methodologies.
• Strong collaboration skills with a track record of developing effective partnerships and facilitating discussions with diverse stakeholders.
• Proven track record of employing effective, innovative strategies to address challenges involving limited resources when competing for top talent in the job market.
• Ability to develop and realize a new leadership model that defines behaviors and expectations of leaders and team members across the workforce.

Successful background check results are required for employment in this position. This may include background checks involving a candidate's name and/or fingerprints and other screenings as needed for the specific position.

The State of Missouri also offers an outstanding benefits package, including:

• A defined pension plan;
• Generous amounts of leave and holiday time; and
• Comprehensive health insurance coverage.

Your total compensation is more than the dollars you receive in your paycheck! Explore more about state benefits and resources, including tools like the Total Compensation Calculator for a full view of benefits and compensation here .

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• State of Missouri

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