HR Manager

Job Description

We are currently seeking an experienced HR Manager in our Fairfax, VA headquarters office, with a strong focus on employee relations, talent and performance management, and compliance to support Operational Leadership. The ideal candidate will ensure that our HR policies and practices meet legal and regulatory requirements, foster a positive workplace culture through effective employee relations strategies, and work closely with leaders within the organization developing plans for high potential employees to ensure readiness for strategic promotions.  This position serves as a support member of the operational management team for a defined internal client base. The successful candidate will actively support discussions and help drive best practices within different functions in the organization. The HR Manager supports and ensures focus around people management. 

Dewberry prides itself on a culture of collaboration where in-person interaction with our clients and each other is essential for full exchanging of ideas, successful project delivery, developing meaningful professional relationships, gaining mentorship, and developing our workforce. While we offer flexible schedules, we prioritize in-person presence in the office. This role will require working out of the office at least three times a week.

Dewberry is a leading, market-facing professional services firm with more than 60 locations and 2,500 professionals nationwide.  What sets us apart from our competitors are our people. At Dewberry, we seek out exceptional talent and strive to deliver the highest quality of services to our clients. Whether you’re an experienced professional or a new graduate, you’ll have the chance to collaborate with the best and brightest and work on innovative and complex projects at the forefront of the industry. Our commitment to excellence stems from our personal integrity and from other defining attributes, which we call “Dewberry at Work,” that have inspired our employees to be successful for more than a half-century.

Responsibilities

• Partners with HR and Business Unit leadership to implement and deliver HR programs, including talent management, succession planning, workforce planning, and skills assessment and development.
• Guides managers through progressively complex HR issues by providing sound personnel advice to managers in their assigned region
• Manages employee relations cases and takes the lead on employee investigations and compliance cases.
• Drives the HR and company strategy in close coordination with managers
• Assists in the development of management by providing appropriate tools, insight and feedback, working closely with the training and development team in identifying appropriate resources
• Acts as a primary point of contact for HR related issues, counseling, development, and general information from the employees and managers in the region to which they are assigned
• Proactively drives HR processes, company policies and corporate culture with the business units
• Manages complex HR projects cross-functionally
• Builds a strong business relationship with designated internal client base, including both managers and employees, with a primary focus on employee engagement and retention
• Actively identifies gaps in processes, development, retention strategies and other HR related areas and actively proposes and assists in the implementation of changes that facilitate the goals and objectives of the employee population to which they are assigned
• Maintains comprehensive knowledge of policies, procedures, local legislation, and labor laws to reduce legal risks and ensure compliance. Collaborate with the legal department as needed.
• Acts as the performance improvement driver and assists in driving positive changes working closely with the management team to effect those changes
• Responsible for facilitating conversations relative to in succession planning with a focus on key talent and roles, supporting of Operational Leadership
• Partners with Compensation and Benefits team to handle complex compensation, benefits, accommodations and leave matters
• Partners with Recruiting team and hiring manager to incorporate best practice and select recruitment activities
• Where appropriate, helps leadership identify solutions in organization structure and serves as a resource to facilitate those agreed upon changes
• Periodic travel to Operational team meetings is required. The candidate is expected (where possible) to visit each geographic location to which they are assigned at least once annually, but also when necessary due to any specific situation requiring HR support.

Leadership Competencies 

Achieving results

• Makes clear decisions on a path forward after risks have been assessed
• Demonstrates a willingness to advance an initiative forward without total certainty as to an outcome
• Works with managers on creative solutions and problem solving
• Responsive to requests and deliverables in a timely manner
• Ability to successfully bring assigned projects to a successful close and experience helping to management change in large organizations

Communication 

• Knows when to talk and when to listen
• Adapts their personal communication style to reflect and support the styles of others
• Chooses the most effective medium for communication based on the subject matter and audience
• Ability to present and communicate information and policies to a diverse population

Critical Thinking

• Examines the root cause behind issues prior to acting
• Models the ability to facilitate idea generation and remain open to new and untested ideas
• Ability to analyze situations and assist in bringing issues to successful resolution using sound HR problem solving skills
• Ability to proactivity engage in difficult conversations guide towards a positive outcome

Relationship Building 

• Build relationships with teammates, managers and employees based on trust.
• Demonstrates emotional intelligence by managing emotions during stressful situations or in times of conflict, recognize how the emotions of team members may impact others’ reactions and counsel others to employ critical thinking skills to resolve emotionally charged problems and interactions

Resilience 

• Support managers and team members through challenging and unprecedented times and help them navigate change and the unknown productively

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Required Skills & Required Experience

• Bachelor’s degree required
• Minimum 7 years of progressive HR manager experience
• Strong verbal and written communication skills are required
• Solid understanding of HR practices and procedures in addition to federal, state and local laws that govern personnel activities
• Willingness to assist any team member in need of support
• Strong business acumen and time management skills
• Ability to remain a neutral third-party and maintain credibility as a consultant to management and employees
• Ability to travel up to 20% of the time
• Experience with HRIS preferred
• PHR and DiSC Certification or pursuit of certification within first year preferred

*At this time, Dewberry will not sponsor a new applicant for work authorization.

*Dewberry is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, gender identity or sexual orientation.

*Only recipients of an offer of employment from Dewberry, will be required to submit to a background screening which may include, but is not limited to, employment verification, educational and other credential verification, driving record check, criminal background check, and an investigative consumer report. These screenings will be conducted by Dewberry’s background vendor of choice and will be conducted in compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local law.

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Salary Range

The projected range for this position is $114,000-$146,000 annually in our Fairfax, VA office. Depending upon other factors, i.e., skills, experience, location, market conditions, the range may vary slightly.