I recently wrote an article on Human Resources Manager Jobs and Roles, where I listed the different positions under the umbrella of Human Resources, including Director of Human Resources. A Human Resources Director creates and implements the organization’s HR policies and activities. They also manage all HR staff, from recruitment and onboarding to performance management, promotion, and exit interviews.

If you are interested in managing activities related to a company’s staff, a career as a human resources (HR) director is a perfect job for you. This position can be incredibly fulfilling because it allows you to build strategies that promote employee engagement while also increasing the organization’s overall success. 

Learning about some of the primary responsibilities of human resources directors can help you determine whether this position is a good fit for you.

In this article, I will be focusing only on the human resources director job, the skills required, and everything you need to know about the position and how to become one.

Key Takeaways 

• Human Resources Directors play a crucial role in shaping a company’s success by aligning HR strategies with broader business goals, balancing the needs of both the organization and its employees, and driving initiatives that enhance employee engagement and organizational effectiveness.
• Becoming an HR Director typically requires years of progressive experience in the HR field. This journey includes gaining expertise from entry-level roles to specialist and mid-management positions, highlighting the dedication needed to reach this senior role.
• To become an HR Director, you typically require at least a bachelor’s degree, and to grow in your HR job, you must also be dedicated and persistent. 
• Beyond HR expertise, successful HR Directors must also excel in managing budgets and resolving conflicts. This role demands strong leadership, analytical abilities, and effective communication to handle sensitive issues, negotiate employment agreements, and ensure compliance with evolving employment laws

Who Is a Human Resources Director?

HR Directors supervise all aspects of the Human Resources function, with the primary goal of aligning HR strategy with the organization’s broader business objectives. 

This senior position is unique in that it requires balancing the needs of the company and its staff. This role necessitates empathy, good judgment, and great communication skills to implement procedures and standards that benefit both the business and employees.

Another important skill for Human Resources Directors is dealing with sensitive employee issues such as disciplinary actions and layoffs. Being a mediator between management and employees in conflicts or disputes, combined with ever-changing employment laws and labor market developments, adds to the role’s uniqueness and complexity. 

According to Zippia, 57% of HR Directors work in large companies (with more than 10,000 employees). 24% of Human Resources Directors work for Fortune 500 companies, while 12% work in healthcare institutions. 

HR Directors typically report directly to the CEO in smaller businesses, although they may report to the VP of HR or CHRO in larger organizations.

See Also: Is Human Resources a Good Career Choice for You? A Detailed Guide for Your HR Journey

Responsibilities

What does a Human Resources director do?

Human resource directors have a wide range of responsibilities. From department financing and staffing to company-wide hiring and retention strategizing, you’ll make sure that all employees are well-equipped to carry out their jobs.

Their responsibilities may include: 

• Hire and onboard new employees and negotiate employment agreements. 
• Create and implement HR policies for the entire organization. 
• Ensure that an organization maintains compliance with laws and regulations. 
• Oversee HR managers to guarantee effective daily operations and train the HR department. 
• Discipline and terminate employees. 
• Work with executives and senior leaders to align HR policies with the company’s strategic goals. 
• Conduct research, assess organizational trends, and apply best practices in hiring, talent management, and retention. 
• Plan and execute HR functions strategically, such as compensation and benefits, performance management, training and development, occupational safety, employee communications, employee experience, and employee relations. 
• Create and manage the budget for the Human Resources Department.

Where Do HR Directors Work? 

A friend of mine just launched a new business and already has a well-versed HR team on the ground. That goes to show just how important HR is! Human resource directors are needed in all industries. Every organization has an HR department that is responsible for compensation, benefits, recruiting, and employee satisfaction. As a human resource director, your specific HR duties may be influenced by your location and other variables. HR directors in smaller companies, for example, may take a hands-on approach to completing daily tasks. Larger company HR directors, on the other hand, can focus on long-term strategy while assigning smaller responsibilities to HR managers and HR specialists. 

HR directors may work in one or more of the following locations: 

• Small, medium, and large businesses 
• Talent agencies 
• Educational Institutions 
• Hospitals 
• Government organizations 
• Non-profit organizations

Human Resources Director’s Salary 

The Human Resources Director’s salary is determined by their years of experience, education, industry, and qualifications. According to Payscale, the average annual income for an HR Director in the United States is roughly $179,000. Whereas, Glassdoor has an average total pay of around $171,000 per year. 

The average pay varies per city and state. According to Payscale, the average yearly pay of an HR Director in Chicago is little more than $106,000, while their New York counterparts earn more than $210,000.

See Also: How Much Does Human Resources Make in 2024? Detailed Pay Guide

Human Resources Director Qualifications, Experience, and Skills 

1. Education

In addition to a relevant Bachelor’s degree (HR, business management, organizational development, psychology), most organizations (confirmed by a majority of HR professionals I’ve coached for the position) prefer HR Director candidates with a Master’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or Labor Relations. 

There are various online certifications you can take to build the additional skills and competencies required for the role, I recommend:

• HR Manager Certificate Program – AIHR: This online program will broaden your human resource expertise to include lean management and a better understanding of HR operations. You will learn how to take a ‘big picture’ approach to business, OD, and HR operating models, adapt a business-driven HR strategy, construct an agile HR function, and acquire leadership qualities suitable for an HR Director. 

• Senior Certified Professional – SHRM: To qualify for this course, you must have at least three years of experience performing strategic level HR or related duties and be actively employed in an HR managing position. This course will teach you how to create HR policies, implement integrated HR operations, manage an entire HR department, and drive the alignment of HR strategy with organizational goals.

An MBA in Human Resources will help you develop a more realistic approach to leadership and workforce planning based on real-world experiences. Check out some of the online MBA programs provided by various universities: 

• Online MBA in Human Resources Management – Maryville University: This course will help you prepare for a senior HR professional position and gain expertise in the strategic and policy-making areas of HR management. It covers hiring and retaining personnel, employment law, compliance, remuneration, and benefits.

• Master of Business Administration, Human Resources at Pittsburgh State University: This course includes typical business disciplines such as business finance and managerial accounting (pre-requisite courses), with a focus on human resource development strategies, foundations, and applications, as well as organizational development and transformation. Students can choose to attend face-to-face, online, or hybrid classes.

2. Years of Experience

An HR Director should have 5-15 years of experience in Human Resources. This experience includes extensive knowledge and application of recruitment, compensation, training and development, performance management, and employee relations.

3. Knowledge 

In addition, an HR Director should have an extensive knowledge of 

• Strategic HR management: Thorough understanding of HR operations and how they fit into the company’s overall business strategy. 

• Workforce planning: Analyzing and forecasting workforce supply and demand to ensure that the organization always has the best person for the job. 

• Organizational development: Understanding organizational structure and functions, as well as change management and best practices for cultivating a positive company culture. 

• Employment laws and regulations: Deep understanding of labor regulations, employment laws, and compliance standards to ensure ethical and legal business practices. 

• Talent Acquisition and Retention: High expertise in recruitment methods, onboarding, and other HR techniques for attracting and retaining top talent.

• Compensation and benefits: Knowledgeable in developing attractive compensation packages, appealing benefits plans, and incentives that are in line with industry standards. 

• Performance management: Overseeing strategies for managing employee performance to boost productivity and help organizations achieve their goals. 

• Training and development: Familiar with training needs analysis, training methods, learning management systems, and creating employee development programs. 

• Employee relations: Ability to resolve conflicts, disputes, and grievances while maintaining a positive and peaceful work environment. 

• Change management: guide the transition or transformation of an organization’s goals, processes, or technologies. 

• HR technology: Manage HR technology systems and use data analytics to make sound decisions about talent management, employee engagement, and other HR responsibilities.

• Diversity, equality, and inclusion: Understanding the value of developing a diverse workforce and carrying out fair and equitable initiatives.

4. Skills Required 

• HR expertise: In-depth understanding of HR principles and best practices, including knowledge of HR laws and regulations, recruitment, compensation, employee development, and employee relations. A strong track record of successfully executing HR strategies. 

• Leadership: Leading a team of HR experts to manage hiring, development, and retention operations. They serve on the company’s leadership team as representatives of the human resources department. Ability to make quick and precise decisions, particularly in time-critical situations. 

• Finance: Creating and monitoring the HR department’s budget. This is an important skill for ensuring that resources are split and managed appropriately based on individual and team needs.

• Conflict resolution: Managing employee conflicts before escalating by properly mediating and handling complaints. This skill is also useful when dealing with labor disputes, negotiating pay, and addressing insurance claims. 

• Analytical skills: Thorough analysis of HR data to evaluate the effectiveness of HR processes, identify areas for improvement, and make data-driven decisions. 

• Organizational skills: Efficient management of HR operations such as managing multiple projects at simultaneously, prioritizing critical tasks, and meeting deadlines. They must also ensure that employee information is correctly stored and updated so that it is available and accessible at any time.

• Problem-solving skills: They must exercise sound judgment while dealing with issues and risks in the HR department. They must be analytical, collect all data, and weigh the pros and cons to make good decisions and keep the HR department running smoothly. 

• Communication and interpersonal skills: Effectively communicate human resource policies. HR Directors should be role models for fostering positive working relationships, thus they must be able to interact and establish rapport with stakeholders at all levels. 

• Public speaking: Human resources directors convey company policies to all employees and give HR presentations to management for approval. The ability to speak to large groups of people is vital.

How to Become an HR Director

Here’s how you can become a human resources director: 

1. Get a bachelor’s degree

To be eligible for HR director jobs, you must first get an undergraduate degree. Consider getting a degree in human resources, business, or a closely similar field. During your degree program, to broaden your knowledge, I recommend taking several HR-related classes, such as: 

• Organizational development 
• Business management 
• Business Ethics and Labor Laws 
• Psychology 
• Accounting 
• Statistical Analysis

2. Obtain a master’s degree

Most companies require HR directors to have a master’s degree, preferably in human resources, labor relations, or business management. A full-time master’s degree normally takes two years to complete. While pursuing your graduate degree, you receive in-depth training on a variety of HR topics. A master’s degree program may require you to take the following classes: 

• Training and Development 
• Employee Relations 
• Collective bargaining 
• Compensation and Benefits 
• Employment law
• Strategic planning
• Performance Management 
• Labor Relations and Collective Bargaining 
• Organizational behavior

3. Gain experience

Employers typically prefer candidates who have at least five years of experience in various areas of human resources. Look for entry-level positions that allow you to get experience in a variety of HR areas, including benefits coordination, recruiting and training, labor relations, organizational growth, and risk management. Early in your career, strive to improve your skills and get a comprehensive understanding of HR functions. 

After working in an entry-level position, aim to rise to a specialist or management position that matches your interests and long-term professional ambitions. This type of experience can teach you how to manage and motivate others to perform to the best of their abilities. Other opportunities to develop useful experience and leadership skills include volunteering and joining professional organizations. 

See Also: 14 Entry-Level Human Resources Jobs: All You Need to Know

4. Pursue industry certifications

There are numerous industry certifications available to HR managers and directors. Consider getting industry certification to show potential employers your ability to meet the demands of a leadership position. Several well-known HR organizations, such as the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), the International Society for Performance Improvement, and the Association for Talent Development, offer certification programs.

Frequently Asked Questions 

What Does a Human Resources Director Do?

A Human Resources director is a senior executive who oversees the planning, development, and management of all aspects related to human resources.

What Is the Difference between HR and HR Director?

An HR director delegates responsibility for the human resources department’s day-to-day operations to the HR manager. The HR director is more concerned with the big picture of how human resources contribute to the organization’s goals and missions, according to Insights for Professionals.

What Is the Job Title of HR Director?

HR Director, Director of People Operations, CHRO (Chief Human Resource Officer). This title is held by the highest-ranking HR official in a company or organization, usually at a group level.

Who Does an HR Director Report To?

It is widely believed that the Head of HR should report directly to the CEO rather than to another executive, such as the Chief Operations Officer (COO) or Chief Financial Officer (CFO).

Read Also

• HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGER JOBS: Thrive in Human Resources Managerial Roles!
• Essential Skills That Make an Effective Chief Human Resources Officer
• How Much Does Human Resources Make in 2024? Detailed Pay Guide

References 

• Aihr.com
• Indeed.com
• Hr.university