Human Resources/Risk Manager

The City of Carpinteria is Accepting Applications for

HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGER

Salary Range: $96,993.94 - $133,366.67 annually*Plus, a generous benefits packageRecruitment will remain open through October 6, 2026

Are you an experienced human resources professional looking for an opportunity to make a meaningful impact in a close-knit, community-focused organization? Do you enjoy working collaboratively with employees and department leaders while balancing employee relations, recruitment, benefits, compliance, and organizational needs? If so, we encourage you to apply!

The ideal candidate will be a collaborative and solutions-oriented HR professional who can build strong working relationships, exercise sound judgment, maintain confidentiality, and effectively navigate a wide range of human resources matters. This position offers the opportunity to make a direct contribution to the City's workplace culture and organizational effectiveness while supporting the delivery of high-quality public services to the Carpinteria community

Under general direction of the Assistant City Manager, plans, organizes, manages, and administers the City's comprehensive human resources and risk management programs; provides professional and technical advice and assistance to City management, supervisors, and employees regarding human resources, employee and labor relations, recruitment and selection, classification and compensation, benefits administration, leave administration, workplace accommodations, organizational development, workplace safety, workers' compensation, liability, and risk management matters; supervises assigned staff; and performs related duties as assigned.

The Human Resources/Risk Manager exercises considerable independent judgment and discretion in administering assigned programs, interpreting and applying personnel policies and labor agreements, advising management, and resolving complex human resources and risk management matters within established City policies and applicable legal requirements. Matters involving significant organizational, legal, labor relations, financial, or policy implications are coordinated with or referred to the Assistant City Manager and City Manager, as appropriate.

The position works collaboratively with Department Directors, managers, supervisors, employees, labor representatives, legal counsel, the California Joint Powers Insurance Authority, and other agencies and service providers.Duties may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Plans, organizes, manages, and administers the City's comprehensive human resources and risk management programs and activities.
• Provides professional and technical advice to the Assistant City Manager, City Manager, Department Directors, managers, and supervisors regarding complex and sensitive human resources, employee relations, labor relations, and risk management matters.
• Develops, recommends, interprets, and administers Personnel Rules, policies, procedures, Memoranda of Understanding, employment agreements, and human resources programs; ensures compliance with applicable employment laws and regulations.
• Manages employee relations activities, including performance management, corrective action and discipline, grievances, workplace complaints, conflict resolution, and workplace investigations; coordinates significant or sensitive matters with executive management and legal counsel.
• Administers labor relations activities and provides professional and technical support for collective bargaining, including research and analysis, proposal development and evaluation, participation in negotiations as assigned, and implementation and administration of negotiated agreements.
• Manages the City's recruitment and selection, classification and compensation, employee benefits, onboarding and offboarding, leave and accommodation, and performance evaluation programs.
• Develops and coordinates employee and management training and supports workforce planning, succession planning, employee engagement, retention, and organizational development initiatives.
• Oversees personnel records and human resources information systems and coordinates with Finance and Payroll regarding personnel actions, compensation, benefits, position control, and related matters.
• Manages the City's comprehensive risk management program, including workers' compensation, liability claims, insurance, workplace safety, loss prevention, return to work, and related activities.
• Serves as the City's primary staff liaison with the California Joint Powers Insurance Authority and coordinates claims, insurance, safety, loss prevention, and risk management activities with departments, claims administrators, legal counsel, and other service providers.
• Administers the City's workplace safety programs, including the Injury and Illness Prevention Program, Health and Safety Committee, required safety training, hazard mitigation, and compliance with applicable workplace safety requirements.
• Prepares and administers the Human Resources and Risk Management budgets; monitors contracts, expenditures, and program costs.
• Selects, supervises, trains, develops, and evaluates assigned staff and establishes work priorities and performance expectations.
• Prepares reports, policies, recommendations, staff reports, and presentations; represents the City before the City Council, governmental agencies, labor representatives, professional organizations, consultants, and other groups as assigned.
• Maintains current professional knowledge, exercises appropriate discretion and confidentiality in handling sensitive matters
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Any combination of education, training, and experience that would provide the required knowledge, skills, and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the required qualifications is:
Education:

• Equivalent to a Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with major coursework in human resources management, public administration, business administration, organizational management, or a closely related field.
• Additional specialized training in employment law, labor relations, risk management, public sector human resources, or a related field is desirable.

Experience Required:

• Four years of increasingly responsible professional human resources experience involving a broad range of human resources functions, including employee relations, recruitment and selection, classification and compensation, benefits administration, labor relations, and personnel policy administration.
• Experience in risk management, workers' compensation, workplace safety, liability, or related functions is highly desirable.
• Supervisory or lead experience is required.
• Public sector human resources experience, particularly in a California local government environment, is highly desirable.

Required Knowledge:

• Principles and practices of comprehensive human resources management and public personnel administration.
• Principles and practices of employee relations, performance management, corrective action, discipline, workplace investigations, conflict resolution, and organizational development.
• Principles and practices of public sector labor relations, collective bargaining, labor agreement administration, grievance processes, and employer employee relations.
• Principles and practices of recruitment and selection, classification and compensation, benefits administration, performance evaluation, employee development, workforce planning, and succession planning.
• Federal and California laws and regulations applicable to employment and public sector human resources, including laws relating to discrimination, harassment, retaliation, wages and hours, protected leaves, disability accommodation, employee privacy, workplace safety, and labor relations.
• Principles and practices of risk management, workers' compensation, liability claims administration, insurance, workplace safety, loss prevention, and return to work programs.
• Applicable Cal/OSHA requirements and principles of workplace safety and Injury and Illness Prevention Programs.
• Principles and practices of supervision, training, coaching, and performance evaluation.
• Principles and practices of municipal government organization, administration, budgeting, and public sector management.
• Methods of research, analysis, problem solving, report preparation, policy development, and professional presentation.
• Principles and practices of confidential records management and human resources information systems.

Skills/Abilities:

• Plan, organize, manage, and evaluate comprehensive human resources and risk management programs.
• Provide sound, practical, and timely professional advice to executive management, Department Directors, supervisors, and employees regarding complex and sensitive personnel and risk management matters.
• Interpret, apply, and explain laws, regulations, Personnel Rules, administrative policies, labor agreements, employment agreements, and other requirements.
• Exercise considerable independent judgment, discretion, diplomacy, confidentiality, and sound professional judgment.
• Analyze complex employee relations and workplace issues, identify relevant facts and risks, evaluate alternatives, and develop appropriate recommendations.
• Conduct fair, thorough, objective, and appropriately documented workplace investigations.
• Advise and assist management regarding performance management, corrective action, discipline, grievances, and other employee relations matters.
• Effectively administer recruitment, classification and compensation, benefits, leaves, accommodations, performance management, training, and other human resources programs.
• Effectively administer workers' compensation, liability, workplace safety, insurance, and loss prevention programs.
• Develop and maintain effective working relationships with employees, supervisors, Department Directors, executive management, labor representatives, legal counsel, consultants, claims administrators, governmental agencies, and members of the public.
• Supervise, train, coach, and evaluate assigned staff and effectively organize and prioritize the work of the division.
• Analyze information, prepare clear and concise reports and recommendations, and communicate complex or sensitive information effectively both orally and in writing.
• Manage multiple complex assignments, establish priorities, meet deadlines, and respond effectively to changing organizational needs.
• Maintain confidentiality and appropriately handle sensitive personnel, medical, legal, labor relations, and claims information.
• Use modern office technology, human resources information systems, and software applications appropriate to the work.

TO BE CONSIDERED FOR NEXT REVIEW OF APPLICATIONS. 
APPLY BY TUESDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2026 @ 11:59 PM
Applications must be submitted online.Click Here: Human Resources Manager Employment Opportunity
Materials must be complete and clearly indicate the candidate meets the minimum qualifications. Incomplete, late, emailed, and faxed applications are not accepted. Resumes are not considered in lieu of the required employment application.

Please be sure to review the complete job description:Click Here: Human Resources Manager Job Description
A resume and cover letter are required to be submitted with your online application. Statements made on the application, resume, cover letter, and supplemental materials are subject to verification. False statements may be cause for immediate disqualification, removal from eligibility list, or discharge from employment.

All completed applications and supplemental questionnaires will be reviewed and assessed for each applicant's ability to meet the minimum work experience, training, and education qualifications. Those candidates whose skills and abilities best meet the needs of the department will be invited to move to the next step in the recruitment process.