Deputy Human Resources Director

The City of Long Beach, CA (City) is seeking a dynamic and operationally focused Deputy Human Resources Director (Deputy) to help lead a newly unified and modernized Human Resources Department of 119 dedicated staff serving more than 6K employees across a complex, full-service municipal organization. Following the successful merger of formerly separate Civil Service and Human Resources Departments, the City is entering a transformative phase centered on operational excellence, cultural alignment, and elevated service delivery. Reporting directly to the Director of Human Resources, the Deputy will serve as a key executive partner and operational driver, translating strategy into action, strengthening accountability, and ensuring consistent, proactive support across all HR functions. This is a high-impact leadership opportunity for a confident, collaborative public-sector professional ready to shape systems, elevate performance, and help define the future of workforce strategy for one of California’s most progressive and dynamic cities.

Experienced public-sector HR executives who are prepared to translate strategy into measurable performance and lead with accountability are encouraged to apply!

See the full recruitment brochure & benefits here: https://irp.cdn-website.com/80f4e9b5/files/uploaded/Creative+Brochure+LB+DHR+2026.pdf

THE COMMUNITY:

Idyllically located on the Pacific Coast just south of Los Angeles and adjacent to Orange County, Long Beach is a vibrant city of approximately 450K residents. Known for its diverse and inclusive community, Long Beach features a unique blend of urban sophistication, cultural richness, and coastal charm. The City encompasses about 51 square miles, offering an array of parks, beaches, and recreational opportunities. Residents enjoy mild climate year-round perfect for outdoor activities such as biking, running, water sports, and much more. Long Beach is home to world-class attractions including the Aquarium of the Pacific, the historic Queen Mary, and the annual IndyCar Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach. Long Beach will be the largest venue city for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Long Beach also boasts a thriving economy supported by industries such as aerospace, education, health services, manufacturing, tourism and professional services. With two advanced educational institutions, California State University Long Beach and Long Beach City College, and robust K-12 schools, the City is a hub for learning and innovation. Transportation options abound. The Long Beach and Metro transit systems along with the City’s own airport provide convenient access throughout the broader Southern California region. Long Beach is recognized as one of the nation’s most walkable and bike-friendly cities.

THE CITY GOVERNMENT:

Long Beach operates as a charter city governed by an elected Mayor and nine City Council members elected by district. The City Manager, appointed by the Mayor and City Council, oversees the daily operations of 15 departments and a proposed Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) annual budget of $3.7B. The City employs over 6K full-time and part-time staff; dedicated to providing exceptional public services with the vast majority being represented by eleven employee associations.

• City Departments
• Citywide FY26 Budget
• 2030 Strategic Vision
• Elevate ’28 Infrastructure Investment Plan

The City of Long Beach fosters an environment where every employee is celebrated for their individuality and unique talents they bring to their role. Reflecting the diversity of the community within the workforce is a key priority embraced at every level of the organization, from management to policy creation. City Leadership actively promotes equity and inclusion by partnering with staff and community stakeholders to advance fairness in all initiatives. Transparency remains a cornerstone of these efforts with demographic data, including workforce diversity and pay equity by race and gender, shared publicly to ensure accountability and progress.

THE HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT:

The City’s Human Resources Department (Department), led by the Director, plays a critical role in advancing the City’s mission by attracting, developing, and retaining a talented and diverse workforce. As a comprehensive internal services department supporting more than 6K employees across a full-service municipal enterprise, the Department delivers integrated workforce, risk management, safety, labor relations, talent acquisition, benefits, organizational development, and HR systems services Citywide. With a FY26 operating budget of approximately $52.9M and 119 authorized positions, the Department ensures alignment with strategic objectives and community needs while fostering a culture of collaboration, accountability, and high performance.

Following voter approval of Measure JB in November 2024 and the successful merger of the former Civil Service and Human Resources Departments in FY2025, the newly unified Department is now structured around eight (8) Bureaus: (1) Administration, (2) Personnel Operations, (3) Talent Management, (4) Systems Management, (5) Labor Relations, (6) Risk Management, (7) Safety, and (8) Equal Employment Opportunity. These reform efforts modernized the City’s personnel framework and created a more cohesive and operationally aligned service model.

Today, recruitment, classification and compensation, labor relations, employee relations, risk management, safety, benefits, return-to-work coordination, HR systems, and organizational development are centralized within a single integrated department, strengthening consistency, responsiveness, and service delivery across all City departments.

In FY25 alone, the Department...

• Managed more than 400 recruitments and processed over 38K applications
• Supported the hiring of more than 1K permanent employees
• Reduced the City’s vacancy rate by 4%
• Completed dozens of meet-and-confer sessions
• Processed over 10K personnel transactions
• Advanced digitization and HR technology modernization efforts

As the Department continues to stabilize following the merger and advance citywide modernization initiatives, including automation of HR services, business process re-engineering, HR SaaS implementation, and policy modernization, operational excellence, cross-bureau collaboration, and consistent, proactive service delivery remain central priorities.

To learn more about the Department visit:

• Department Organizational Chart
• Department Website
• Department FY26 Budget

 Key upcoming projects and initiatives include:

1. Operational Efficiencies: Evaluate and streamline procedures, eliminate inconsistent guidance, and establish clear standard operating practices to ensure accountability and continuity.
2. Automation & ERP Readiness: Lead business process mapping efforts to support expanded automation and future ERP implementation.
3. Change Management: Stabilize and strengthen the unified Department’s culture following merger and structural realignment.
4. Policy Modernization: Update policies, rules, and classification specifications to align with best practices and evolving regulatory requirements.
5. Departmental Partnerships: Advance a proactive business-partner model that enhances collaboration and service delivery across City departments.
6. Professional Development: Clarify roles, strengthen expectations, and expand cross-training to promote operational resilience and industry alignment.

THE POSITION & IDEAL CANDIDATE:

The Deputy Human Resources Director (Deputy) reports directly to the Director of Human Resources and serves as the Department’s operational executive leader. This role is designed to anchor day-to-day operations across all Bureaus and citywide, ensuring services are aligned, responsive, accountable, and consistently delivered at a high standard.

A strong partnership between the Director and Deputy is essential. The Deputy must complement the Director’s skillset and operate as a cohesive leadership team, serving as both trusted thought partner and execution-focused leader. While the Director sets strategic direction, the Deputy translates vision into operational systems, performance standards, and measurable outcomes.

Overseeing eight (8) direct and 108 indirect reports, the Deputy works across Bureaus to strengthen collaboration, eliminate silos, and elevate service delivery. In close partnership with the Director, this role also supports oversight of the Department’s FY26 budget of approximately $52.9M, ensuring operational priorities are aligned with fiscal stewardship and organizational goals.

Key responsibilities include:

• Driving operational performance and accountability
• Reinforcing consistent, timely, and solution-oriented service
• Advancing process improvements, automation efforts, and ERP readiness
• Supporting policy modernization and post-merger cultural stabilization

The ideal candidate is an experienced public-sector HR leader with a strong operational mindset and executive presence. This individual demonstrates sound judgment, emotional intelligence, and the ability to build trust across diverse teams and stakeholder groups. A collaborative leadership style, coaching mentality, and commitment to professional development are essential. The City seeks a confident, solutions-oriented leader who communicates clearly, holds others accountable with respect, and fosters a culture grounded in partnership, responsiveness, and continuous improvement.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in human resources, business administration, public administration, labor relations, or related field.
• Experience: Minimum of five (5) years of increasingly responsible full-time paid professional experience in human resources with at least three (3) years of experience at the management level.
• Desired: Local government experience; Master’s degree
• Substitution: Education may be substituted for lengthy experience and will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis

See the full recruitment brochure & benefits here: https://irp.cdn-website.com/80f4e9b5/files/uploaded/Creative+Brochure+LB+DHR+2026.pdf

HOW TO APPLY: For first consideration, apply by April 6th, at: https://www.tristargovsolutions.com/careers

SAVE THE DATES: Interviews have been firmly scheduled to take place in-person on May 7th and 8th. All candidates invited to interview will interview on May 7th and a finalist group will then be moved forward to the final interviews on May 8th. Candidates must be available all-day for both interview dates.

Please mention you found this employment opportunity on the CareersInGovernment.com job board.

SALARY AND BENEFITS: An annual salary of $188,717 - $229,523 DOE/DOQ, plus a generous benefits package that includes:

• Retirement: California Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS) defined benefit retirement plan, which is coordinated with Social Security. 2.5% @55 for "Classic" members and 2% @62 for new members as defined by PEPRA. Subject to employee contribution. Both the City and the employee contributes toward CalPERS retirement contributions. The City also participates in Social Security.
• Health and Dental Insurance: City pays a major portion of the premiums.
• Life Insurance: Equal to 3 times annual salary up to a maximum of $500,000.
• Short- and Long-Term Disability Insurance
• Management Physical: Annual City-paid physical examination.
• Vacation: 12 days per year after 1 year of service; 15 days after 6.5 years of service; 20 days after 19.5 years of service.
• Executive Leave: 40 hours per year.
• Sick Leave: 1 day earned per month (8 hours); unlimited accumulation; conversion upon retirement to cash credit toward health and/or dental insurance premiums.
• Holidays: 11 designated holidays per year, plus 4 personal holidays.
• Transportation Allowance: $550 per month.
• Deferred Compensation: 457 Deferred Compensation Plan available through ICMA Retirement Corporation.
• Optional Flexible Spending Account (FSA)
• Flexible/Hybrid Work Schedule: Available (subject to City Manager approval).
• Negotiable relocation assistance

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• Tri Star Gov Solutions

• 4086050790