The contribution of a strategic human resources director to an organization is unparalleled. Well beyond spearheading the recruitment and onboarding process, fostering a company culture that aligns with organizational goals and drives productivity is why this role is essential. The quality of the strategic HR director directly affects company performance. With that said, identifying the right specialist to fill the role is crucial to the success of the business.
Read on to learn more about strategic HR director responsibilities, the scope of work, and how to succeed at finding the best HR executive. In this article, we will discuss the following:
- Strategic HR Director Job Description
- Strategic HR Director Resume
- Strategic HR Director Interview Questions
- Strategic HR Director Salary
A Comprehensive Guide to Hiring a Strategic HR Director
Strategic HR Director Job Description
The job description summarizes the necessary skills, qualifications, and responsibilities that an applicant must possess to meet what the role requires. We’ve listed the different strategic HR director responsibilities and the elements to consider in the process of drafting a comprehensive job summary.
Strategic HR Director Job Summary
The Strategic HR Director job summary is a brief description of the organization’s goals and mission. The job summary also establishes what is expected from the person assuming the role. Hiring professionals can use this to evaluate whether or not an applicant is suited for the Strategic HR director position.
A job summary contains a list of responsibilities. The primary duties of a Strategic HR Director is to work with the chief executive officer to develop and implement an HR strategy that is in line with the company’s goals while fostering an organizational culture that places teamwork, transparency, inclusiveness, accountability, and innovation at the core.
Having said that, a well-written job summary is an essential part of the hiring process for a Strategic HR Director. It is a productive technique that will help attract the right people to the company. It will also provide both hiring professionals and candidates a better understanding of your company and to identify with its mission. Interested applicants will also be able to assess their own skills sets based on the details provided in the job summary to determine whether or not they would be suited for the role. To gain a better grasp of the Strategic HR Director responsibilities, we’ve prepared a comprehensive list of Strategic HR Director responsibilities below to help with writing a complete job summary.
Strategic HR Director Responsibilities
The scope of Strategic HR Director responsibilities spans across departments. Because the role involves future-oriented development processes, Strategic HR Directors often function as administrators, organizational planners, ethical and cultural managers, resource strategists, and retention specialists.
Beyond managing the HR professionals who are at the recruitment and people management frontlines, there are several tasks that a Strategic HR Director must perform day-to-day to achieve company goals and meet key performance indicators (KPIs). Take a look at this list of responsibilities and tailor it to your organization.
- Work with the CEO to create an HR strategy and build an organizational culture that aligns with the company’s objectives
- Lead and facilitate the recruitment and staffing process in accordance with organizational guidelines, best practices, and budgetary guidelines
- Ensure that continuous enhancement of HR procedures and policies
- Develop and implement a comprehensive onboarding system throughout the entire employee life cycle
- Create strategies that enhance staff development, engagement, and career progression
- Address key HR issues and avoid potentially costly events that might interfere with company goals
- Provide strategic focus in the creation of training and staff development initiatives
- Develop and spearhead a growth-focused appraisal process, including conducting mid- and/or end-of-year reviews
- Work with the Finance Head to ensure that the company’s compensation systems and goalposts are periodically reviewed and enhanced to ensure motivation, retention, and attraction of employees
- Support HR initiatives by guiding HR managers and supervisors in line with company goals
- Oversee administrative systems, especially contracts for review by Operations and Finance, payroll processing, and outplacement resources for terminated employees
These are wide-ranging duties, and they can vary depending on your organization’s goals. This list of standard responsibilities can serve as your guide in hiring the right person to fill this important role.
Strategic HR Director Resume
Once you have identified which Strategic HR Director responsibilities your organization requires, the next step is to ensure that your candidate is equipped with the right knowledge and experience. If you have drawn up a thorough job summary, you should have no problem with attracting only the most qualified talents.
Regardless, the comprehensive screening process is essential to single out the applicants who will fit the role best. Many industries require a relevant Bachelor’s degree or higher for this top-level position. Degrees are typically in the human resources field, but a person who has had considerable experience in the responsibilities listed in your summary might be good to consider. The right candidate should meet all the characteristics and background that you prefer before they move forward to the next phase of the process — interviews.
How to Hire a Strategic HR Director
It takes a level-headed and decisive person to succeed in a Strategic HR Director role. Some of the key attributes to look out for include people management, knowledge of HR compliance rules and best practices, organizational management, consistency and accuracy, interpersonal and coaching skills, flexibility and agility, and innovation.
The interview process provides the hiring team the chance to evaluate a candidate for these qualities. During this time, you can also dive deeper into the applicant’s personality, background, and experience.
Here are some interview questions that would help in hiring the right Strategic HR Director.
- Describe a time when you had to propose new HR culture initiatives to an organization that previously did not have these? Your Strategic HR Director will be in charge of managing an organizational culture that fosters teamwork, transparency, inclusiveness, and the like. This is a great opportunity for hiring professionals to know how important culture is for the candidate, and they would introduce it to the rest of the company.
- What types of HR initiatives have you implemented to ensure that employee performance and mindsets are aligned with company goals? The Strategic HR Director should demonstrate an understanding of organizational objectives because this is the core of their role.
- What do you think are the essential elements to consider in drafting a compensation package for employees? This will help you determine how the Strategic HR Director evaluates pay scales and how they balance meeting employee happiness and fulfilling company goals. Ask the candidate to provide examples from their previous job.
- What is your HR management process? Describe a time when you led a team of HR professionals towards a goal and succeeded. This question is important because your Strategic HR Director will not be working solo. They will be handling a team of HR specialists who will likely have different ideas and personalities. This is a great way to find out if the person’s management style is a good fit for your company.
- What do you think would be your first order of business if accepted for this role? This is a hypothetical question, but it lets you know whether the candidate has truly studied what your organization is all about and what your long-term objectives are. Note that a Strategic HR Director will play a key role in developing your teams and ensuring that all are working toward the same goals, so you’ll want a person who has a thorough understanding of the organization.
There are numerous Strategic HR Director interview questions you can ask, so feel free to go beyond the suggestions here if you want to delve deeper. Ask the applicant questions that are specific to your organization to find out whether they can truly perform and thrive in your company and if they would be a great cultural fit.
Strategic HR Director Salary
The salary for a Strategic HR Director role varies depending on the size of the company, scope of work, and many other factors. To give you an idea, a survey by Payscale places the standard range for a Strategic HR Director salary in the U.S. at $56,000 to $139,000 per year.
Do bear in mind that the Strategic HR Director’s salary can deviate from the standard depending on experience, location, company size, industry, and many others. Some organizations add bonuses, commissions, and profit-sharing on top of base pay, which could go lower than the national average if these are considered.
Overall, a candidate’s salary can be driven by a variety of elements that might be unique to your company. Consider each of these carefully to create a fair compensation package that will attract the right talent.
Streamline Your Search For the Right Strategic HR Director
With so many elements to consider in your search for the perfect Strategic HR Director to manage your team, the recruitment process can seem intimidating and even daunting. You can make things a lot easier by partnering with an executive search firm.
The Recruiterie team takes pride in having filled the highest and toughest positions in any organization for the past two decades. Recruiterie works closely with your leadership team to better understand your company’s vision and mission, determine what your objectives are, and find out what success means to you. We use this information to develop an exhaustive and laser-targeted search strategy that will find the right candidate to fulfill your business’ objectives.
We understand how important it is that your leaders’ skills, experiences, and personal goals align with yours. This is why take a purpose-driven approach to the recruitment process. Get in touch with the expert executive search team at Recruiterie online or give us a call at (602) 326-6820 so we can help you find your Strategic HR Director.