Chief Human Resources Officer

Harris County•Houston, TX

9d•Onsite

About The Position

The Harris County Tax Assessor-Collector is seeking an experienced, transformational, people-focused Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) to lead and modernize the Office’s human resources function. As a member of the Senior Leadership Team, the CHRO provides executive leadership, strategic direction, and organizational guidance across all HR functions, developing a comprehensive workforce strategy that supports HCTO’s mission, priorities, and commitment to public service. The role will build a professional, service-oriented HR organization and establish the systems, processes, policies, and practices needed to support employee success, leadership effectiveness, accountability, and a positive workplace culture. The CHRO advises the Tax Assessor-Collector, Chief of Staff, Deputy Chief of Staff, and Senior Leadership Team on workforce strategy, organizational culture, employee engagement, workforce stability, and organizational effectiveness. The position oversees executive HR leadership and transformation; talent acquisition, retention, and workforce planning; employee relations and workplace culture; training, development, and leadership growth; performance management and accountability; leave administration, attendance, and workforce stability; compensation, classification, and HR infrastructure; HR team development; and organizational change and culture transformation. The CHRO also partners with the Deputy Chief of Staff to support compliance with laws applicable to human resources functions and works with County Human Resources and other stakeholders on enterprise HR matters. Work is primarily in an office setting, with frequent interruptions and extensive computer workstation use, as well as site visits to Tax Offices, Harris County locations, and community facilities, indoors and outdoors. Flexibility to work evenings and weekends and occasional overnight travel to conferences and training sessions is required. Employment may be contingent on passing a drug screen and meeting other standards. The position is subject to a criminal history check; only relevant convictions will be considered, and they may not automatically disqualify a candidate.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources Management, Business Administration, Public Administration, Organizational Development, Industrial/Organizational Psychology, or a related field.
At least 10 years of progressively responsible human resources leadership experience.
Demonstrated experience building, transforming, or significantly improving a human resources function.
Experience leading HR operations in a complex organization with multiple divisions and diverse workforce needs.
Experience developing workforce strategies, leadership development programs, employee engagement initiatives, and organizational improvement efforts.
Experience managing employee relations, recruitment, retention, performance management, and workforce planning programs.
Comprehensive knowledge of human resources management, workforce strategy, organizational development, and employment practices.
Knowledge of employee relations, leave administration, talent management, performance management, and leadership development.
Ability to build HR systems, processes, and teams in a changing organization.
Strong strategic thinking and organizational leadership skills, with the ability to translate workforce challenges into practical, sustainable solutions.
Exceptional communication and relationship-building skills; ability to influence leaders and drive organizational change.
Strong analytical skills and ability to use workforce data to inform decisions.
Ability to build trust and credibility across all levels of an organization and lead in a complex, high-visibility public service environment.
High integrity, discretion, and sound judgment in handling confidential employee matters.
Qualifying education, experience, knowledge, and skills must be documented on the job application; “See Resume” will not be accepted for qualifications.
Flexibility to work evening and weekend hours and occasional overnight travel to conferences and training sessions.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree.
Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) certification.
SHRM-SCP certification.
Experience leading HR transformation within government, public-sector, or large service organizations.
Experience improving organizational culture, employee engagement, and retention.
Experience building HR teams and systems from the ground up.

Responsibilities

Provide executive leadership and strategic direction for all human resources functions in the Office.
Serve as executive workforce advisor to the Tax Assessor-Collector, Chief of Staff, and Senior Leadership Team.
Build and lead a modern, responsive, service-oriented HR organization and establish foundational HR systems, processes, standards, policies, and practices.
Develop and implement a workforce strategy aligned with organizational priorities.
Partner with the Deputy Chief of Staff to support compliance with laws applicable to HR functions.
Develop and implement strategies to attract, recruit, and retain a talented and diverse workforce.
Work with executive leaders to identify workforce needs and develop staffing strategies; analyze workforce trends, turnover, vacancies, and organizational needs.
Lead retention initiatives, particularly in high-turnover operational areas, and establish workforce planning and onboarding practices.
Establish a proactive employee relations function and provide executive guidance on complex employee relations matters.
Develop strategies to improve engagement, morale, communication, trust, workplace culture, and employee experience.
Promote respect, professionalism, inclusion, accountability, and service excellence, and support consistent approaches to workplace concerns and performance issues.
Develop an enterprise-wide training and development strategy, consistent training standards, employee development pathways, and leadership development programs.
Identify workforce skill gaps and partner with leaders to support employee growth and continuous learning.
Develop a performance management framework with consistent expectations and evaluation practices; advise leaders on coaching, feedback, employee development, and corrective action.
Develop workforce metrics and reporting tools to evaluate organizational progress and support accountability and employee development.
Strengthen leave administration, including FMLA management, and improve leave management practices while supporting employees and operational effectiveness.
Analyze leave usage, attendance, staffing availability, and workforce impacts; collaborate with leadership to support continuity of operations.
Provide executive oversight of compensation, classification, benefits coordination, and HR systems.
Establish HR infrastructure, processes, and documentation; align HR practices with County policies, applicable employment laws, and organizational standards.
Partner with County Human Resources and external stakeholders on enterprise HR matters; develop HR metrics, dashboards, and reporting tools.
Recruit, develop, and lead an effective HR team; establish service standards and build team capability through training, mentoring, and professional development.
Foster continuous improvement and trust in HR services, positioning HR as a strategic partner to employees and leaders.
Lead workforce-related components of organizational transformation and develop strategies to support employees through organizational change.