Director of HR

FosterThomas•Columbia, MD

About The Position

FosterThomas is seeking a hands-on Director of Human Resources to lead and scale the HR function within a growing government contracting organization. The role partners with executive leadership, Finance, Security, and Program Management to align HR strategy with business objectives, support workforce growth, maintain regulatory compliance, and foster an employee-focused culture. The Director is expected to combine strategic leadership with hands-on execution and experience in government contracting, cleared workforces, organizational scaling, and HR process improvement. The position oversees HR strategy and organizational growth, government-contracting compliance, compensation and finance partnership, and HR support for mergers, acquisitions, and change management. It includes implementing scalable HR programs and processes, supporting audits and assessments, using HR technology and workforce analytics, and maintaining employee engagement and operational continuity during organizational change.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field.
SHRM-SCP certification required; HRCI SPHR may be considered equivalent.
Significant hands-on HR leadership experience within government contracting.
Strong knowledge of SCA wage determinations, fringe obligations, DCAA-compliant labor charging, LCATs, and key personnel requirements.
Experience supporting DoD or Intelligence Community cleared workforces, including cleared recruiting and coordination with an FSO.
Demonstrated success scaling an organization, with measurable results in headcount growth, time-to-fill, retention, or process improvement.
Experience building and implementing HR programs in a lean or resource-conscious environment.
Knowledge of employee relations, compensation, benefits, workforce planning, and employment compliance.
Strong communication, analytical, problem-solving, and change management skills, with the ability to handle sensitive information discreetly.

Responsibilities

Develop and implement scalable HR strategies, policies, and processes that support business growth and operational objectives.
Lead talent acquisition, workforce planning, employee relations, performance management, retention, and professional development.
Partner with leadership on organizational design, succession planning, employee engagement, and culture initiatives.
Implement HR technology, automation, and AI-enabled solutions to improve efficiency and the employee experience.
Ensure compliance with Service Contract Act wage determinations, fringe obligations, DCAA-compliant timekeeping and labor charging, and contract labor category requirements.
Support contract staffing, key personnel commitments and substitutions, incumbent transitions, and post-award workforce ramp-ups.
Coordinate with the Facility Security Officer on cleared recruiting, clearance-contingent offers, and insider threat program requirements.
Maintain HR documentation, training records, background screening, and onboarding/offboarding controls to support applicable audits and assessments.
Maintain awareness of federal contracting regulations, small business requirements, and applicable employment laws.
Partner with Finance on compensation strategy, benefits planning, fringe costs, headcount forecasting, and workforce budgeting.
Manage compensation structures, salary benchmarking, benefits programs, and incentive arrangements.
Support proposals, recompetes, contingent hiring, and staffing strategies aligned with contract requirements and business growth.
Support HR due diligence and integration for mergers and acquisitions, including benefits harmonization, HRIS consolidation, employee retention, and culture alignment.
Guide organizational change while maintaining employee engagement, productivity, and operational continuity.
Use workforce analytics and measurable performance indicators to improve recruiting, retention, and HR operations.