Human Resources Business Partner, Human Resources Department

Stearns County MN • St. Cloud, MN

1d • $74,139 - $108,813

About The Position

Stearns County is seeking an energetic, creative and collaborative Human Resources Business Partner to join our team in Human Resources with a primary focus on employee benefits, leave of absence programs, and recruitment. In this role, you will help attract and retain top talent while managing and promoting employee benefits that support the health, financial security, and well-being of our workforce. This is an excellent opportunity for a motivated, self-starting HR professional with strong critical thinking skills to build a meaningful career in county government while making a direct impact on the employees who serve our community. Our HR team is committed to excellence and responsiveness, ensuring that working at Stearns County is a rewarding experience. Stearns County employs nearly 1,000 individuals whose talents and contributions drive our mission. If you are strategic, collaborative, and passionate about recruiting top talent and enhancing employee engagement through comprehensive benefits and retention programs integrating workforce needs into solutions that support the County’s mission and values, we encourage you to pursue this opportunity and advance your career in Human Resources. Public service employees are provided a comprehensive benefit package, contributions to a public Pension Plan, and time off including paid Holidays, a paid time off plan, and flexible scheduling.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree (Human Resource Management, Business/Public Administration, Organizational Development, or Economics is preferred.)
• Three years of progressively related experience
• Experience using Microsoft Office Suite or a similar platform
• Reliable means of transportation to travel to multiple locations around Stearns County and Minnesota, some of which may not be available by public transportation

Nice To Haves

• Management and administration of employee benefit and leave programs
• Workday Human Capital Management (HCM) System
• Public speaking and delivering group presentations
• Marketing of organizational initiatives
• Labor relations experience

Responsibilities

• Strategically manages the recruitment process in line with the County’s mission and values and in compliance with federal, state and local laws governing employment.
• Consults, assists and collaborates with our managers and Leadership Team on industry best practices relating to recruitment and retention, policy administration, performance management, HRIS, benefit management, onboarding, classification and compensation administration, talent management, and labor relations.
• Manages the County’s employee benefits program, including the administration, communication, and continuous improvement of benefit offerings, in coordination with the County’s wellness initiatives to ensure they align with and support the overall benefits strategy.
• Conducts comprehensive evaluation of employee benefit programs, including researching and evaluating programs, trends and metrics related to benefit administration, workforce analytics and human resource initiatives that align with our goals and values.
• Serves as the primary liaison between the County and external benefit vendors by coordinating ongoing check‑in meetings, facilitating effective communication, resolving service issues, and fostering positive, collaborative vendor relationships to support efficient benefit administration
• Administers leave programs in compliance with federal and state regulations, including the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA), Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and Minnesota Paid Leave to ensure accurate case management and consistent policy application.
• Manages the full life cycle of leaves cases and coordinates related processes such as return-to-work or accommodation; maintains consistent communication with employees on leave to ensure timely processing of changes and serves as a liaison between employees and departments.
• Develops innovative marketing and communication strategies that engage leaders and employees in the areas of recruitment and retention, wellness, and employee benefits.
• Analyzes complex benefits information and evaluates current benefits, services, coverage, effectiveness, cost, plan experience and competitive trends in benefits administration to forecast trends for future benefit design recommendations.
• Leads and serves as chair of the Insurance Advisory Committee, facilitating meetings, setting agendas, coordinating information and recommendations, and guiding discussions to support informed decision-making related to employee benefit programs. Ensures effective collaboration among committee members, communicates updates and outcomes to leadership, and supports the evaluation and continuous improvement of the County’s insurance and benefits offerings.
• Develops specific recommendations for review by management and recommends cost containment strategies to support strategic decision-making and improve recruitment and retention outcomes.
• Provides direction and recommendations in HR program areas to leadership in line with our mission and values emphasizing strong collaboration with internal partners to ensure effective implementation and successful service delivery.
• Onboards new employees by effectively marketing our organization and culture, and employee benefits programs, ensuring new hires understand and have access to the full range of benefits and resources available to them.
• Collaborates effectively with administrative staff and payroll partners to support the successful launch, implementation, and ongoing administration of recruitments, employee benefits programs, and other HR initiatives. This includes coordinating processes, sharing information, and ensuring alignment across teams to promote accurate, timely, and efficient service delivery.
• Provides contract/policy analysis, interpretation, recommendations, and resolution for organizational effectiveness including developing strategies and providing guidance related to labor negotiations and contract administration.
• Contributes to the development and deployment of employee training initiatives including e-learning, publications and facilitated sessions to create and maintain a culture of learning and professional development.
• Attends work regularly and in a timely manner.
• Performs other duties as assigned or apparent.

Benefits

• Public service employees are provided a comprehensive benefit package, contributions to a public Pension Plan, and time off including paid Holidays, a paid time off plan, and flexible scheduling.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Number of Employees: 251-500 employees