Job Description

ABOUT DAYTON, OHIO

Dayton, Ohio, is a mid-sized city situated on the banks of the Great Miami River in southwestern Ohio. A perfect blend of vibrant city amenities and Midwestern warmth, the Dayton region offers a combination of affordability and a strong sense of community that is hard to beat. Known as the “Gem City,” the “Birthplace of Aviation,” and the “Birthplace of Next,” Dayton maintains an impressive legacy as the home of inventors, artists, and visionaries.

Founded in 1796 and incorporated in 1805, Dayton is distinguished by its rich history of innovation and industry. As the hometown of Wilbur and Orville Wright, the city played a defining role in the development of modern aviation. It also served as the origin of major inventions such as the cash register and numerous advancements in engineering, manufacturing, and technology—cementing Dayton’s reputation as a hub of creativity and progress.

Dayton, home to about 135,000 residents within a diverse metropolitan area of over 800,000, boasts a youthful median age of 35 and a vibrant workforce. The city offers an appealing mix of affordability, accessibility, and quality of life, highlighted by a revitalized downtown, rich arts and cultural attractions like the Dayton Art Institute and the National Museum of the United States Air Force, and an extensive network of parks and trails. Its central Midwest location also allows for easy travel to major cities such as Cincinnati, Columbus, and Indianapolis.

The City of Dayton operates under a council–manager form of government, which combines professional management with elected leadership. The five-member City Commission, including the Mayor, is elected at-large on a nonpartisan basis and is responsible for establishing policy. The City Manager, appointed by the Commission, oversees daily operations and ensures efficient, transparent, and effective delivery of municipal services.

You can visit the City website HERE

POSITION PURPOSE

As a key member of the City’s executive team, the Director of Human Resources shapes and leads a progressive, people-focused HR strategy that advances the City’s mission and values. Responsible for an organization of 1,800 employees, the Director fosters a high-performing, inclusive workplace through innovative approaches to talent acquisition, workforce development, employee engagement, labor relations, and total rewards.

STRATEGIC AND OPERATIONAL INITIATIVES

Partnering closely with the City Manager’s Office, department heads, and labor organizations, the Director leads the development of an HR strategy that advances the City’s strategic priorities by emphasizing innovation, service excellence, and organizational effectiveness. The Director serves as a trusted advisor to executive leadership on workforce planning, organizational design, leadership development, and change management, while also championing diversity, equity, and inclusion by ensuring HR policies and programs reflect the City’s commitment to fairness and access for all.

The role drives modernization of HR systems, leveraging technology to improve service delivery and enhance data-driven decision-making. Through the ongoing analysis of workforce trends, metrics, and employee input, the Director drives continuous improvement and supports organizational health. The Director ensures employees have access to effective career and management development opportunities, actively promotes a workplace culture of engagement and well-being, and fosters collaboration, accountability, and equity across the organization so that all employees can thrive and grow.

The Human Resources Director reports to the Deputy City Manager and directs a staff including the Deputy Director of Human Resources and General Labor Counsel, Senior Human Resources Analysts, and the Executive Secretary.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Serve as a change agent who guides the City through workforce transformation initiatives, including modernization of policies, systems, and culture
• Build leadership capacity across departments through coaching, mentorship, and targeted development and recognition programs.
• Develop and implement innovative recruitment and retention strategies to attract and retain top talent in a competitive labor market.
• Partner with Finance and IT to ensure alignment of human capital strategy with financial and technical investments.
• Lead the development of a robust succession planning framework for critical city positions.
• Design competitive employee compensation plans that attract and retain quality employees and are affordable for the City.
• Foster a City work environment that promotes employee productivity, open communication, customer satisfaction, and fair treatment for all employees.
• Formulate strategy for union negotiations and preside over grievance processes.

EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE

• A Bachelor's degree is required.
• Preferred undergraduate majors include Public Administration, Business Administration, Human Resource Management, or related field.
• Must possess a demonstrated proficiency in report writing and public presentation skills.
• Must have significant management experience in a union environment.
• A minimum of 8 years of progressive management experience in one of the following areas: public administration, human resource management, or a related field.
• Post graduate degree can be substituted for one year of experience.

CORE COMPETENCIES

To perform the job successfully, an individual should demonstrate the following competencies. All employees are held to these Core Competencies:

Job Knowledge

• Competently applies functional and technical knowledge and skills to do the job at a high level of accomplishment.
• Performs responsibilities with integrity and ethically, keeps commitments, and upholds organizational values.
• Keeps confidences, admits mistakes, and presents the truth in an appropriate and supportive manner.
• Makes sound decisions on difficult issues; exhibits a willingness to make decisions, supports and explains reasons for decisions, and includes the appropriate people in the decision-making process.

Quality and Quantity of Work

• Consistently produces thorough, timely and accurate work and takes initiative to seek out improvements for quality sake without being told.
• Monitors own work in order to maintain a high level of quality while meeting productivity standards.
• Consistently practices and promotes safety as part of performing the job.
• Completes work in a timely manner and continually strives to increase productivity.

Customer Impact

• Produces work and services that consistently meet or exceed the standards and expectations of internal and external customers.
• Consistently demonstrates City Customer Service - Core Values.
• Stays up to date on information and trends that impact the customer.

CUSTOMER SERVICE CORE VALUES

The City of Dayton core values are the standard by which we conduct ourselves and our interactions with our citizens. All employees are held to these Customer Service - Core Values:

Courteous & Professional - “I demonstrate courtesy and professionalism in all customer interactions.”

• Greet customers in email, phone, and in person in a professional manner, with a positive, helpful attitude.
• Listen attentively and with empathy, respecting the customers’ point of view; listen and speak to the customer in a professional manner (do not interrupt, be patient – even if their facts are wrong – let them finish speaking). When working with a customer, focus on them.
• Maintain a professional behavior, focusing on the customers’ question or issue, not their personality.

Accountability/Ownership - “I help customers understand how to resolve their issues.”

• Quickly acknowledge service request has been received and follow-through and follow-up in a timely manner. Deliver as promised, asking for help from co-workers and supervisors as needed.
• Do not mislead customers about what can be done. Give clear and truthful responses, even when you can’t give customers what they are expecting.
• Clearly and patiently describe the appropriate courses of action.
• Improve service delivery by soliciting customer feedback throughout the process. Share feedback with co-workers and supervisors.

Take Initiative - “I am proactive in problem solving.”

• Adopt a problem-solving approach, rather than a “That’s not my department/job,” reaction.
• Understand the organization and other departments’ services in order to anticipate customers’ questions, concerns, and needs. Be prepared to respond with possible solutions.
• Ask questions to get at the root of the issue (such as checking the service address, has anything changed, etc.)
• Share relevant information with the customer so they understand their choices and the possible outcomes of their choice.

SUPERVISOR/MANAGER COMPETENCIES

The following competencies have been identified for employees who supervise or manage others.

Leadership

• Effectively influences actions and opinions of others
• Accepts feedback from others
• Gives appropriate recognition to others
• Inspires and motivates others to perform well.

Planning, Organization, Delegation

• Prioritizes and plans work activities
• Uses time efficiently
• Sets goals and objectives
• Organizes or schedules other people and their tasks

CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATION

• Must possess a valid driver's license at the time of appointment and maintain such license as a term and condition of employment.
• Effective July 15, 2019, the City of Dayton adopted the Tobacco and Nicotine Free Hiring Policy (HR 1.03). Applicants offered employment with the City will be required to pass a nicotine screening. Newly hired employees must remain tobacco and nicotine free as a condition of continued employment.

RATLIFF & TAYLOR CONTACT

If you are an exceptional, accomplished HR leader who seeks to work in a customer focused environment while making a positive community impact, we are interested in speaking with you.

Please contact:

Patti Shumay | Sr. Consultant Executive Search | 440-281-2322 | pshumay@ratliffandtaylor.com

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