Salary: $133, 092 - $161,772 Annually (DOQ/DOE), plus excellent benefits
Application deadline: Apply by Sunday, February 1, 2026 at 11:59 p.m., for first consideration (Applications reviewed on a daily basis)
THE CITY is focused on enhancing our community members’ quality of life through well-designed services and a positive workplace culture. San Rafael is the economic and cultural heart of Marin County, and its high quality of life is centered on its commercial districts, engaged neighborhoods, active lifestyle, and natural environment. San Rafael, with a population of approximately 60,000, is a full-service city with a City Council/City Manager form of government with 12 departments, more than 400 employees, and a fiscal year 2025-2026 annual budget of approximately $192 million. The City’s vision is to be a vibrant economic and cultural center reflective of its diversity. The City Council is engaged and seeks to strengthen the urban and commercial areas as well as sustain the beautiful natural environment.
San Rafael’s Organizational culture framework is an initiative called “Together San Rafael.” City employees are our greatest asset, and we seek talented individuals with diverse backgrounds who are creative, curious, and excited about a challenge. We are a results-driven team focused on the needs of community members. The Together San Rafael initiative is focused on modernizing City services and increasing the engagement of employees. This initiative recognizes the interconnectedness of the customer and employee experience.
THE DEPARTMENT
The Human Resources Department provides a wide range of internal service support to the City's 12 departments and over 400 employees, strategically aligned with the City Manager's Office leadership of the City team.
The Human Resources Department is composed of a Human Resources Director, Risk Manager, Senior Human Resources Analyst, and three additional support staff positions.
The Human Resources Operations Manager oversees a variety of labor relations and benefits administration duties and serves on the bargaining team during union negotiations. They will work closely with the HR Director to make important decisions for the HR Department, such as organizational structure changes and staff oversight responsibilities while also serving as a subject matter expert to fellow HR staff and department heads. They will oversee HR staff and contribute to the development of the Department's annual budget. This role focuses on supporting the HR team in union relations, meet and confer challenges, grievance responses, and contract negotiations, while supporting department managers through the employee coaching and progressive discipline process. The Human Resources Operations Manager will use a high degree of accuracy, independent judgment, and discretionary decision-making with respect to interpretation and Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), City policies and procedures, the Employer-Employee Relations Resolution and Public Employment Relations Board rulings. This position also provides oversight for employee benefits administration, and worker's compensation programs for the City.
IDEAL CANDIDATE
The Human Resources Department has one (1) vacancy to be filled at either the Human Resources Operation Manager or Principal Human Resources Analyst classification.
The ideal candidate will bring labor relations, contract negotiations, employee benefits, and local government experience while being results-oriented, flexible to change, and customer-service focused. The successful candidate will enjoy autonomy this position allows, along with the unique challenges of working with eight bargaining units. The Human Operations Manager will also have the ability to analyze complex HR issues and use strategic thinking to develop sound and creative solutions. Strong interpersonal skills to establish effective working relationships with department managers, public officials, employees, and union representatives is a must! The ideal candidate will be tech-savvy, ensuring the City stays up to date on the latest technologies and recommending more effective processes and systems where there is an opportunity to do so. The City is eager to find an exemplary leader who has exceptional HR knowledge and skills who can make this position their own and champion an effective labor relations process!
Top contenders will also be skillful at analyzing and preparing a wide variety of complex legal documents, demonstrating both legal acumen and a protocol approach to public sector challenges.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Human Resources Operations Manager - This list is meant to be representative, not exhaustive. CLICK HERE for the full job spec.
- Assists in the development and implementation of goals, objectives, policies, procedures and work standards for the department, assists in administering the department's budget.
- Plans, organizes, administers, reviews and evaluates the activities of professional and technical support staff. Assist the Human Resources Director in employee relations and labor negotiations.
- Confers with City employees regarding personnel, employee relations, or related activities or problems and may assist the Director in conferring with supervisors and managers on the same matters.
- Prepare complex written reports and make presentations to the City Council as required.
- Assists the Director in managing the training program for the City in assessing training needs and in developing programs to enhance the skill and performance level of employees.
- Selects assigned staff and provides for their training and professional development; interprets City policies and procedures to employees.
- Directs and conducts analytical studies; develops and reviews reports of findings, alternatives, and recommendations.
- Helps in preparing the department's annual operating budget; monitors expenditures to ensure that the department operates within the allocated budget.
- Oversees the recruitment testing and certification program for the City; reviews and approves recruitment and examination plans for open and promotional recruitments using established guidelines and authorities; works with subordinate staff to design and implement appropriate internal procedures to assure that the recruitment, testing, and certification meet accepted standards.
- Manages and directs the City's employee benefits program, including leave management programs; negotiates with insurance carriers on rates and coverage; works with insurance brokers to obtain the best rates and coverage for a variety of products.
- Participate in labor relations activities, including contract negotiations, meet and confer sessions and meet and consult sessions.
- Serve as the HR lead regarding Information Systems/Technological management
- May be required to conduct investigations into discrimination complaints and make recommendations for resolving complaints; coordinates City response to state and federal enforcement agencies when required.
Principal Human Resources Analyst - - This list is meant to be representative, not exhaustive. CLICK HERE for the full job spec.
- Assists in the development and implementation of goals, objectives, policies, procedures and work standards for the department, assists in administering the department's budget.
- Plans, organizes, administers, reviews and evaluates the activities of professional and technical support staff.
- Responsible for managing the City's employee relations and labor negotiations functions, including contract negotiations and meet and confer sessions, grievance responses, and working with department on employee discipline and performance coaching.
- Oversees and manages the Risk Management and Worker's Compensation programs for the City.
- Confers with City employees regarding personnel, employee relations, or related activities or problems and may assist the Director in conferring with supervisors and managers on the same matters, as required.
- Prepare complex written reports and make presentations to the City Council as required.
- Develops and delivers training and interprets City policies and procedures to employees.
- Directs and conducts analytical studies; develops and reviews reports of findings, alternatives and recommendations.
- Helps in preparing the department's annual operating budget; monitors expenditures to ensure that the department operates within the allocated budget.
- Periodically reviews and evaluates established recruitment and selection procedures and recommends and implements changes when required.
- Manages and directs the City's employee benefits program including leave management programs; negotiates with insurance carriers on rates and coverage; works with insurance brokers to obtain the best rates and coverage for a variety of products; monitors industry trends and recommends strategies to the Human Resources Director dealing with cost and quality.
- May be required to conduct investigations into discrimination complaints and make recommendations for resolving complaints; coordinates City response to state and federal enforcement agencies when required.
EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE
Human Resources Operations Manager
- Sufficient education, training and/or work experience to demonstrate possession of the following knowledge, skills and abilities which would typically be acquired through:
- Education: Possession of a bachelor's degree with major course work in business or public administration, industrial relations, human resources management or a closely related field, AND
- Experience: Five (5) years of professional experience in public administration required, including two (2) years of direct supervision preferably in a public agency.
- Master's degree in Human Resources Management, Public Administration or a related field is preferred.
Principal Human Resources Analyst
- Sufficient education, training and/or work experience to demonstrate possession of the following knowledge, skills and abilities which would typically be acquired through:
- Education: Possession of a bachelor's degree with major course work in business or public administration, industrial relations, human resources management or a closely related field, AND
- Experience: Five (5) years of professional experience in public administration required, including two (2) years of increasingly responsible work in the areas of labor and employee relations and/or Worker's Compensation.
- Master's degree in Human Resources Management, Public Administration or a related field is preferred.
