City of Barstow (CA)
BARSTOW
Deputy Director of Human Resources/Risk
Management
Class Spec Code DEPDIRHRRISK Established Date 09/01/2026 Salary Range $64.65 - $82.51
Hourly
$5,171.61 -
$6,600.43 Biweekly
$11,205.16 -
$14,300.94 Monthly
$134,461.92 -
$171,611.28 Annually
Bargaining Unit N/A EEO EEO1-
Executive/Senior
Level Officials and
Managers
Occupational N/A FLSA Exempt
Group
Benefit Code 6 Physical Class CITY
PURPOSE STATEMENT
Under general direction of the Director of Human Resources or City Manager designee, the Deputy Director of Human Resources / Risk Management serves as second-in-command of the department and assists in planning, directing, and evaluating Citywide human resources and risk management programs. The Deputy Director provides executive-level leadership and advice regarding labor relations, employee relations, classification and compensation, recruitment, benefits, training, workers' compensation, liability and safety programs, regulatory compliance, budgeting, and organizational development; acts for the Director when assigned; and exercises substantial independent judgment in implementing City policies and strategic priorities. This is an unrepresented, at- will classification that serves at the pleasure of the City Manager.
SUPERVISION EXERCISED
Exercises direct supervision over professional, technical, and administrative support staff and may provide functional direction to departmental supervisors and managers regarding Citywide human resources and risk management matters.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
The following list of functions, duties, and tasks is typical for this classification.
Incumbents may not perform all of the listed duties and/or may be required to perform other closely related or department-specific functions, duties, and tasks from those set forth below to address business needs and changing business practices.
• Assists the Director in planning, organizing, directing, and evaluating department operations; establishes priorities, performance measures, work plans, service standards, policies, and procedures for Citywide human resources and risk management programs.
• Directs recruitment and selection, onboarding, benefits administration, leave programs, employee records, performance management, training, and organizational development; ensures fair, consistent, timely, and legally compliant processes.
• Oversees equal employment opportunity, ADA accommodation and interactive-process requirements, protected leaves, workplace investigations, workers' compensation, safety, liability, insurance, claims administration, and coordination with third-party administrators and legal counsel. • Advises executive management, directors, managers, and supervisors on employee relations, performance management, discipline, grievances, investigations, policy interpretation, workplace conduct, and conflict resolution; promotes consistent and defensible practices throughout the City. • Monitors and analyzes proposed legislation, regulations, court decisions, and emerging practices affecting employment and risk management; recommends policy, program, or operational changes and prepares executive briefings and correspondence.
• Supports and, when assigned, leads labor negotiations, meet-and-confer processes, grievance administration, costing of proposals, contract interpretation, and preparation of memoranda of understanding, personnel rules, compensation plans, and related agreements.
• Develops and administers the department budget; forecasts staffing, consulting, insurance, claims, training, technology, and program needs; monitors expenditures; and recommends responsible allocation of resources. • Directs classification and compensation programs, including job analyses, classification studies, salary and benefit surveys, pay-plan development, job- description maintenance, organizational reviews, and recommendations addressing internal equity and market competitiveness.
• Selects, trains, supervises, coaches, and evaluates assigned personnel; assigns and reviews work; implements corrective action and recommends discipline in accordance with City policies and applicable law. • Directs preparation and secure maintenance of personnel and risk records, reports, handbooks, manuals, policies, claims information, and required filings; ensures confidentiality, records retention, accessibility, and audit readiness. • Coordinates complex workplace investigations, claims, litigation support, subpoenas, audits, and regulatory inquiries with legal counsel and appropriate departments; evaluates exposure and recommends corrective or preventive action.
• Develops and oversees Citywide safety, loss-control, insurance, and risk- financing strategies; analyzes claims and incident trends and implements programs to reduce injuries, liability, operational disruption, and financial loss. • Leads implementation and improvement of human resources information systems, reporting, analytics, workflow controls, and records security; uses reliable data to assess workforce trends and program effectiveness. • Advises the Director, City Manager, and executive team regarding workforce strategy, succession planning, organizational structure, compensation, labor relations, employee engagement, risk exposure, major claims, and sensitive personnel matters.
• Serves as Acting Director when assigned and represents the department before the City Council, executive management, boards and commissions, labor organizations, employees, insurers, consultants, community groups, and outside agencies; performs other related duties as assigned.
(At time of application)
Knowledge of:
• Principles and practices of public-sector human resources administration, risk management, organizational leadership, strategic planning, budgeting, and service delivery
• Labor and employee relations, collective bargaining, grievance administration, workplace investigations, discipline, and performance management • Federal, state, and local employment, labor, leave, benefits, disability, civil rights, workplace safety, workers' compensation, privacy, records, and risk- management laws and regulations
• Classification and compensation systems, job analysis, labor-market surveys, proposal costing, workforce analytics, and report preparation • Recruitment and selection, benefits, training, succession planning, organizational development, HR information systems, data security, and records administration
• Insurance, claims administration, loss control, safety programs, liability analysis, contract administration, and principles of supervision and employee development
Skills and Abilities to:
• Analyze complex personnel, labor, financial, legal, claims, and policy issues; evaluate alternatives; and present objective, defensible recommendations • Select, supervise, train, coach, evaluate, motivate, and develop personnel and address performance or conduct concerns appropriately
• Exercise independent judgment, discretion, diplomacy, and confidentiality in highly sensitive matters
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with elected officials, executive management, employees, labor representatives, legal counsel, insurers, consultants, partner agencies, and the public • Interpret and apply complex laws, policies, labor agreements, compensation plans, and administrative procedures consistently
• Communicate clearly and persuasively, orally and in writing, and prepare and present complex reports, negotiations materials, recommendations, and executive briefings
• Work effectively with diverse groups of stakeholders and foster an equitable, respectful, and service-oriented workplace
• Provide executive and operational leadership for complex, Citywide human resources and risk management programs
• Plan and prioritize concurrent projects, negotiations, investigations, claims, and operational demands and perform the essential functions of the classification with or without reasonable accommodation
QUALIFICATIONS
(At time of application and in addition to the Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities listed above.)
EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:
Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in human resources management, public administration, business administration, risk management, industrial relations, organizational development, or a closely related field, and seven (7) years of progressively responsible professional human resources or risk management experience, including labor relations and at least three (3) years of supervisory or management responsibility. A master's degree and public-sector experience are highly desirable.
. Any combination of education and experience that would provide the required knowledge, abilities and skills is qualifying.
LICENSE(S) REQUIRED:
• Valid state-issued Driver's License and a good driving record preferred.
WORK ENVIRONMENT
(Must be performed with or without reasonable accommodations) • Work is performed primarily in an office, public-meeting, training, and other City-facility environment. The position requires attendance at evening meetings, travel to City worksites, and occasional work outside normal business hours to address urgent employee relations, labor, safety, claims, or emergency matters. • Positions in this class typically require: reaching, standing, walking, sitting, gripping, climbing, balancing, stooping, kneeling, crouching, crawling, talking and hearing, with or without reasonable accommodation.
• Light Work: Exerting up to 20 pounds of force occasionally (up to 1/3 of workday), and/or up to 10 pounds of force frequently (1/3 to 2/3 of workday), and/or a negligible amount of force constantly (2/3 or more of workday) to move objects. Physical demand requirements are in excess of those for Sedentary Work