Senior Human Resources Consultant

Senior Human Resources Consultant

Position:  Senior Human Resources Consultant

Department:  Human Resources / Administrative Services

Location:  Gunnison, Colorado

Work Arrangement:  Primarily On-Site

Employment Type:  Consulting / Part-Time

Work Schedule:  Approximately 20 hours per week

Shift:  Primarily Monday-Friday, during standard business hours; flexibility may be required for urgent HR matters, employee relations issues, investigations, and management meetings

Interview Process:  Initial screening interview followed by a management/leadership interview; additional interview(s) may be conducted as required

Reports To:  City Manager / Designated Executive Leadership

Job Description

The City is seeking an experienced  Senior Human Resources Consultant  to provide strategic and operational HR leadership and advisory support to executive leadership, department directors, supervisors, and employees. The consultant will serve as a trusted HR advisor and provide professional guidance on employee relations, performance management, employment compliance, workplace investigations, HR policies, organizational development, workforce planning, classification and compensation, and leadership development.

The successful candidate will demonstrate strong knowledge of human resources practices, excellent judgment, discretion, communication skills, and the ability to independently manage sensitive and complex personnel matters.

Key Responsibilities

• Serve as a senior HR advisor to the City Manager, executive leadership, department directors, and supervisors.
• Provide guidance on employee relations, performance management, disciplinary actions, grievances, workplace conflicts, and employee complaints.
• Conduct and support confidential workplace investigations involving harassment, discrimination, retaliation, misconduct, and policy violations.
• Review and recommend improvements to HR policies, procedures, employee handbook provisions, and personnel practices.
• Advise management regarding applicable federal, state, and local employment requirements.
• Support job classification, compensation, workforce planning, recruitment, selection, and organizational structure initiatives.
• Coach managers and supervisors on performance management, documentation, employee relations, and effective leadership practices.
• Develop and deliver HR training for managers, supervisors, and employees.
• Provide guidance concerning workplace accommodations, leave, return-to-work matters, and related personnel issues.
• Identify HR compliance and organizational risks and recommend appropriate mitigation strategies.
• Support employee engagement, retention, organizational development, succession planning, and workplace culture initiatives.
• Prepare HR reports, assessments, recommendations, and management documentation as required.
• Maintain strict confidentiality and professionalism when handling sensitive personnel information.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Public Administration, Organizational Development, or a related field preferred.
• Significant progressive experience in senior-level human resources management or consulting.
• Strong experience in employee relations, performance management, workplace investigations, HR compliance, policy development, and organizational development.
• Demonstrated experience advising executives, department directors, managers, and supervisors.
• Strong understanding of applicable employment laws and HR best practices.
• Excellent written, verbal, interpersonal, analytical, and conflict-resolution skills.
• Ability to exercise sound judgment and maintain confidentiality when handling sensitive personnel matters.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working with a municipality, government agency, public-sector organization, or similarly structured organization.
• SHRM-SCP, SHRM-CP, SPHR, PHR, or comparable professional certification.
• Experience with classification and compensation, workforce planning, organizational assessments, and leadership development.

Work Schedule & Availability

This is a  part-time consulting engagement of approximately 20 hours per week , primarily performed on-site in Gunnison, Colorado. The consultant should generally be available during regular business hours and maintain sufficient flexibility to respond to urgent employee relations matters, investigations, leadership consultations, and other time-sensitive HR requirements.

Interview Process

Candidates may be evaluated through the following process:

• Initial Candidate Screening  - Review of qualifications and relevant HR experience.
• HR/Management Interview  - Assessment of technical expertise, consulting experience, and problem-solving capabilities.
• Leadership Interview  - Discussion with City leadership regarding organizational fit, communication style, and approach to complex HR matters.
• Final Selection  - Evaluation of qualifications, experience, availability, and overall suitability for the engagement.

Ideal Candidate Profile

The ideal candidate will be a  senior-level HR professional and trusted advisor  capable of providing both strategic guidance and hands-on support. The candidate should be comfortable working directly with executive leadership, handling confidential and sensitive personnel matters, resolving complex employee relations issues, and developing practical HR solutions that support organizational effectiveness and compliance.