HR Director: Position Description (items to include, not a full list)

1. Search & Hire
   1. Develop and coordinate the search process for all staff
      1. Work with the ministers to find support staff
      2. Work with the senior pastor to find new ministers and directors
   2. Lead the interviews with the candidate and include prospective supervisor and colleagues of the candidate
      1. Before making an offer, obtain a clean background check
      2. Make recommendations regarding candidates
2. Implement an on-boarding process
   1. Tax docs
   2. Church governing docs
   3. Personnel Manual review
   4. Orientation & tour around the building
   5. Provide two-way feedback opportunities for new employees at the 3, 6, and 12-month mark
3.  Termination
   1. Termination for cause
      1. Be involved from the outset of any termination for cause to guide the process and ensure it complies with all laws
   2. Voluntary Termination
      1. Coach and counsel the employee so they leave well
   3. Exit interview
      1. Conduct a final conversation asking how the church can be better
4. Grievances
   1. Meet with respective parties
   2. Handle according to policy without bias
5. Forms & Files
   1. Ensure all state and federal tax files are current
   2. Ensure all employer forms are completed on a timely basis
6. Personnel Manual
   1. Maintain and update the employee handbook
   2. Inform church staff of all changes
7. Employee Benefits
   1. Provide at least annual opportunities for employees to learn about their benefits including health insurance, retirement, long-term disability, paid time off, etc.
8. Employee Management
   1. Supervise administrative assistants
   2. Work with their respective managers to ensure
      1. The work product of each admin is at or above the standards
      2. The necessary office equipment & supplies are available to all employees
9. Personnel Law
   1. Be knowledgeable about all employee and employer laws
   2. Implement and enforce new and updated personnel laws
10. Employee Morale
    1. Create opportunities to help employee morale and team building
    2. Hear employee complaints and seek solutions before these become grievances
11. Continuing Ed
    1. Search for opportunities for staff to improve their skills
    2. Provide onsite events (“Lunch & Learn”) for administrative assistants to learn more about the software and hardware they use

There are more things that can be added to this description but this will get you started. Add things as they are applicable in your context.

Lead On!

Steve

When a church hires an employee, it enters into the world of personnel management. Hiring, keeping, and firing staff requires a vast amount of labor law knowledge plus good management practices in order to provide a legal and healthy work environment.

At some point, a growing church will need to assign the personnel duties to someone. In smaller churches is typically the Personnel Committee while in larger churches it is given to a paid employee as part of their responsibilities. Only in very large churches is there an employee whose sole job is HR.

If you don’t have these assigned to someone, your church will have problems in this area. Be intentional and ensure someone is responsible for HR. Personnel problems are easily prevented but they can become very difficult (in time and money) when they become a grievance. Someone needs to be available to listen impartially to employees and help them work through professional difficulties. Too often it is presumed that the pastor will handle these matters but very few pastors are trained in personnel. Instead, rely on someone who is knowledge in this area of the law.

The next post will have a partial description of the HR responsibilities which should be assigned to someone in the church.

Lead On!

Steve