Director of Human Resources job description.
The Director of Human Resources leads the HR function for an organization, setting people strategy and overseeing talent acquisition, employee relations, compensation, and compliance. They partner with senior leadership to align workforce planning with business goals and build a high-performing HR team.
The Director of Human Resources job description · $29
The full editable .docx — role summary, 9 worked responsibilities, qualifications, and skills, formatted for your letterhead. Delivered to your inbox within 24 hours — usually instantly.
Role: Director of Human Resources Reports to: Chief Executive Officer
The Director of Human Resources leads the HR function for an organization, setting people strategy and overseeing talent acquisition, employee relations, compensation, and compliance. They partner with senior leadership to align workforce planning with business goals and build a high-performing HR team.
- Develop and execute the organization's HR strategy and annual priorities
- Lead recruitment, onboarding, and workforce planning efforts
- Oversee compensation, benefits, and performance management programs
What's inside the document.
One-paragraph plain-English explanation of the role's outcome and scope.
9 responsibilities phrased the way the work is actually done.
5 qualifications a candidate must have to perform on day 30.
3 qualifications that would make a candidate excellent in year two.
6 skill chips you can copy directly into your ATS.
Chief Executive Officer
A complete document set.
- Word document (.docx) — fully editable
- PDF — signature-ready
- Google Docs — one-click copy to your Drive
- 12 months of updates to this document
- Commercial-use licence for internal and client work
The work, not the title.
- Develop and execute the organization's HR strategy and annual priorities
- Lead recruitment, onboarding, and workforce planning efforts
- Oversee compensation, benefits, and performance management programs
- Ensure compliance with employment law and workplace policies
- Manage employee relations issues and escalations
- Build, mentor, and lead the HR team
- Partner with senior leadership on organizational design and change management
- Monitor HR metrics and report on workforce trends to leadership
- Oversee HR systems, records, and reporting processes
Required — and what would make a candidate excellent.
- Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business, or a related field
- 7+ years of progressive HR experience, including people leadership
- Strong knowledge of employment law and HR compliance requirements
- Proven experience managing HR programs across multiple functions
- Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills
- Master's degree or HR certification (SHRM-SCP, PHR/SPHR, CIPD)
- Experience in a multi-site or multi-jurisdiction organization
- Experience leading HR through periods of growth or restructuring
Eight steps from download to publish.
- 01Open the Director of Human Resources job description in Word or your one-click Google Docs copy.
- 02Replace placeholders for company name, reporting line, and location with your specifics.
- 03Tighten the summary to one paragraph that names the team's outcome, not just the role.
- 04Edit the responsibilities to match the actual scope of the seat — aim for 6 to 8 items, not 12.
- 05Separate required qualifications from preferred. Required is what a candidate must have to do the work on day 30; preferred is what would make them excellent in year two.
- 06Add salary range guidance using BLS, Payscale, or your own band data — do not copy generic figures.
- 07Have the hiring manager and one peer read it. Cut anything that wouldn't survive a candidate question.
- 08Publish to your ATS, intranet, and external careers page.
The right document at the right moment.
Use this Director of Human Resources job description any time you are opening or reopening a seat at this level. The senior band sets the calibration — copy the document, tighten it to your specific scope, and circulate to the hiring panel before the first interview.
The reporting line (Chief Executive Officer) and skills list are starting points. Override either if your org structure or stack differs from the norm — the template is a draft, not a contract.
Honest answers before you download.
- How does Director of HR differ from HR Manager?
- A Director of HR typically sets organization-wide people strategy and leads the HR function at a senior level, while an HR Manager usually oversees day-to-day HR operations for a site, department, or business unit.
- What qualifications should candidates have for this role?
- Most employers look for a bachelor's degree, several years of progressive HR leadership experience, and strong knowledge of employment law; an HR certification or advanced degree is a common preference.
Other documents in this neighbourhood.
HR Director
An HR Director leads the people function for an organisation or major business unit.
HR Business Partner
An HR Business Partner aligns HR strategy with business objectives by partnering directly with leaders on talent, organizational design, and workforce planning.
HR Manager
An HR Manager runs the people function for a team or business unit — recruiting, employee relations, performance, compensation, and the day-to-day HR operation.
This Director of Human Resources job description is a professionally drafted starting point for your hiring process and is not legal advice. Hiring practice varies by jurisdiction (e.g. pay-transparency laws differ across US states and AU jurisdictions). Adapt this document for your specific location and have employment counsel review any clauses you add before publishing. Salary varies by region, employer type, and experience. Reference BLS or current industry surveys for ranges. Full disclaimer.