The Center for Rural Affairs is seeking a Human Resources Manager based in Lyons, Nebraska. For the right candidate, a hybrid location may be considered, with 50% time in Lyons and the remainder in another location in Northeast Nebraska. The Human Resources Manager will oversee the Center’s human resource efforts.
The ideal candidate will be passionate about partnering with all Center staff in the alignment of best practices across HR functions such as recruiting, compensation, benefits, compliance, and standards related to personnel and human resources management.
Who We Are
The Center for Rural Affairs is a dynamic, energetic non-profit organization working to build a better rural future for all. We’ve done this work for 50 years and we do it from rural places with a flexible work environment. Our work creates opportunities for beginning farmers, new business owners, and first-time advocates. The Center’s work is rooted in principles of diversity and inclusion. We believe that a diversity of people and ideas strengthens our work, our workplace, and our communities. We celebrate this diversity and we are committed to advancing practices that create an equitable and inclusive workplace. We take equal opportunity seriously and we welcome and support all applicants and team members. Additional information can be found at www.cfra.org. Check to see if our Mission and Values match yours, and read about our work demonstrating how awesome the Center is!
What You’ll Do
The Human Resources Manager reports to the Chief Administrative Officer and will work to create consistent practices and standards for all HR functions. The Human Resources manager is responsible for the following:
- You will engage in recruiting tasks for new and open positions such as preparing job descriptions and recruitment announcements, coordinating with the hiring manager for screenings, interviewing, reference checks, and background checks, and ensuring that proper hiring processes are followed.
- You will oversee all new staff member onboarding as well as departing staff exit processes.
- You will maintain, update, and organize all employee files including the retention and destruction of appropriate files.
- You will prepare, process, review, analyze, or approve employee personnel transactions ensuring compliance with applicable policies, laws, and regulations, and prepare monthly EEOC reports.
- You will provide training for staff, supervisors, and managers on various personnel-related issues.
- You will administer the provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act, worker’s compensation, insurance, Center benefits, employee classifications, job descriptions, and organizational charts.
- You will administer and coordinate all necessary Family Care Leave & Extended Illness Benefit documentation and communications with employees and the employee’s manager.
- You will work with the Executive Director in conducting wage and salary surveys, collecting and evaluating salary data, providing all staff with an annual compensation statement, and prepare Change of Status forms for approval for all status changes.
- You will maintain, update, and provide guidance to staff regarding the Center’s Operating Manual, Employee Handbook, and Onboarding Manual.
- You will engage the Directors of all fiscally sponsored entities in quarterly conversations focusing on management items such as policies, hiring practices, benefits enrollment, personnel issues, and general support needs.
- You will collaborate with all Center staff to continually seek to incorporate the Center's diversity, equity, and inclusion principles effectively into internal processes, external programming and communications, and work relationships.
- You will be responsible for partnering with the Center’s Employee Assistance Program liaison to ensure employees are aware of the programming, training, and assistance provided by the program.
Who You Are & Keys to Success (the must-haves)
To be successful in this job, you will excel in five areas:
- Relationship-building: You develop and maintain strong, collaborative working relationships with team members in the program, across the organization, and with a diverse group of stakeholders. You know how to build alliances with marginalized communities, such as people of color, people with disabilities, low-income families, military veterans, and immigrants, and find points of collaboration even when there are competing interests.
- Drive to achieve results: You have a track record of accomplishing ambitious goals and getting results even when there are obstacles. You set a high bar and meet it because you think three (or 30) steps ahead to anticipate hurdles and come up with pragmatic solutions. You plan backward and involve stakeholders appropriately.
- Inclusive leadership and management: You approach leadership with a collaborative mindset-mindset of “power with” rather than “power over” and regularly include others in decision-making. You seek out those who have the experience to guide, advise, and plan how you approach the work.
- Setting and managing priorities: You have experience managing multiple projects and keeping tasks from slipping through the cracks. You use resources wisely and can provide clear direction to staff, partners, consultants, and volunteers to leverage time and talent for impact.
- Commitment to racial equity and social justice: You recognize the role of race, income, age, immigration status, and other identities in addressing disparities, and you consistently amplify community voices to advocate for more equitable policy solutions. You recognize how your own identities show up in the work, and welcome, reflect on, and act on feedback with an eye toward continuous learning about race, ability, and other lines of difference.
If you were here right now, you would be:
- Working with hiring managers to post new positions, conducting reference checks, and onboarding new staff.
- Managing and updating all personnel files.
- Completing personnel transactions such as Change of Status forms, Family Care Leave & Extended Illness documentation, and preparing monthly EEOC reports.
- Overseeing staff compliance with the Employee Handbook and the Operating Manual.
You have experience with the following:
- You have four or more years of experience creating or implementing personnel or human resource-related practices
- You have an HR certification (PHR or SPHR), or interest in pursuing
- You have demonstrated experience managing complex, high-quality, and sometimes contradictory information to effectively solve problems and make decisions
- You are a planner and can drive projects
- You are able to work effectively with diverse groups of individuals and value differences of race, ethnicity, age, gender, sexual orientation, religion, ability, and socioeconomic circumstances.
- You have high standards of ethics and integrity
What Else You Should Know
This is a full-time exempt position based in Lyons Nebraska or a remote location in northeastern Nebraska that is within an hour's driving distance to Lyons Nebraska. This position has a salary range of $56,000-$64,000 with top-notch benefits that have a cash value of $10,000 to $29,500, depending on family status and tenure with the Center. Benefits such as 97% employer-paid family health insurance that includes a contribution to a Health Savings Account, retirement options, a fantastic Employee Assistance Program, 12 paid holidays plus paid time off between Christmas Eve and New Year's Day, Friday Summer Hours, and vacation and sick pay.
The Center for Rural Affairs is an Equal Opportunity Employer and participates in E-Verify, is committed to the full inclusion of all individuals, and takes steps to ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations.
How to Apply
If you would like to work for an organization that has a national reputation as one of the top organizations in the country working to make rural communities more vibrant, apply by sending your resume, cover letter, and three professional references by clicking here. In the cover letter, please include how your personal and/or professional experiences have positioned you for success in this role and any Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion or Racial Equity-related work, skills, or expertise you want us to know about. Let us know how you heard about this position and why you want to work for the Center.
