Human Resource Director

About Lakewood

Lakewood Health System is a comprehensive rural healthcare system in central Minnesota. Leading the way in providing quality, personalized healthcare for a lifetime, Lakewood prides itself on remaining fiercely independent to prioritize its patients, staff, and communities in all decisions. Voted as one of Star Tribune’s Top Workplaces for the sixth year in a row, we do rural healthcare differently at LHS by providing a solid foundation of family practice providers with access to best-in-class specialty services, all right here at Lakewood. Across the spectrum of life, Lakewood Health System provides compassionate, quality care for the Brainerd Lakes region and beyond.

About the Team

The Human Resources department provides operational leadership and support to ensure compliant, consistent, and people-centered HR practices across Lakewood Health System. The team partners with leaders throughout the organization to support employee relations, workforce operations, regulatory compliance, performance management, policy administration, benefits, compensation, and organizational culture.

Mission for Position

The Human Resources Director provides operational leadership for the Human Resources department, ensuring compliant, consistent, and people-centered HR practices across Lakewood Health System. This role serves as the organization's subject matter expert in employment law, employee relations, regulatory compliance, investigations, policy administration, performance management, and workforce operations.

Working closely with the Chief Talent Officer and Senior Benefits & Compensation Partner, this leader develops HR team capability while ensuring organizational practices support legal compliance, operational excellence, and an exceptional employee experience.

Duties & Responsibilities

Strategic Priorities

Workforce Compliance & Risk Management

• Lead organizational compliance with federal, state, and local employment laws including FMLA, ADA, PWFA, USERRA, EEOC, wage and hour regulations, Minnesota Paid Leave, and other evolving employment legislation.
• Monitor legislative and regulatory changes, translating requirements into organizational policies, practices, leader education, and operational processes.
• Develop proactive strategies that minimize employment risk while supporting Lakewood's culture and mission.

Employee Relations Strategy

• Continuous improvement of organization-wide standards for employee relations, workplace investigations, conflict resolution, corrective action, and performance management.
• Serve as senior advisor to leaders navigating complex employee situations.
• Promote consistent, legally defensible decision-making across all departments.

Leadership Capability

• Partner with executive and operational leaders to strengthen leadership effectiveness through coaching, accountability, education, and consultation.
• Build leader confidence in performance conversations, documentation, investigations, and employee engagement.

HR Operational Excellence

• Continuously evaluate HR workflows, systems, and service delivery to improve efficiency, consistency, compliance, and employee experience.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives utilizing data, technology, and best practices.

People Priorities

Lead the Human Resources Team

• Provide leadership, coaching, mentoring, and accountability for HR Business Partners, Generalists, Coordinators, and other assigned HR staff.
• Foster a high-performing HR team focused on exceptional customer service and operational excellence.
• Develop succession planning and professional growth opportunities within the HR department.

Trusted Advisor

• Build trusted relationships with leaders at every level of the organization.
• Serve as a confidential resource for sensitive employee matters requiring judgment, discretion, and objectivity.

Organizational Culture

• Champion respectful workplace expectations.
• Support initiatives that improve employee engagement, retention, recognition, and organizational culture.

Collaboration

• Collaborate closely with the Senior Benefits & Compensation Partner to translate strategic compensation and benefit initiatives into effective operational execution, ensuring seamless delivery of total rewards programs across the organization.
• Partner closely with internal and external stakeholders to ensure coordinated people strategies.

Operational Priorities

Employee Relations

• Oversee and lead complex workplace investigations from intake through resolution.
• Oversee corrective action processes ensuring consistency, fairness, and legal compliance.
• Provide consultation on performance management, misconduct, workplace conflict, accommodations, and employee concerns.
• Monitor trends to proactively identify organizational risk.

Regulatory Compliance

• Maintain compliance with employment laws and regulatory requirements.
• Oversee HR policies, handbook maintenance, and required employment notices.
• Coordinate internal audits of HR practices and documentation.
• Ensure required reporting and record retention standards are maintained.

HR Operations

• Oversee onboarding, employment documentation, personnel records, HRIS administration, unemployment responses, and HR operational processes.
• Ensure standardized HR practices across all locations.
• Support HR technology optimization and workflow improvements.

Leave & Accommodation Administration Oversight

• Provide operational oversight for leave administration processes including FMLA, ADA accommodations, workers' compensation coordination, and Minnesota Paid Leave.
• Ensure regulatory compliance while partnering with the Senior Benefits & Compensation Partner on benefit-related leave administration and strategy.

Policy & Process Administration

• Develop, revise, and implement organizational HR policies.
• Standardize documentation templates, leader resources, and HR practices.
• Conduct regular policy reviews to ensure compliance and operational effectiveness.

Benefits & Compensation Administration

• Provide operational oversight of the organization's employee benefits and compensation administration functions.
• Ensure accurate administration of employee benefit enrollments, life events, COBRA, ACA reporting support, retirement programs, wellness initiatives, and other benefit offerings.
• Oversee execution of annual compensation processes including wage adjustments, job changes, promotions, transfers, and compensation documentation in partnership with the Senior Benefits & Compensation Partner.

Position Type

This is a Full-Time position, working 80 hours per pay period, and working onsite in collaboration with our amazing HR team.