Amara is committed to positive long-term outcomes for children and families. We drive systemic change, promote healing, racial and LGBTQ+ equity, by offering programs and services to families engaged in foster care, and to adoptees and families, post-adoption.

Bring your initiative and enthusiasm for fostering an internal culture based on Amara’s values: center racial and social justice, prioritize relationships, and seek innovative solutions. The Human Resources Manager is part of the Administrative team and focuses internally to strengthen, streamline, and support our HR needs, and internal administrative systems. This position will work closely with our Compliance and Administration Manager for staff management and the Director of DEI to partner on organizational policies and procedures. This position will work with both our King County and Pierce County staff and employees and may be based out of either our Seattle or Tacoma office.

Amara believes that a diverse workforce and inclusive workplace culture enhances our ability to fulfill our mission. We strive for equity and justice in the way people are treated and the opportunities they have to succeed by working to address racism, unequal treatment and other barriers to inclusion. We strongly encourage candidates from diverse backgrounds (including communities of color, the LGBT community, veterans, and people with disabilities) to apply and join us in our work.

Responsibilities

The HR Manager reports to the Chief Financial Officer and works closely with all Amara programs. Responsibilities may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Oversee all Human Resources administration for the agency with ~50 staff.
• Work closely with program leadership to ensure compliance with state licensing and labor requirements.
• Ensure the agency maintains compliance with federal, state, and local employment laws and regulations.
  • As required, review and update personnel policies and practices.
  • Compose, recommend and implement policy and practice updates to reflect best practices, as well as basic compliance in, HR, and DEI related HR efforts. 
• Administer leaves and accommodations requests in compliance with HR law.
• Coordinate with Compliance and Administration Manager to facilitate and perform all employee on and off boarding, including orientations, HR file creation and management, conducting exit interviews, facilitating benefits enrollment and updating payroll.
• Provide guidance and coaching to supervisors on supervision skills, coaching and performance improvement efforts and strategy. Stay abreast of best practices and be aware of training and continuing learning opportunities for the agency’s supervisors.
• Provide support and guidance to management, and other staff when complex, specialized, and sensitive questions and issues arise.
  • Administer and execute tasks in delicate circumstances such as assessing and providing reasonable accommodations, investigating allegations of wrongdoing, and terminations, when they arise.
• Assist with employee recruitment sourcing and screening.
  • Oversee recruitment efforts and assist department leadership with hiring efforts and interviewing processes when needed.
  • Oversee applicant tracking system and continuously seek improvements in efficiency for candidate and hiring manager experiences.
• Maintains knowledge of trends, best practices, regulatory changes, and new technologies in human resources, talent management, and employment law.
• Administration of employee benefit programs.
• Act as primary payroll and employee HR software administrator and liaise with the Staff Accountant to process payroll and benefits administration.
• Strengthen, improve, schedule and facilitate new employee onboarding and orientations.
• In partnership with leadership, plan or assist in the planning and/or facilitation of monthly all-staff meetings as well as employee engagement events.
• Facilitate new staff orientations
• Lead or assist in the implantation of project-based operational improvements across Amara programs.

• 3 or more years administrative program experience. Bachelor’s degree and/or HR Certification is a plus.
• Two or more years of experience in HR.
• Two or more years supervisory experience, with strong supervisor skills and ability to effectively coach other supervisors.
• Demonstrated ability to keep strict confidentiality.
• Strong commitment to anti-racism and equity
• Experience planning and overseeing events and meetings, and comfort with public speaking is a plus.
• Advanced experience with Microsoft Office Suite preferred.
• Ability to adapt to an ever-changing environment, with evolving needs.
• Ability to work independently, often with little direction or oversight.
• Experience implementing DEI initiatives and understanding of HR DEI practices a plus. 
• Excellent communication skills in all forms whether in person, on the phone or in writing
• The ability to work cooperatively with different personalities, ages, religions, races, ethnicities, cultures, economic classes, and lifestyles
• A valid government issued ID.
• Must be at least 21 years of age.
• Ability to pass a background check.

Criminal Background Check

Because this position has access to confidential client, employee, and financial information any final candidate hired into this position must successfully pass a criminal background check performed by the State of Washington. Any job offer is contingent on successfully passing this background check.  A list of disqualifying convictions for this position is available at https://www.dcyf.wa.gov/sites/default/files/pdf/secretaryslist.pdf.

Salary and Benefits

This is a half-time position (20 hours per week) with yearly salary of $35,000/year. Eligible to participate in our retirement plan with employer matching program.

**Worksite information during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Currently, our offices are closed, except for a few key services that we provide, and our staff are largely working from home. Due to some unique duties of the Human Resources Manager, which must be accomplished in-person, this position works approximately 40-60% in-office at our Seattle and/or Tacoma Locations. This means a frequency of working in the offices ~2-3 days per week with occasional additional in-office visits to meet staff or assist with in-person special projects.  We are dedicated to maintaining a safe work environment with robust pandemic protocols, PPE supplies and ample space for our staff to work safely alone, if their position requires in-office work.