Milwaukee Water Works supports a strong, service-focused culture through HR practices that keep the organization compliant, aligned, and ready to meet employee needs. In this onsite role, you will lead Human Resources Administration functions spanning talent management, compensation and benefits, training and development, payroll support, and worker safety. The position offers a comprehensive City benefits package, including retirement through the Wisconsin Retirement System, health coverage, flexible scheduling options, wellness supports, and paid time off.
This Human Resources Administrative Manager role supports Milwaukee Water Works (MWW) by overseeing recruitment and hiring workflow, maintaining job description and job announcement processes, managing HR compliance and employee relations, and partnering across City teams for classification actions and workforce development. You will also serve as a key point of contact on Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO), Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and other legal personnel matters while ensuring employee records, personnel investigations, and OSHA-related compliance are handled properly.
Responsibilities
- Maintain a current list of vacancies, approve requests to fill vacant positions, and attend City of Milwaukee Finance & Personnel committee meetings for the vacancy agenda.
- Coordinate MWW attendance at job fairs and participate in various events.
- Review, revise, and disseminate MWW job descriptions; assist managers and supervisors in drafting new job descriptions as needed.
- Review job announcement bulletins (JABs) prepared by the City’s Department of Employee Relations (DER) for external and Citywide transfer/promotional recruitments, and draft JABs for internal transfer/promotional opportunities.
- Partner with DER to help ensure equitable access to MWW job opportunities and support targeted recruitment promotion to broad and diverse audiences.
- Maintain a catalog of standard interview questions by position and regularly review questions for continued relevance and appropriateness.
- Manage candidate background check processes, including reviewing background check results.
- Maintain new employee orientation materials and support onboarding with hiring managers.
- Oversee training management processes to ensure appropriate training is assigned and completed across the Utility; identify additional training and learning opportunities for various positions.
- Participate in DPW workshop presentations to provide training and skill-building to employees.
- Manage MWW’s Visual Organizational Inventory (VOI) of positions.
- Develop, review, and maintain HR-related policies, work rules, and standard operating procedures (SOPs); support personnel actions including promotions and temporary, provisional, and emergency appointments.
- Support performance improvement through coaching, PIPs, formal notifications, and disciplinary actions; respond to disciplinary grievances and appeals.
- Gather HR data and compile statistics (including retention, attrition, and salary information) for departmental requirements and professional organizations.
- Attend City Service Commission (CSC) meetings for personnel-related matters.
- Support classification and compensation-related requests, including classification, reclassification, reallocation, market studies, salary incentives, special salary rates, and other actions.
- Provide managers, supervisors, and employees with information related to position classification, salary, and City benefits.
- Manage MWW Sick Leave Control processes and monitor compliance for additional sick leave occurrences.
- Respond to requests for information related to Unemployment Insurance (UI) claims.
- Manage employee records preparation and maintenance.
- Maintain currency on federal and state employment laws and how they are interpreted and applied.
- Serve as MWW’s Compliance Officer for EEO, ADA, and other legal personnel matters and laws.
- Oversee MWW payroll workflow: manage the payroll team’s work assignments, monitor timecard completion, approve payroll adjustments, and ensure timely and accurate entry of personnel actions into the Human Capital Management (HCM) system.
- Interview, onboard, and train staff; conduct and approve performance appraisals and evaluations.
- Model strong customer service skills; counsel staff on high-quality service, best practices, and professional development.
- Work with the DPW Safety Section on safety-related training, follow up on workplace injuries and injury claims, and support transitional duty assignments for temporary restrictions.
- Manage personnel investigations related to allegations of discrimination or harassment, including preparing formal complaint responses with other City agencies such as the City Attorney’s Office.
- Administer MWW’s OSHA compliance and workers’ compensation program.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in human resources administration, business administration, social or behavioral science, or a closely related field.
- Five years of professional-level experience in human resources management, including applying laws related to selection, compensation, equal employment opportunity, and various types of leave.
- Valid driver’s license at the time of appointment and throughout employment.
- Ability to work flexible hours, including some evenings and weekends.
- Please do not attach academic transcripts to your employment application.
Benefits
- Wisconsin Retirement System (WRS) Defined Benefit Pension Plan
- 457 Deferred Compensation Plan
- Health and Dental Insurance
- Paid Parental Leave
- Comprehensive Wellness Program
- Onsite Clinic Services
- Onsite Employee Assistance Program
- Alternative Work Schedules
- Long-Term Disability Insurance
- Group Life Insurance
- Tuition Benefits
- Paid Vacation
- 12 Paid Holidays
- Paid Sick Leave and other paid leaves
- Flexible Spending Arrangement
- Commuter Value Pass
Selection Process
- The selection process will be job-related and may include evaluation of education and experience and/or supplemental question responses, written or performance tests, structured interviews, or other assessment methods.
- The Department of Employee Relations may call only the most qualified candidates for structured interviews and performance examinations.
- Structured interviews may include written exercises, and component weights will be determined by further analysis.
Additional Information
- Applications and further information are available at www.jobapscloud.com/MIL.
- For assistance completing an application, contact the Department of Employee Relations at (414) 286-3751 or staffinginfo@milwaukee.gov.
- The Department of Employee Relations is located in City Hall, 200 E Wells St, Room 706, Milwaukee, WI 53202.
- Applications may be discontinued after the initial filing date without prior notice, though recruitment may continue until the City’s needs have been met.
- Qualified applicants will be notified of the date, time, and place of selection process components, and the applicant is responsible for attending all phases at the designated time and location unless otherwise required by law.
EOO: E EO Code = 208. The City of Milwaukee values and encourages diversity and is an equal opportunity employer.
Pay: USD 116,493 - 145,463 per yearly. The current pay range (Pay Range 1LX) is $116,493-$139,868 annually, with a resident incentive range of $121,153-$145,463 annually. Appointment above the minimum may be possible based on experience and qualifications and is subject to approval.
Location: Milwaukee, WI (onsite).
Technologies: Human Capital Management (HCM) system, Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint.
