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HR Manager Job Description Template

A ready to edit HR manager job description that covers hiring, employee relations, pay and policy for a growing company. Copy it and fill in the brackets.

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Quick answer. An HR manager job description works when it says how many employees the person supports, whether they manage other HR staff and how much of the job is hands on work versus strategy. In a small company the HR manager often runs hiring, onboarding, benefits and employee relations alone. The template below names those areas and leaves pay, headcount and systems in brackets, because only you know them.

§01 Template

The HR manager job description, ready to edit.

Copy the text, then fill in each highlighted bracket. A bracket marks a blank only you can fill, such as the pay, the hours or who the role reports to.

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Template

HR Manager

About the role

[Company name] is hiring an HR Manager to lead human resources for our team of about [number] employees across [locations]. You will run hiring, onboarding, employee relations, pay and benefits administration, and keep our policies current. You will report to [manager title] and be the main HR contact for managers and staff.

Responsibilities

  • Partner with managers on workforce planning, job descriptions, interviews and offers for [expected number] open roles a year.
  • Run onboarding and offboarding, including paperwork, system access and the first 90 day check ins.
  • Handle employee relations: listen to concerns, run fair investigations, document outcomes and coach managers through hard conversations.
  • Administer pay, benefits and leave with [payroll provider] and [benefits broker or carrier], and answer employee questions.
  • Own the employee handbook and HR policies, and update them when your business or the places you hire change.
  • Run the review cycle, goal setting and pay change process with managers.
  • Keep employee records accurate and secure in [HRIS or payroll system you use].
  • Report on headcount, turnover and open roles to [leadership team] each [month or quarter].
  • Supervise [number] HR team members, such as an HR generalist or HR assistant.

Requirements

  • [Number] or more years of HR experience, including at least [number] years handling employee relations.
  • Working knowledge of hiring, onboarding, pay, leave and benefits administration.
  • Experience with [HRIS or payroll system you use] and spreadsheets for HR reporting.
  • Clear writing for policies, offer letters and sensitive notes.
  • Calm, fair judgment when a manager and an employee disagree.
  • Knowledge of the employment rules where you hire.

Nice to have

  • Experience supporting a company that grew from [number] to [number] employees.
  • Experience choosing or switching a benefits plan or payroll provider.
  • Experience supporting hourly, remote or multi site teams.
  • An HR certification such as [certification you prefer].

Pay, schedule and benefits

Hours: [days and hours, onsite, hybrid or remote]. Pay: [pay range or rate]. Benefits: [short summary]. Equal opportunity statement: [use the wording your HR or legal advisor provides].

§02 Make it yours

Three decisions that make this posting specific to you.

Say whether this is a doer or a director

At 50 employees the HR manager often sends the offer letters and fixes the payroll error. At 300 employees the job shifts toward managing a team and advising leaders. State which one you need, so the right people apply.

Name the people the HR manager supports

List the headcount, the number of locations and the mix of hourly and salaried staff. A manager supporting 40 office employees has a different week than one supporting 150 shift workers.

Decide who owns the hard cases

Terminations, investigations and complaints are part of the job. Say who the HR manager reports to on those and when an outside advisor such as [employment attorney or HR consultant] gets involved.

§03 Levels

How the HR manager posting changes by level.

Adjust the template for the level you are hiring. These are common patterns, so match them to how your own team defines each level.

LevelCommon titlesWhat changes in the posting
EntryHR Coordinator, HR SpecialistSupports hiring, onboarding and records. A senior HR person makes the decisions on employee relations and pay.
MidHR Manager, Human Resources ManagerRuns the HR function day to day, handles employee relations and works directly with managers.
SeniorSenior HR Manager, HR Business Partner, Director of HRLeads an HR team, advises executives and owns HR planning, pay structure and policy.

§04 Mistakes

Mistakes to cut from an HR manager posting.

Asking for a strategic leader and paying for an administrator

If the posting lists strategy, culture and executive advising, but most of the week is payroll fixes and paperwork, the new hire will be frustrated. Match the description to the actual week.

Leaving out employee relations

Many HR managers spend a large share of their time on complaints, performance issues and exits. Say so, and ask candidates about their experience with them.

Listing every HR specialty

Recruiting, benefits, payroll, training and safety are separate skills. Name the three or four that matter most now and treat the rest as nice to have.

§05 Questions

Frequently asked questions.

What does an HR manager do?

An HR manager runs the people side of a company: hiring, onboarding, employee relations, pay and benefits administration, policies and records. In a small company the same person often does all of it.

What is the difference between an HR manager and an HR generalist?

An HR generalist handles day to day HR tasks across many areas. An HR manager owns the function, makes policy decisions, advises leaders and usually supervises others.

What qualifications should I ask for?

Ask for experience in the areas you need most, such as employee relations or benefits. A degree or certification can be listed as preferred. Check what applies where you hire before you require a credential.

Should the posting include pay?

Candidates look for it first, and some places have rules about posting pay ranges. Check the rules where you hire, and put the range in the bracketed pay field of the template.

§06 Next

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