Director of HR

Director of Human Resources

Position Summary
We are seeking a hands-on Director of Human Resources to lead and scale the HR function within a growing government contracting organization. This role will partner closely with executive leadership, Finance, Security, and Program Management to align HR strategy with business objectives, support workforce growth, maintain regulatory compliance, and foster a strong employee-focused culture.

The ideal candidate combines strategic leadership with hands-on execution and brings demonstrated experience in government contracting, cleared workforces, organizational scaling, and HR process improvement.

Key Responsibilities

HR Strategy & Organizational Growth

• Develop and implement scalable HR strategies, policies, and processes that support business growth and operational objectives.
• Lead talent acquisition, workforce planning, employee relations, performance management, retention, and professional development.
• Partner with leadership on organizational design, succession planning, employee engagement, and culture initiatives.
• Implement HR technology, automation, and AI-enabled solutions to improve efficiency and the employee experience.

Government Contracting & Compliance

• Ensure compliance with Service Contract Act (SCA) wage determinations, fringe obligations, DCAA-compliant timekeeping and labor charging, and contract labor category (LCAT) requirements.
• Support contract staffing, key personnel commitments and substitutions, incumbent transitions, and post-award workforce ramp-ups.
• Coordinate with the Facility Security Officer (FSO) on cleared recruiting, clearance-contingent offers, and insider threat program requirements.
• Maintain HR documentation, training records, background screening, and onboarding/offboarding controls to support ISO 9001, ISO 27001, CMMC, NIST 800-171, and other applicable audits and assessments.
• Maintain awareness of federal contracting regulations, small business requirements, and applicable employment laws.

Compensation, Finance & Business Partnership

• Partner with Finance on compensation strategy, benefits planning, fringe costs, headcount forecasting, and workforce budgeting.
• Manage compensation structures, salary benchmarking, benefits programs, and incentive arrangements.
• Support proposals, recompetes, contingent hiring, and staffing strategies aligned with contract requirements and business growth.

Mergers, Acquisitions & Change Management

• Support HR due diligence and integration, including benefits harmonization, HRIS consolidation, employee retention, and culture alignment.
• Guide organizational change while maintaining employee engagement, productivity, and operational continuity.
• Use workforce analytics and measurable performance indicators to improve recruiting, retention, and HR operations.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field.
• SHRM-SCP certification required; HRCI SPHR may be considered equivalent.
• Significant hands-on HR leadership experience within government contracting.
• Strong knowledge of SCA wage determinations, fringe obligations, DCAA-compliant labor charging, LCATs, and key personnel requirements.
• Experience supporting DoD or Intelligence Community cleared workforces, including cleared recruiting and coordination with an FSO.
• Demonstrated success scaling an organization, with measurable results in headcount growth, time-to-fill, retention, or process improvement.
• Experience building and implementing HR programs in a lean or resource-conscious environment.
• Knowledge of employee relations, compensation, benefits, workforce planning, and employment compliance.
• Strong communication, analytical, problem-solving, and change management skills, with the ability to handle sensitive information discreetly.

EEO Statement: FosterThomas is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to equal employment opportunities in recruitment, hiring, promotion, training, compensation and disciplinary action regarding the terms and conditions of employment. FosterThomas does not discriminate based on race, religion, national origin, color, age, sex, disability, marital status, gender identity genetic information, sexual orientation, or sex, including pregnancy and childbirth, veteran status, or any other legally protected characteristic.

FosterThomas does not use third-party domains for recruiting or interviews. Legitimate communications will always come from Fosterthomas.com email addresses. FosterThomas does not conduct interviews solely via text-based chat on Microsoft Teams.