Vice President of Human Resources

Kern Medical has been a community cornerstone since its founding in 1867. Today, we are an acute care teaching center with 222 beds, offering the only advanced trauma care between Fresno and Los Angeles. Kern Medical offers a range of primary, specialty, and multi-specialty services including high-risk pregnancy care, inpatient psychiatric services integrated with county mental health programs, and a growing network of outpatient clinics providing personalized patient-centered wellness care.  Kern Medical cares for 15,500 inpatients and 125,000 clinic patients a year.

Career Opportunities within Kern Medical include many benefits such as: 

• New Hire Premium: +6% of base rate of pay, matched up to 6% if contributed to Deferred Compensation Plan.
• A Comprehensive Benefits Package: includes Holidays, Paid Time Off, Retirement, Medical, Dental, Vision and Life Insurance.

Position: Vice President of Human Resources

Distinguishing Characteristics:

The Vice President of Human Resources (VP HR) is a senior executive responsible for leading and managing the human resources function at Kern Medical. This strategic role partners with the CHRO/CTO to develop and implement HR strategies, policies, and programs that align with the Kern Medical’s overall goals and objectives. The VP HR plays a critical role in fostering a positive work culture, attracting, developing, and retaining top talent, and ensuring compliance with employment laws and regulations.  Leading the critical areas of the Human Resources Division may be shared with the CHRO/CTO as needed.

Employee/Labor Relations - oversees theorganization’s responsibilities for union negotiations, grievances, employee relations, and workplace investigations. Works closely with legal to respond to grievances and unfair practice charges filed by the union. Coordinates the work of human resource business partners to deliver functional assistance throughout the organization. 

HR Shared Services - oversees the hospital’s human resources shared services including HRIS administration, payroll coordination, and employee status changes. Responsible for ensuring effective and efficient delivery of all shared services across all departments throughout the organization

Organizational Development – oversees the hospital’s leadership development, succession management, performance management, executive coaching, and management coaching.  

Total Rewards – oversees the hospital’s employee benefits, compensation administration, job classifications, and leave management

Talent Acquisition - oversees the hospital’s recruiting and talent acquisition services including ensuring talent acquisition advisors and talent acquisition coordinators manage applicant flow and coordinate onboarding in addition to participating in various recruiting activities.

Essential Functions:

• Plans, organizes, controls, and directs the operations and activities of all areas of human resources
• Assigns employee duties and reviews work to ensure accuracy, completeness, and compliance with established standards, requirements, and procedures.
• Establishes and maintains timelines and priorities, and assures program and functional activities comply with established laws, codes, rules, regulations, ordinances, policies, and procedures
• Assures proper and timely resolution of issues and problems related to assigned programs and functions; attends and conducts meetings as assigned; prepares and delivers oral presentations concerning assigned programs and functions. 
• Maintains current knowledge of laws, codes, rules, regulations, and pending legislation related to human resources; oversees modification of programs, functions, and procedures to assure compliance with legal requirements. 
• Assists in the formulation and development of policies, procedures, and programs.
• Collaborates with other administrators, personnel and outside agencies in the development and implementation of department projects, goals, objectives, services, and activities.
• Provides consultation concerning assigned programs, functions, and related activities; responds to inquiries, resolves issues, and provides detailed technical information concerning related laws, regulations, codes, ordinances, policies, standards, requirements, and procedures. 
• Provides training to outside leadership and personnel on assigned areas of responsibility.

Employment Standards:

Possesses seven or more years of progressively responsible experience in human resources management, with at least three years of HR leadership experience. Public sector or healthcare experience in a unionized environment strongly preferred.

Possession of a valid California Driver’s License upon appointment.

Additional Preferred Qualifications:

Preferred qualifications for this position may include any of the following: a graduate degree from an accredited college or university, public sector experience in either human resources, employee relations, or recruiting, or a nationally recognized human resource certification. 

Knowledge and Abilities:

Employees in this position will exhibit a high level of performance and capability in the following core competencies: compassionate leadership of an effective team; effective communication through a variety of mediums, including social media, email, and oral and written communication; decision-making; attention to detail; multitasking over several key priorities; use of technology, including applicant tracking systems and HRIS; time management; marketing and branding; negotiating; strategic and critical thinking; relationship-building and networking; and data and statistical analysis.

Supplemental:

Dependent upon assignment, applicants may be required to pass an extensive background investigation, and be fingerprinted.  Disqualification for felony, misdemeanor, and traffic offenses will be assessed on a case-by-case basis.

All Kern Medical employees are designated “Disaster Service Workers” through state and local laws (CA Government Code Sec. 3100-3109 and Ordinance Code Title 2 - Administration, Ch. 2.66 Emergency Services.) As Disaster Service Workers, all county employees are expected to remain at work, or to report for work as soon as practicable following a significant emergency or disaster.

If position responsibilities require driving a personal vehicle, then possession of a current valid California Driver’s License and adherence to the Kern County Hospital Authority Vehicle Use and Driving Standard Policy (ENG-EC-119) is required.

If position responsibilities require driving a vehicle owned, leased or rented by Kern Medical, then possession of a current valid California Driver’s license, a signed authorization for Release of Drivers Record Information and adherence to the Kern County Hospital Authority Vehicle Use and Driving Standard Policy (ENG-EC-119) is required.