HR Manager Job Description Template: Duties & Salary

If you need to publish an HR Manager job description today, this guide gives you a copy-ready template, salary and compliance tips, and clear success metrics.

In the next 60 seconds, you’ll see what the role does, how to tailor the posting to your company, and how to stay compliant with pay transparency and EEO while attracting qualified, diverse candidates.

What does an HR Manager do? (Quick Definition)

An HR Manager (Human Resources Manager) plans and oversees core people operations—hiring, onboarding, employee relations, performance, pay/benefits, and compliance—so the business can scale safely and sustainably.

They translate business goals into people processes, policies, and measurable outcomes to reduce risk and improve performance.

Typical HR Manager duties:

• Lead full-cycle recruiting and onboarding
• Coach managers on performance, feedback, and ER issues
• Administer compensation, benefits, and leave programs
• Ensure compliance with labor laws, safety, and policies
• Own HRIS/ATS data integrity, reporting, and analytics
• Drive engagement, DEI initiatives, and culture programs
• Partner cross-functionally with Finance, Legal, IT, and Operations

Copy-Ready HR Manager Job Description Template

Paste, edit, and post—this template is inclusive, compliance-aware, and designed for fast customization.

In a few edits, you’ll have a clear, bias-aware posting that meets pay transparency expectations and sets measurable outcomes from day one.

Job Title, Summary, and Reporting Line

Job Title: HR Manager (Human Resources Manager)

Location: [City/State] or Remote (US-based) | Employment: Full-time, Exempt

Reports To: [CEO/COO/VP People or CHRO]

About the Role
We’re hiring an HR Manager to build and run scalable people programs—talent acquisition, onboarding, employee relations, performance, compensation/benefits, and compliance. You’ll be a hands-on partner to leaders, improve our HR tech and data, and help create an inclusive, high-performing culture.

About You
You combine strategic thinking with roll-up-your-sleeves execution. You’re confident with HR laws, comfortable coaching managers, and you use data to inform decisions.

Key Responsibilities (Bulleted)

• Lead full-cycle recruiting, structured interviews, and fair hiring practices
• Design onboarding and new-hire training for faster time-to-productivity
• Coach managers on feedback, performance plans, and conflict resolution
• Administer compensation, benefits, leaves, and accommodations
• Maintain compliant policies; manage employee handbooks and audits
• Ensure HRIS/ATS accuracy; deliver monthly HR metrics and insights
• Run engagement surveys; drive DEI initiatives and action plans
• Manage employee relations with discretion; investigate concerns
• Partner with Finance on headcount planning and budgets
• Oversee vendors (payroll, benefits, PEO/EOR) and annual renewals

Required Qualifications, Skills, and Certifications

• 4–7+ years’ progressive HR experience; generalist or business-partner scope
• Strong knowledge of employment laws (e.g., FLSA, FMLA, EEO, ADA; state/local)
• Proven recruiting, onboarding, and performance management leadership
• Excellent communication, facilitation, and stakeholder management skills
• Proficiency in HRIS/ATS (e.g., BambooHR, Rippling, Workday, Greenhouse) and Excel/Sheets
• Nice to have: SHRM-CP/SHRM-SCP, PHR/SPHR, or equivalent experience
• We value skills and impact; equivalent experience is welcome in place of degrees

Compensation, Benefits, and Pay Transparency Statement

Post a real range and note differentials to comply with applicable laws and attract qualified candidates. State your pay philosophy, how you apply location modifiers, and what factors inform final offers.

• Salary range: $[low]–$[high] base salary per year, plus [bonus/equity if applicable]
• Location differential: Final offer reflects experience, internal equity, and location (e.g., +/− cost-of-labor by metro)
• Benefits: Medical, dental, vision, 401(k) with match, paid time off, paid parental leave, wellness stipend, learning budget, and [unique perks]
• Pay transparency statement (example): “We post ranges that reflect our current market data and pay philosophy. Actual compensation will be based on job-related factors including skills, experience, and work location.”

EEO/DEI Statement and Accommodation Language

• EEO statement (example): “We’re an equal opportunity employer. We welcome all qualified applicants regardless of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, disability, age, veteran status, or any other legally protected status.”
• Accommodation (example): “If you need a reasonable accommodation during the application or interview process, contact [email/phone].”
• Inclusive language note: Avoid gendered terms, degree-only requirements, and jargon that may deter qualified candidates.

HR Manager Duties and Responsibilities (Explained)

An effective human resources manager job description covers end-to-end people operations and how success is measured. The role blends hands-on execution with advising leaders on structure, performance, and compliance to drive consistent, equitable practices.

The takeaway: highlight both strategic impact and daily execution so candidates see the scope and expectations.

Strategically, the HR Manager aligns people plans with company goals and prioritizes work using data. Tactically, the role builds repeatable processes, sets standards, and ensures managers are trained to apply them consistently.

Use this section to show how the role influences outcomes across hiring, performance, pay, and risk.

Talent Acquisition, Onboarding, and Employer Branding

The HR Manager designs a fair, consistent hiring process that reduces time-to-fill and improves quality-of-hire while strengthening your brand.

This includes:

• Clear job requirements
• Structured interviews
• Scorecards
• An onboarding program that accelerates ramp-up

For example, implement an ATS and standardized interview kits to cut hiring time by 20% and increase pass-through quality. Pair this with branded career pages and inclusive job language to widen your qualified funnel.

The takeaway: make “structured, bias-aware hiring” explicit to improve candidate quality and compliance.

Employee Relations, Performance, and Development

This role addresses issues early, coaches managers, and codifies performance expectations with clear levels and feedback norms.

Build a cadence of goals, check-ins, and calibrated reviews that reward impact and mitigate bias. For example, launch a lightweight cycle with mid-period feedback and a fairness review to reduce regrettable attrition.

Add manager training on documentation and conflict resolution to improve consistency. The takeaway: connect ER and performance to measurable business outcomes, not just policy.

Compensation, Benefits, and Compliance

HR Managers partner with Finance on pay bands, merit cycles, and total rewards messaging to ensure equity and transparency. They manage benefits renewals, leaves, and vendor relationships while tracking legal changes across jurisdictions.

For example, introduce structured pay bands with geographic modifiers and an annual compensation calendar to increase internal equity. Document your review cadence, eligibility rules, and appeal process to build trust.

The takeaway: name the laws you follow and show your review rhythm to signal maturity.

HR Analytics, Reporting, and Strategic Planning

HR should publish a monthly people dashboard and use insights to guide decisions across hiring, retention, engagement, and representation.

Focus on headcount, hiring funnel metrics, turnover trends, engagement scores, and DEI progress to target interventions. For example, track regrettable attrition and manager-effect scores and tie actions to outcomes each quarter.

Include targets, owners, and timelines so plans convert to results. The takeaway: include data ownership in the JD so candidates know they’ll influence strategy.

Success Metrics: KPIs and a 30/60/90-Day Plan

Clear metrics attract stronger candidates and set fair expectations from the start. Use a few outcome KPIs, define them plainly, and align on a simple onboarding plan that shows priorities and decision points.

Core KPIs with Definitions (e.g., time-to-fill, regrettable attrition)

• Time-to-fill: Avg. calendar days from approved req to accepted offer
• Quality-of-hire: 90-day manager rating or on-target performance rate
• Regrettable attrition: Percentage of high performers leaving voluntarily
• Offer acceptance rate: Offers accepted / offers extended
• Early turnover: Voluntary exits within first 90/180 days
• Internal equity variance: Pay vs band midpoint by level/location
• Engagement score: eNPS or pulse engagement average and response rate
• Training completion: % completion for mandatory/compliance training
• HR service SLAs: Response/closure times for tickets, leaves, and ER cases

Sample 30/60/90-Day Milestones

• 30 days: Audit HR policies, HRIS/ATS data, open roles, and vendors; publish a baseline KPI dashboard and a prioritized 90-day plan.
• 60 days: Standardize hiring workflows and interview kits; roll out onboarding improvements; launch manager ER/performance playbooks.
• 90 days: Propose pay bands and location differentials; deliver an engagement pulse and action plan; confirm an annual HR calendar (reviews, benefits, training).

Reporting Structure and Team Design

Clarity on reporting and span of control reduces mis-hiring and scope creep. Your human resources manager job description should state who the role reports to, current headcount, HR team size, and planned growth so candidates can assess fit and bandwidth.

Include where the role sits in the org and which functions it partners with most.

Typical ratios: SMBs often operate at 1.0–2.0 HR FTEs per 100 employees; mid-market 0.8–1.2; enterprise 0.5–1.0, depending on automation, complexity, and unionization.

Disclose whether this role manages vendors or direct reports and how the ratio will change as you scale. The takeaway: transparency about scope and resources leads to better alignment and performance.

Who HR Managers Typically Report To (SMB vs Enterprise)

• SMB (20–150 employees): CEO or COO; HR Manager may be the first HR hire and a broad generalist
• Mid-market (150–1,000): VP People/CHRO; role leads a small team (recruiter/HRBP/HR coordinator)
• Enterprise (1,000+): HR Director/CHRO; role might be site/division HR with matrixed reporting

RACI: Where HR Partners with Finance, Legal, IT, and Operations

• Headcount planning and budget: Finance (A), HR (R), Execs (C), Managers (I)
• Offers, compensation bands, and equity: HR (R), Finance (A), Legal (C), Managers (C)
• Policy and compliance updates: HR (R), Legal (A), Operations (C), All employees (I)
• Systems and access (HRIS, SSO, security): IT (A), HR (R), Legal/SecOps (C), Managers (I)
• Health/safety and leaves: HR (R), Legal (C), Operations (A for safety), Employees (I)

Customize Your JD by Company Size and Industry

Use these quick steps to tailor scope, tools, and compliance focus so you attract the right candidates fast.

In a few edits, you’ll clarify priorities, reduce noise, and increase qualified applicants.

1) Clarify team and span: current HR FTEs, open reqs, and growth plans

2) State industry compliance: safety, licensure, or union rules that drive workload

3) Call out tools: HRIS/ATS/payroll in place and any upcoming migrations

4) Prioritize top three outcomes for the first two quarters

Startup/SMB (Generalist-leaning)

• Emphasize hands-on ownership of recruiting, onboarding, payroll/benefits, and policy creation
• Seek process builders comfortable with ambiguity and vendor selection
• Mention generalist coverage across states and light global exposure if applicable

Manufacturing/Healthcare (Compliance-Heavy)

• Call out OSHA, HIPAA, shift scheduling, licensure tracking, and incident reporting
• Note union or CBA experience, safety committees, and clinical staffing coordination
• Require familiarity with leave administration at scale and secure data handling

Nonprofit/Public Sector/Unionized

• Highlight mission alignment, grants/funding constraints, and governance/board reporting
• Note public records, civil service rules, or CBA negotiations and grievance processes
• Emphasize equitable pay practices and volunteer management integration

Tools and Tech Stack (HRIS/ATS and Analytics)

Selecting the right stack signals maturity and saves ramp time, so list current systems and near-term changes. Note integrations, ownership, and any migrations that will shape the role’s first projects.

This helps candidates self-assess experience and readiness.

Common platforms by stage:

• SMB: Gusto, Rippling, BambooHR, Paylocity, Justworks, Deel (EOR), Workable
• Mid-market: BambooHR/HiBob/Rippling + Greenhouse/Lever; Paylocity/ADP + Lattice/15Five
• Enterprise: Workday, SAP SuccessFactors, UKG, Oracle HCM; iCIMS/SmartRecruiters; Visier/People Analytics tools
• Analytics essentials: Clean HRIS fields, dashboards in BI (Looker/Power BI/Tableau), and spreadsheet models

Compensation: Market Ranges and Pay Transparency

Pay transparency laws and candidate expectations make real ranges a must. Use current market data, document how you apply location differentials, and communicate your pay philosophy clearly in the posting.

Align your range with internal equity and budget to avoid renegotiation later.

How to Set a Range and Note Location Differentials

• Benchmark with reputable sources (market surveys, compensation platforms) for your role, level, and locations
• Set a midpoint aligned to your pay philosophy (e.g., target 50th/65th percentile) and create a ±15–25% band
• Apply location multipliers based on cost-of-labor tiers; keep rules consistent and documented
• Include a transparency statement and benefits overview; note bonus/equity eligibility
• Pay transparency checklist (US highlights; verify current law):
• Colorado (Equal Pay for Equal Work Act): post salary range and benefits
• California (Labor Code §432.3): disclose pay scale in postings
• New York State + NYC: post good-faith range
• Washington (EPOA): range and general benefits info
• Hawaii: range in postings for most employers
• Connecticut, Maryland, Rhode Island: provide ranges (at posting, upon request, or at offer per state rules)
• Illinois (effective 2025): disclose pay and benefits in postings
• Always link applicants to your contact for questions or accommodations

Benefits and Perks that Attract Strategic HR Talent

• Strong healthcare, mental health access, and family-forming benefits
• 401(k) with match and transparent equity/bonus programs
• Meaningful PTO, paid parental leave, and flexible/hybrid options
• Learning stipends, professional certification support (SHRM/PHR), and conference budgets
• Clear leveling and promotion criteria with pay transparency

Remote/Hybrid and Global Hiring Considerations

Remote/hybrid models shift responsibilities toward asynchronous processes, time-zone equity, and cross-border compliance. HR Managers should document rituals, select collaboration tools, and ensure location-informed policies for scheduling, travel, and expenses.

Train managers on inclusive practices that work for on-site and remote teams, and set guidelines for equipment, security, and accessibility.

For global teams, consider EOR/PEO usage, country-specific benefits and holidays, and data privacy (GDPR, PIPEDA). Clarify who owns international compliance, how you handle payroll and benefits, and how investigations or accommodations work across jurisdictions.

The goal: consistent, lawful practices that scale without slowing the business.

HR Manager vs HRBP vs People Ops vs HR Generalist

These roles overlap but differ by scope and seniority, and choosing the right one prevents misalignment and churn. Use the definitions below to match your needs to the right title and level before you post.

• HR Manager: Owns programs and operations end-to-end; manages small teams/vendors; both strategic and hands-on
• HR Business Partner (HRBP): Consultative advisor to leaders; focuses on org design, workforce planning, and change management
• People Operations Manager: Process and systems-focused; optimizes the HR tech stack, automation, and service delivery
• HR Generalist: Broad practitioner executing core HR tasks; typically earlier-career or mid-level with growing autonomy

When to choose: If you need program ownership and compliance, hire an HR Manager; if you need strategic advisory for a mature org, an HRBP may fit; if your priority is systems/process at scale, prioritize People Ops.

Common Mistakes in HR Manager Job Descriptions (and Fixes)

• Vague scope (“own HR”) → Fix: state top 3 outcomes and reporting line
• Degree-only requirements → Fix: allow equivalent experience and list must-have skills
• No salary range → Fix: post a good-faith range and benefits summary
• Biased language (“young, energetic”) → Fix: use inclusive, role-focused wording
• Tool laundry lists or vendor bias → Fix: list representative systems and accept equivalents
• Scope creep (payroll, legal counsel, facilities, and IT all-in-one) → Fix: name cross-functional partners with a simple RACI
• No KPIs → Fix: include 5–8 measurable metrics and a 30/60/90 plan

FAQs

Who should an HR Manager report to?

SMBs: CEO/COO. Mid-market: VP People/CHRO. Enterprise: HR Director/CHRO or matrix to business leadership.

What are essential HR Manager KPIs?

Time-to-fill, offer acceptance, regrettable attrition, early turnover, engagement/eNPS, training completion, internal equity variance, and HR service SLAs.

How senior is an HR Manager vs HR Generalist?

An HR Manager leads programs and may manage people; a Generalist executes across HR functions with less strategic ownership.

Do I need an HR Manager at 50/100/250 employees?

Around 50–100 employees, most companies benefit from a dedicated HR Manager; by 150–250, the role often leads a small HR team.

Downloadable Resources

• Editable HR Manager job description (Google Doc/Word)
• KPI checklist and 30/60/90-day plan (copy-ready)
• Pay transparency checklist by state and posting template language
• Optional: FAQPage and JobPosting schema guidance (what fields to include: title, description, baseSalary, jobLocationType, hiringOrganization, datePosted)

Sources and Compliance References

• EEOC: https://www.eeoc.gov
• U.S. Department of Labor (WHD): https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd
• OSHA: https://www.osha.gov
• ADA accommodations (EEOC): https://www.eeoc.gov/laws/guidance/your-employment-rights-ada
• California Pay Transparency (LC §432.3): https://www.dir.ca.gov
• Colorado Equal Pay for Equal Work Act: https://cdle.colorado.gov/equalpaytransparency
• New York State Pay Transparency: https://www.labor.ny.gov
• NYC Pay Transparency: https://www.nyc.gov/site/dca
• Washington Equal Pay and Opportunities Act: https://www.lni.wa.gov
• Hawaii Pay Transparency: https://labor.hawaii.gov
• Connecticut, Maryland, Rhode Island Pay Range disclosures: state labor department sites
• Illinois Pay Transparency (effective 2025): https://www2.illinois.gov

Updated for 2025; always consult current state/local guidance or counsel before posting.

Author’s note: Content reviewed for inclusive language and compliance awareness; aligns with common SHRM best practices and U.S. employment law fundamentals.