What is a Human Resources Lead?

If you've ever worked in an office, you probably know that human resources are responsible for employee welfare, resolving conflict, and maintaining a safe and enabling work environment. But HR does more than that. Their responsibilities also extend to hiring new employees, onboarding them, processing payroll, and updating employee benefit packages.

A human resources lead's role may vary in different organizations, but many of them overlap. They handle big picture HR duties like designing competitive and suitable employee benefit packages, analyzing performance statistics, and recommending suitable actions.

To become an HR Lead, you need a robust background in human resources, including graduate degrees and relevant work experience. HR Leads may also require certification by relevant bodies in their state. Furthermore, you'll need skills like project management, diversity, and succession planning.

What Does a Human Resources Lead Do

There are certain skills that many human resources leads have in order to accomplish their responsibilities. By taking a look through resumes, we were able to narrow down the most common skills for a person in this position. We discovered that a lot of resumes listed interpersonal skills, leadership skills and organizational skills.

Learn more about what a Human Resources Lead does

How To Become a Human Resources Lead

If you're interested in becoming a human resources lead, one of the first things to consider is how much education you need. We've determined that 66.2% of human resources leads have a bachelor's degree. In terms of higher education levels, we found that 17.0% of human resources leads have master's degrees. Even though most human resources leads have a college degree, it's possible to become one with only a high school degree or GED.

Learn More About How To Become a Human Resources Lead
Top Human Resources Lead Jobs Near You

Human Resources Lead Career Paths

In addition to switching up your job search, it might prove helpful to look at a career path for your specific job. Now, what's a career path you ask? Well, it's practically a map that shows how you might advance from one job title to another. Our career paths are especially detailed with salary changes. So, for example, if you started out with the role of human resources manager you might progress to a role such as director of human resources eventually. Later on in your career, you could end up with the title senior director human resources.

Human Resources Lead

Average Salary for a Human Resources Lead

Human Resources Leads in America make an average salary of $102,531 per year or $49 per hour. The top 10 percent makes over $165,000 per year, while the bottom 10 percent under $63,000 per year.
Average Human Resources Lead Salary
$102,531 Yearly
$49.29 hourly
See More Salary Information

What Am I Worth?

salary-calculator

Roles and Types of Human Resources Lead

The role of a human resources lead includes a wide range of responsibilities. These responsibilities can vary based on an individual's specific job, company, or industry.Here are some general human resources lead responsibilities:

  • Counsels, orientates, and trains managers and supervisors on the interpretation
  • Provide core expertise to capture teams, programs, functions,
  • Lids receive a high level of responsibility in solving problems autonomously

There are several types of human resources lead, including:

Human Resources Manager

Role:

Human resources managers do a lot of the heavy lifting around the office. Just to be clear, you probably won't have to actually lift anything heavy. But you will be responsible for a lot of the administrative funcations within the organization you work for. So, you know, that kind of heavy lifting.

Since a human resources department is needed in almost every company, you won't have any problems finding a job. You'll definitely have your pick of industry. Typically, employers will hire individuals who have a bachelor's degree. But some might hold out for those with a master's degree.

As a human resource manager, you'll probably only have to work a full-time schedule. Although, some managers might work more than the normal 40-hour week. At the end of the day, as long as you're putting your employees' talent to good use, you're doing a good job.

  • Average Salary: $80,442
  • Degree: Bachelor's Degree

Human Resources Generalist

Role:

Being the front face of a company is no easy task, let me tell you. Let's back up for a second. A human resources generalist is typically the first person any guest or visitor see's when they first enter a business. And, as you know, first impressions are important when it comes to business.

As a human resources generalist, you'll be in charge of many administrative tasks, such as hiring new employees, making sure employees receive their paychecks, and making sure company policies and practices are being taken seriously.

All of those responsibilities make your job so important to the company. While we're on the topic of companies, there's a lot of them who need a human resources generalist. So you'll be able to find a job in practically any industry in which you want to work.

  • Average Salary: $56,159
  • Degree: Bachelor's Degree

Human Resources Consultant

Role:

Do you want to use your expertise to help and guide others? If you enjoy working with individuals, companies, and organizations to maximize employee potential and love the satisfaction of guiding others through solving their problems, then becoming a human resources consultant might be a rewarding and gratifying career path for you.

A job in human resources may bring you a perfect new direction you've been seeking in your career. HR consultant is a profession that offers you a chance to help people and making a difference in employee's lives by providing their professional assistance. Not only that, but a job in human resources offers you days with a variety of tasks, high wages, telecommunicating opportunities, flexible hours, and a lot more.

Generally, becoming a human resources consultant, you may take on numerous roles and tasks that affect the organizational outcomes by managing and supporting their workforce. As a human resources consultant, your core duty is to ensure that your company is effectively using its personnel to achieve its stated goals.

Other job duties may include developing, reviewing, implementing HR policies and procedures, analyzing your company's current HR programs, and recommending solutions. Overseeing all HR departments, you may ensure productivity, efficiency, and compliance of workflow. If the idea of becoming a human resources consultant intrigues you, then you may need at least a bachelor's degree in business management, marketing, finance, or in a related field.

Additional certification in human resources and years of professional experience working with an HR department may help you set on the top of the competition. To be successful in HR consulting, you must embrace variable competencies, including solid knowledge of marketing and recruitment, strategic thinking, excellent communication and organizational skills, and an ability to work under pressure and meet targets.

Working as an HR consultant, you may get an average annual promising salary of $69,000 along with compensation and commission packages. Suffice to say that the role of HR consultant ranks highly consistent for job satisfaction and potential growth. According to BLS, the employment growth for human resources project to grow 7% between 2018 and 2028, plus job prospects might be favorable, with 21,045 job openings projected annually through the next decade.

It means plenty of work opportunities may be available to you as a human resources consultant. Other than this, the career advancement chances are also bountiful as an HR consultant - with advanced business and human resources skills, knowledge, and extensive experience, you may move into a business development role or promote to a team leader or branch manager.

  • Average Salary: $71,882
  • Degree: Bachelor's Degree
View More

States With The Most Human Resources Lead Jobs

Mouse over a state to see the number of active human resources lead jobs in each state. The darker areas on the map show where human resources leads earn the highest salaries across all 50 states.

Average Salary: Job Openings:

Number Of Human Resources Lead Jobs By State

RankStateNumber of JobsAverage Salary
1California2,104$130,808
2Texas1,086$114,233
3New York970$117,401
4Illinois873$109,046
5Florida787$74,228
6Pennsylvania684$115,398
7Georgia646$108,625
8Massachusetts642$115,669
9Ohio611$110,086
10North Carolina610$108,323
11Virginia558$122,586
12Washington505$104,727
13Kansas498$96,355
14Michigan468$96,756
15Oklahoma448$94,964
16Nevada445$130,897
17New Jersey438$129,772
18Minnesota436$81,508
19Arizona424$102,872
20Arkansas398$89,293
21Colorado371$94,446
22Maryland358$127,994
23Nebraska351$93,101
24Wisconsin340$86,606
25Indiana337$94,298
26Tennessee332$99,137
27Missouri321$104,099
28Oregon311$85,579
29Idaho303$84,262
30New Mexico290$104,098
31South Carolina242$86,400
32Montana223$86,781
33Kentucky213$92,659
34Connecticut207$119,707
35Iowa204$103,231
36Alabama193$100,748
37Utah169$102,009
38Alaska160$78,076
39South Dakota153$84,884
40Louisiana145$93,889
41New Hampshire129$99,850
42Mississippi118$96,554
43Delaware100$114,741
44Maine76$103,277
45West Virginia71$104,816
46Rhode Island66$115,795
47Hawaii65$69,492
48Vermont58$92,829
49North Dakota57$84,628
50Wyoming42$96,046

Human Resources Lead Education

Human Resources Lead Majors

Business
33.1 %
Human Resources Management
17.8 %
Psychology
10.1 %

Human Resources Lead Degrees

Bachelors

66.2 %

Masters

17.0 %

Associate

9.3 %

Top Colleges for Human Resources Leads

1. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-State Tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

2. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-State Tuition

$56,225

Enrollment

19,548

3. San Diego State University

San Diego, CA • Private

In-State Tuition

$7,488

Enrollment

30,018

4. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-State Tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

5. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

In-State Tuition

$53,948

Enrollment

17,238

6. SUNY Stony Brook

Stony Brook, NY • Private

In-State Tuition

$9,625

Enrollment

17,407

7. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

Minneapolis, MN • Private

In-State Tuition

$14,760

Enrollment

31,451

8. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Champaign, IL • Private

In-State Tuition

$15,094

Enrollment

32,974

9. George Washington University, The

Washington, DC • Private

In-State Tuition

$55,230

Enrollment

12,161

10. SUNY College at Oswego

Oswego, NY • Private

In-State Tuition

$8,440

Enrollment

7,039

Top Skills For a Human Resources Lead

The skills section on your resume can be almost as important as the experience section, so you want it to be an accurate portrayal of what you can do. Luckily, we've found all of the skills you'll need so even if you don't have these skills yet, you know what you need to work on. Out of all the resumes we looked through, 6.4% of human resources leads listed project management on their resume, but soft skills such as interpersonal skills and leadership skills are important as well.

Choose From 10+ Customizable Human Resources Lead Resume templates

Zippia allows you to choose from different easy-to-use Human Resources Lead templates, and provides you with expert advice. Using the templates, you can rest assured that the structure and format of your Human Resources Lead resume is top notch. Choose a template with the colors, fonts & text sizes that are appropriate for your industry.

Human Resources Lead Resume
Human Resources Lead Resume
Human Resources Lead Resume
Human Resources Lead Resume
Human Resources Lead Resume
Human Resources Lead Resume
Human Resources Lead Resume
Human Resources Lead Resume
Human Resources Lead Resume
Human Resources Lead Resume
Human Resources Lead Resume
Human Resources Lead Resume
Human Resources Lead Resume
Human Resources Lead Resume
Human Resources Lead Resume
Human Resources Lead Resume

Human Resources Lead diversity

Human Resources Lead Gender Distribution

Female
Female
63%
Male
Male
38%

After extensive research and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:

  • Among human resources leads, 62.5% of them are women, while 37.5% are men.

  • The most common race/ethnicity among human resources leads is White, which makes up 70.0% of all human resources leads.

  • The most common foreign language among human resources leads is Spanish at 50.5%.

Online Courses For Human Resources Lead That You May Like

Advertising Disclosure  

1. Human Resources For Beginners

udemy
4.4
(840)

A guide to learning the fundamentals of human resource management...

2. Effective Human Resource Administration

udemy
4.5
(1,818)

Effective Human Resource Administration...

3. Introduction to Human Resource Concepts

udemy
4.5
(2,958)

Introduction to Human Resource Concepts...

Show More Online Courses For Human Resources Lead
Job type you want
Full Time
Part Time
Internship
Temporary

Best States For a Human Resources Lead

Some places are better than others when it comes to starting a career as a human resources lead. The best states for people in this position are Nevada, California, New Jersey, and Maryland. Human resources leads make the most in Nevada with an average salary of $130,897. Whereas in California and New Jersey, they would average $130,808 and $129,772, respectively. While human resources leads would only make an average of $127,994 in Maryland, you would still make more there than in the rest of the country. We determined these as the best states based on job availability and pay. By finding the median salary, cost of living, and using the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Location Quotient, we narrowed down our list of states to these four.

1. Nevada

Total Human Resources Lead Jobs: 445
Highest 10% Earn:
$201,000
Location Quotient:
3.07

$130,897

Avg. Salary

View 445 Human Resources Lead Jobs In NV

2. California

Total Human Resources Lead Jobs: 2,104
Highest 10% Earn:
$202,000
Location Quotient:
1.04

$130,808

Avg. Salary

View 2,104 Human Resources Lead Jobs In CA

3. Delaware

Total Human Resources Lead Jobs: 100
Highest 10% Earn:
$179,000
Location Quotient:
1.15

$114,741

Avg. Salary

View 100 Human Resources Lead Jobs In DE
Full List Of Best States For Human Resources Leads

How Do Human Resources Leads Rate Their Jobs?

Working as a Human Resources Lead? Share your experience anonymously.
Overall Rating*
Career Growth
Work/Life balance
Pay/Salary

Top Human Resources Lead Employers

Most Common Employers For Human Resources Lead

RankCompanyAverage SalaryHourly RateJob Openings
1Kaiser Permanente$153,696$73.8915
2Pwc$144,036$69.2523
3The Dow Chemical Company$133,962$64.4013
4Accenture$129,875$62.44103
5General Electric$116,207$55.8759
6Wells Fargo$103,798$49.9012
7Northrop Grumman$103,355$49.6920
8Johnson & Johnson$102,365$49.2121
9Gardner Denver$101,825$48.9513
10Belk$101,342$48.7217
Show More

Human Resources Lead Videos

Human Resource Management Lecture Part 11 - Change Management (1 of 2)
Careers in Human Resources Management

Becoming a Human Resources Lead FAQs

Do Hr Reps Make Good Money?

Yes, HR reps can make good money. HR representatives typically make between $39,000 and $75,000 in a year.

Human resource (HR) representatives, also called human resources specialists, work with a company's current, new, and former employees, aiding with hiring, training, and administration.

What Is The Highest Post In Hr?

The highest post in HR is the chief human resources officer. This executive-level position is the top position a person in human resources can achieve. Chief human resources officers manage the department and develop strategies to hire and train the most qualified candidates.

What Jobs Can A Human Resources Degree Get You?

A human resources degree can get you a job in any human resources-related field. A person with a human resources degree can work many jobs, including human resources specialists, training and development specialists, or compensation and benefits analyst.

Have more questions? See all answers to common executive management questions.

Search For Human Resources Lead Jobs

Human Resources Lead Related Careers

Human Resources Lead Related Jobs

What Similar Roles Do

Resume For Related Jobs

Updated April 6, 2023