How to hire a human resources lead

How to hire a human resources lead, step by step

Here's a step-by-step human resources lead hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a human resources lead job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new human resources lead
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a human resources lead do?

Post a human resources lead job for free, promote it for a fee

Post free

1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the human resources lead you need to hire. Certain human resources lead roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a human resources lead to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire a human resources lead that fits the bill.

   The following list breaks down different types of human resources leads and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Human Resources Lead	Description	Hourly rate
   Human Resources Lead	Human resources managers plan, direct, and coordinate the administrative functions of an organization. They oversee the recruiting, interviewing, and hiring of new staff; consult with top executives on strategic planning; and serve as a link between an organization’s management and its employees.	$30-79
   Human Resources Administration Manager	A human resources administration manager performs multiple roles, one of which is to maintain and review all human resources, administrative systems, and procedures. They give guidance on HR to the office... Show more	$25-51
   Director Of Human Resources	A human resources director is responsible for managing the overall operations of the human resources department, ensuring smooth operations while meeting the company's goals of successful profitability and services. Human resources directors' duties include providing staff consultation, addressing staffing concerns, managing compensation and benefits plans, reviewing plans for training and development programs, and reporting future actions to the management... Show more	$32-70

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Project Management
   • Employee Engagement
   • Customer Service
   • Succession Planning
   • HRIS
   • EEO
   • Workforce Planning
   • Manage Change
   • Shared Services
   • Business Objectives
   • Business Strategy
   • Organizational Design
   • Process Improvement
   • Employee Development

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Define the strategy and manage the HIPAA program for county communication & training.
   • Explain the RFP process and lead a team of around 30 through the entire process.
   • Manage all weekly status reports, data tracking, communications, training & internal SharePoint sites to support.
   • Provide assistance in the interpretation and application of government laws, i.e., FMLA, ADA, FLSA, etc.
   • Direct a team of project managers in the allocation of PMO resources.
   • Maintain all activities and processes according to PMO guidelines and SDLC methodology.

   More human resources lead duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your human resources lead job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A human resources lead can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, human resources leads' average salary in hawaii is 47% less than in nevada.
   • Seniority. Entry-level human resources leads 62% less than senior-level human resources leads.
   • Certifications. A human resources lead with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a human resources lead's salary.

   Average human resources lead salary

   $102,531yearly

   $49.29 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level human resources lead salary

   $63,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 16, 2025

   Average human resources lead salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$137,423	$66
   2	New Jersey	$130,854	$63
   3	District of Columbia	$128,566	$62
   4	Maryland	$128,527	$62
   5	Virginia	$124,323	$60
   6	Connecticut	$119,808	$58
   7	Texas	$118,865	$57
   8	New York	$118,251	$57
   9	Pennsylvania	$116,533	$56
   10	Massachusetts	$116,013	$56
   11	Delaware	$114,953	$55
   12	Ohio	$110,864	$53
   13	Georgia	$109,717	$53
   14	Illinois	$109,471	$53
   15	North Carolina	$107,310	$52
   16	Iowa	$106,099	$51
   17	Missouri	$105,434	$51
   18	New Mexico	$104,730	$50
   19	Washington	$104,686	$50
   20	Arizona	$103,229	$50

   Average human resources lead salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Mayer Brown	$189,258	$90.99	2
   2	Citi	$188,862	$90.80	1
   3	Koch Industries	$183,484	$88.21	2
   4	JPMorgan Chase & Co.	$171,882	$82.64	43
   5	Northwell Health	$168,456	$80.99	3
   6	Point B	$158,246	$76.08
   7	Google	$157,203	$75.58	19
   8	Kaiser Permanente	$153,696	$73.89	28
   9	TikTok	$151,614	$72.89	9
   10	Point72	$147,537	$70.93
   11	ICF	$145,106	$69.76
   12	Abiomed	$144,757	$69.59
   13	ServiceNow	$144,229	$69.34	12
   14	Amazon	$139,598	$67.11	47
   15	AIG	$134,514	$64.67	1
   16	Morgan Stanley	$134,442	$64.64
   17	Koch Fertilizer	$132,371	$63.64
   18	Magna International	$132,218	$63.57	8
   19	Deloitte	$131,748	$63.34	142
   20	Swoon	$130,762	$62.87

4. Writing a human resources lead job description

   A good human resources lead job description should include a few things:

   • Summary of the role
   • List of responsibilities
   • Required skills and experience

   Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of a human resources lead job description:

   Human resources lead job description example

   The Human Resource Lead position is responsible for leading the execution of the human resources, scheduling and cash office functions. Responsibilities include associate recruitment, hiring, on-boarding, benefits, employee relations, training, performance, policy communication, and scheduling. The Human Resource Lead is a non-exempt role reporting to the Human Resource Manager or Store Manager.
   
   * Ensure that Associate on-boarding is executed proficiently, accurately and in a timely manner. Ensures I-9/E-Verify and background check compliance
   * Lead the performance appraisal process and maintains personnel files
   * Ensure benefit administration and communication occurs in a timely manner
   * Assists with employee relations by witnessing associate coaching and counseling; submit termination requests as directed by executives and administer exit interviews
   * Submit Workday changes and ensures data accuracy
   * Prepare, process and meet weekly payroll deadlines. Ensure payroll is accurate
   * Train all new associates and managers on the scheduling process and system navigation
   * Work with store executives to ensures a timely schedule is provided to associates (3 weeks in advance)
   * Partners with the Store Manager to ensure all requests for time off and availability changes in the system have been addressed
   * Partner with store executives to create a store schedule the meets store budget, base staffing, and weekend percent guidelines through minimal edits
   * Lead the Office-Deposit function that includes all aspects of monetary maintenance in the store including processing the deposit, maintaining store petty cash funds (registers and vault), and performing the sales audit function
   * Human Resource Lead will act as a key-holder with responsibility for leading the support staff as appropriate
   
   Minimum Education & Experience:
   
   * High School Diploma or GED equivalent required
   * 2-3 years of experience in retail and/or HR
   * Ability to use computer keyboard, standard telephone and other related business equipment
   * Ability to lift files, open file cabinets, bend, stoop, reach, and stand as necessary
   * Must be able to maintain Confidentiality
   
   Physical Requirements:
   
   * Ability to stand/walk for long periods of time
   * Ability to work at a safe and steady pace

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find human resources leads for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any human resources leads they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level human resources leads with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your human resources lead job on Zippia to find and recruit human resources lead candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites such as hrcrossing, ihirehr, hrjobs, shrm hr jobs.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with human resources lead candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new human resources lead

   Once you've decided on a perfect human resources lead candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

   It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new human resources lead. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

   Sign up to download full list

   Sign up

How much does it cost to hire a human resources lead?