HR Manager Job Description: Template, Duties & Salary

An HR manager runs the day-to-day human resources work of a company or a business unit. That covers hiring, onboarding, employee relations, performance reviews, pay and benefits administration, HR policies and compliance with employment law. At small and mid-sized companies the HR manager is often the most senior HR person and reports to the CEO, COO or CFO. At larger ones they report to an HR director. BLS puts the median pay for HR managers at $149,280 (May 2025). Below: a copy-ready template, how the role differs from HR generalist and HR director, pay data and interview questions.

HR manager job description template

Replace the bracketed text. Candidates look first at company size, who the role reports to, and whether they will manage anyone, so put those near the top.

About the role

We are hiring an HR Manager to run human resources for our [number]-person team in [locations / states]. You will report to the [CEO / COO / HR Director] and manage [no direct reports / an HR coordinator / a team of number]. You will own HR operations end to end: hiring support, onboarding, employee relations, performance reviews, benefits, HR systems and compliance. In your first year, the priorities are [for example: roll out a new HRIS, set up a performance review cycle, write the employee handbook, prepare for expansion into two new states].

Responsibilities

• Run the full employee lifecycle: offer letters, onboarding, changes, leave and offboarding
• Partner with hiring managers on job descriptions, interview process and offers; manage the applicant tracking system
• Handle employee relations issues: coaching managers, running workplace investigations, documenting and advising on discipline and terminations
• Run the annual performance review and merit cycle with managers
• Administer benefits with the broker and carriers, including open enrollment, leave of absence and COBRA
• Maintain HR policies and the employee handbook, and keep them compliant in every state where we employ people
• Own HR records, the HRIS and HR reporting: headcount, turnover, time to hire
• Keep required postings, filings and trainings current (for example I-9, EEO-1 where required, harassment prevention training)
• Coach managers on feedback, one-on-ones and difficult conversations
• [If applicable] Supervise and develop an HR coordinator or generalist

Requirements

• [5+] years of HR experience, including [2+] years as the lead HR person or managing HR work
• Hands-on experience with employee relations, including investigations and terminations
• Working knowledge of federal employment law (FLSA, FMLA, ADA, Title VII) and the state laws where we operate
• Experience running benefits open enrollment and leave administration
• Comfort with HRIS and payroll systems [name yours, e.g. BambooHR, Rippling, ADP]
• Clear writing and the judgment to handle confidential matters
• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience; SHRM-CP, SHRM-SCP, PHR or SPHR is a plus

Compensation and benefits

Salary range: [$ - $], depending on experience and location. [Bonus, equity if any.] Benefits: [health, dental, vision, 401(k) match, PTO]. Several states and cities, including California, Colorado, Illinois, New York and Washington, require a pay range in job postings.

HR manager vs HR generalist vs HR director

Titles vary between companies. A solo "HR manager" at a 60-person company may do generalist work every day, and an "HR director" at a 200-person company may have one report. What the job owns, and who it reports to, tell you more than the title. Compare our HR generalist job description, HR director job description and HR business partner job description.

HR manager salary

Source: BLS, HR managers pay. BLS reports median pay of $170,590 in professional, scientific and technical services, $166,200 in management of companies and enterprises, and $145,680 in manufacturing. The occupation also covers HR directors, so managers at small companies usually sit below the median and directors above it. Metro-area wages are in the BLS OEWS tables.

BLS counted 224,900 HR manager jobs in 2025 and projects 6% growth over its current 10-year projection period, with about 16,800 openings a year. The typical entry path is a bachelor's degree plus five or more years of related work experience (BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, Human Resources Managers).

Skills to screen for

• Judgment on employee relations. Can they tell a coaching issue from a legal risk, and do they know when to call counsel?
• Multi-state compliance. If you employ people in more than one state, ask how they track differing leave, pay and posting rules.
• Systems. They'll run your HRIS, ATS and benefits portals. Ask what they have set up themselves, not only used.
• Manager coaching. Most of the job is getting managers to handle feedback, performance and conflict well.
• Writing. Policies, investigation reports and announcements all need to be clear and precise.

Interview questions for HR manager candidates

1. 1Walk me through the last workplace investigation you ran. How did you scope it, what did you document, and what was the outcome?
2. 2A manager wants to fire an employee tomorrow for poor performance, with no documentation. What do you do?
3. 3Tell me about an HR process you built or rebuilt. What was broken, what did you change, and how did you know it worked?
4. 4How do you keep policies compliant across states? Give an example of a state rule that changed how you did something.
5. 5Describe an open enrollment you ran. What went wrong, and what would you do differently?
6. 6Which HR metrics did you report to leadership, and what decision did one of them lead to?
7. 7How do you handle an employee complaint about a senior leader?
8. 8What would you want to have finished in your first 90 days here?

For question techniques, see behavioral interview questions and our guide to interview scorecards. For writing other postings, see how to write a job description. If this hire will choose your HR tools, compare HR software and applicant tracking systems.

Frequently asked questions