HRIS director (human resources information system director)
An HRIS (human resource information system) director is an employee who serves as the technical point of contact (PoC) for a human resource management department. A human resource information system (HRIS) functions as a centralized database for all employee-related data.
Responsibilities of the HRIS director include developing, implementing and modifying the technology systems that automate HR and payroll processes. In addition to maintaining internal database files and tables and developing custom reports, the HRIS director also provides the necessary training to meet end users' needs. According to Salary.com, the average salary for an HRIS director in the United States is over $100,000.
What does an HRIS director do?
An HRIS director is the business owner for an organization's HRIS software. In a large company, the director will also be responsible for overseeing an HRIS team, which may be run as a sub-department that crosses both the IT and human resource (HR) departments.
The HRIS director is tasked with guiding the administrators who manage day-to-day operations for the organization's HRIS software and ensuring the company's employee data meets data protection requirements.
Other job responsibilities include:
- Analyze business requirements and determine hardware and software requirements to meet data management needs.
- Monitor and enhance service delivery standards to ensure agreed upon standards are consistently met or exceeded.
- Ensure the integrity of internal database files, tables and reports
- Resolve escalated issues arising from operations and requiring coordination with other departments.
- Manage maintenance and accuracy of employee data for analysis, regulatory compliance, reporting and distribution.
- Monitor federal and state regulatory changes and their impact to HR systems
- Work closely with other directors to ensure compliance with all regulatory reporting.
- Manage the relationship between the HRIS vendors and the organizations
- Develop and sustain appropriate controls to maintain and report on information.
- Oversee the development and implementation of end user training and product enhancements.
What skills does an HRIS director need?
An HRIS director needs a strong understanding of database design and database management tools. Most job postings require the applicant to have a Bachelor's degree in computer science (or the equivalent in work experience) as well as a Master's degree in human resource management (HRM). Other desirable skills include:
- Thorough knowledge of MS Excel, Word and Powerpoint.
- Hands-on experience with Workday, ADP, SAP SuccessFactors or other HRMS.
- Basic programming skills.