Opening of a New office

Abstract

This paper is an overview of what steps a Chief Human Resource Officer (CHRO) should go through to open an office in a neighboring state. The focus is on talent acquisition considering the best methods to staff a new operation while being cognizant of all regulations and laws governing best Human Resource (HR) practices.

Additionally, the CHRO will organize evaluation criteria for all positions and varying types of tests to assess the abilities of applicants. Integrity and drug testing will also be considered and utilized is the CHRO feels it necessary.

The staffing plan is made under the following assumptions:

1. The organization is a service based organization that provides training and mentorship to police officers and security personnel.

2. The organization has a centralized supply chain which performs purchasing, transportation and logistical support, property control, and various other ‘overhead’ tasks.

The Opening of a New Office

Upon being notified that expansion was necessary to a neighboring state, the CHRO has decided to staff the new office with the below personnel. Positions were based on past experience and the methods which the program was bid to the state of Mississippi; this model has been very effective in the state of Texas and is to be replicated. The Mississippi office will be staffed as a satellite Project Management Office (PMO) where project support will be provided for the personnel within the project and immediate project initiatives. Staffing will include the following:

a. Program Manager – Supervises the coordination and management of all aspects of an ongoing program including planning, organizing, staffing, leading, and controlling program activities. Minimum qualifications include a Bachelor’s degree and twelve (12) years applicable experience. Master’s degree preferred. Project Management Professional (PMP) certification preferred.

b. Sr. Training and Mentoring Officer - Responsible for generating and implementing training programs and overseeing the development of employee careers. Sets performance metrics, assesses productivity, and helps workers create long-term career plans within an organization. Minimum qualifications include a Bachelor’s degree and eight (8) years applicable experience.

c. Operations Manager - Responsible for ensuring and improving the performance, productivity, efficiency and profitability of departmental and organizational operations through the delivery of effective methods and strategies. Minimum qualifications include a Bachelor’s degree and eight (8) years applicable experience. APICS CPIM certification preferred.

d. Logistics Analyst - work to streamline service and product needs, transportation, storage and distribution. Minimum qualifications include a Bachelor’s degree and four (4) years applicable experience. APICS CPIM certification preferred.

e. Human Resources Manager - directly responsible for the overall administration, coordination and evaluation of the human resource function. Minimum qualifications include a Bachelor’s degree and eight (8) years applicable experience.

f. Human Resource Specialist - handles and provides support for various HR employee programs within the organization. Minimum qualifications include a Bachelor’s degree and four (4) years applicable experience.

g. Cost Analyst - provides cost management analysis related to program material and labor to all levels of management. This position is responsible for reporting cost and variables of each program. Minimum qualifications include a Bachelor’s degree and four (4) years applicable experience.

h. Finance Manager - responsible for providing financial advice and support to clients and colleagues to enable them to make sound business assessments. In addition, ensures that financial practices are in line with all statutory legislation and regulations. Minimum qualifications include a Bachelor’s degree and eight (8) years applicable experience. Certified Public Accountant (CPA) preferred.

i. Financial Analyst - Analyzes financial status by collecting, monitoring, and studying data and recommending future action. Minimum qualifications include a Bachelor’s degree and four (4) years applicable experience.

The nine (9) positions above must be carefully selected to ensure that the best and brightest personnel are selected to head up the new office. First step the CHRO would take, is to draft up well written job descriptions which provided very specific criteria. This would limit the pool of applicants to those which are qualified by the proposal which was submitted to the State of Mississippi, and to ensure that the applicants have the appropriate experience and skill sets to perform to the job description. As this is a very similar structure to the office in Texas, the CHRO follows a similar configuration. Drafting up a well written job requisition serves to immediately limit the field of applicants to those which are required to perform the work.

Second step would be to release these job descriptions to the company’s talent acquisition system. A common system for this is Taleo. The recruiters in the centralized or headquarters would then post these requisitions of various job boards and send these requisitions out to placement firms. Once applicants start filling out the application through Taleo, the system will automatically request the information necessary to adhere to federal and state law. Applicants will be asked:

1. Are you 18 years or older?

2. Do you now or in the future require immigration benefit sponsorship to retain or extend your authorization to work in the United States?

3. Our company is an Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative action employer. All applicants will be requested to give EEO information to comply with the federal Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action requirements. Applicants will be asked for their sex and ethnic group. As stated on the United States Department of Labor, Equal Employment Opportunity, “Executive Order 11246 prohibits covered federal contractors and subcontractors from discriminating on the basis of race, color, religion, sex or national origin, and requires affirmative action to ensure equal employment opportunity without regard to those factors. E.O. 11246 is enforced by the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP).”

4. Our Company is held to the standards of The Vietnam Era Veterans' Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA). As a result the applicant’s will be asked to self-identify