Job Description

The Director of Personnel Services is appointed by the Civil Service Commission.

The Director plans, organizes, directs, and coordinates the County of Maui’s (County) comprehensive personnel management program and is the head of the Department of Personnel Services (DPS). DPS has a Director, Deputy Director, and 23 employees. The County utilizes Workday for its Human Resources Information System (HRIS).

The County of Maui is unique in that it consists of the three (3) inhabited islands of Maui, Moloka’i and Lana’i. The County is comprised of 23 departments and one agency and provides a broad range of municipal services, including public safety (police, fire, emergency management, prosecuting attorney, and liquor control), sanitation, social services, culture and recreation, transportation, planning and zoning, and the construction and maintenance of County highways and streets.

The County currently has approximately 3215 employees (2956 regular employees and 259 seasonal employees). Most of the workforce is part of the Civil Service under HRS Ch. 76 and included in a union bargaining unit (BU), each with its own collective bargaining agreement (CBA):

  • BU 1 – Nonsupervisory employees in blue collar positions (Union – UPW)
  • BU 2 – Supervisory employees in blue collar positions (Union – HGEA)
  • BU 3 – Nonsupervisory employees in white collar position (Union – HGEA)
  • BU 4 – Supervisory employees in white collar positions (Union – HGEA)
  • BU 11- Firefighters (Union – HFFA)
  • BU 12 – Police officers (Union – SHOPO)
  • BU 13 – Professional and scientific employees, who cannot be included in any of the other bargaining units (Union – HGEA)
  • BU 15 – State and county ocean safety and water safety officers (Union – HGEA)

Examples of Duties

HRS 76-12 sets forth the general powers and duties of the Director of Personnel Services, and states that the Director shall:

  • Represent the public interest in the improvement of human resources administration in the civil service;
  • Assist in fostering the interest of institutions of learning and civic, professional, and employee organizations in the improvement of human resources standards in civil service;
  • Advise the chief executive on policies and problems concerning the human resources program;
  • Make investigations concerning the administration of human resources policies in the civil service, including any matter respecting the enforcement or effect of this chapter or the rules adopted thereunder, or the action or failure to act of any officer or employee with respect thereto;

HRS § 76-13 sets forth the specific duties and powers of the Director of Personnel Services, and states that the Director shall:

  • Direct and supervise all the administrative and technical activities of the director’s department;
  • Establish and maintain a roster of all persons in civil service;
  • Appoint employees necessary to assist the director in the proper performance of the director’s duties and for which appropriations shall have been made;
  • Foster and develop, in cooperation with appointing authorities and others, programs for the improvement of employee efficiency;
  • Cooperate fully with appointing authorities, giving full recognition to their requirements and needs, in the administration of this chapter to promote public service by establishing conditions of service that will attract and retain employees of character and capability, and to increase efficiency and productivity in governmental departments by continuously improving methods of human resources administration and maximizing the use of advanced technology;
  • Encourage and exercise leadership in the development of effective human resources administration within the several departments and make available the facilities of the director’s department to this end;
  • Investigate from time to time the operation and effect of this chapter and the rules adopted thereunder;
  • Develop and maintain classification systems;
  • Make recommendations and advise the chief executive on appropriate adjustments for employees excluded from collective bargaining as authorized under chapter 89C;

Perform any other lawful acts deemed by the director to be necessary or desirable to carry out the purposes and provisions of this chapter.

Job Requirements

Minimum Qualification Requirements

  • Pursuant to HRS 76-75 and Maui County Charter Section 8-9.2, the Director shall, at the time of the Director’s appointment, and thereafter, be thoroughly familiar with the principles and methods of personnel administration and shall believe in applying merit principles and scientific administrative methods to public personnel administration.
  • Be a United States citizen, national or permanent resident alien, except a national or permanent resident alien appointee may not be eligible for continued employment unless such person diligently seeks citizenship upon becoming eligible to apply for United States citizenship. (HRS 78-1)
  • Be a resident of the State of Hawaii for at least one year immediately preceding the appointment, provided that the foregoing one year residency requirement may be waived by the appointing authority when the appointive officer is required to have highly specialized or scientific knowledge and training and a qualified applicant who is a

resident for at least one year is not available to fill the position. (HRS § 78-1(b))

Preferred Leadership Competencies

  • Strategic, forward-looking leadership — the ability to anticipate workforce and labor relations challenges across County departments and proactively shape policy and practice;
  • Demonstrated ability to build trust and drive consistency across labor and management, including multiple bargaining units and a diverse, multi-departmental workforce;
  • Commitment to developing HR capacity countywide, including assisting department-level personnel liaisons and strengthening consistency in policy application across departments;
  • Forward-looking approach to modernizing classification systems and personnel administration methods, consistent with HRS Ch. 76 and other applicable laws;
  • Clear, credible communication with employees, union representatives, County leadership, and the public;
  • Sound, defensible judgment in personnel matters, with the ability to balance public accountability, merit principles, and operational needs.

Additional Preferred Qualifications

  • Basic Education: Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with a bachelor’s degree in public administration, business administration, human resources, industrial relations, or a closely related field.
  • General Experience: Five (5) years progressively responsible professional analytical work experience in human resources administration.
  • Specialized Administrative Experience: Three (3) years of general experience in an administrative, managerial, or supervisory capacity overseeing multiple HR functional areas (e.g., recruitment, labor relations, or classification) in a civil service framework or unionized
  • Substitutions Allowed: A master’s degree in human resources, public administration or a related field may substitute for one (1) year of non-administrative general experience.
  • Possess a current, valid motor vehicle operator’s license to drive in the State of Hawaii.

How to Apply

How to Apply

  • Interested candidates should submit:
    1. Resume;
    2. Position-specific cover letter; and
    3. DPS Director Candidate Questionnaire – Please click the item name to open the linked

 

Selection Process

The recruitment and selection process for the position of Director of Personnel Services will be conducted in the following phases:

Step 1 – Application Submission Period July 2, 2026 – July 31, 2026

Interested candidates must submit the following required application materials:

  • Resume;
  • Position-specific cover letter; and
  • DPS Director Candidate

All application materials must be received no later than 4:30 p.m. Hawaii Standard Time (HST) on July 31, 2026,

and submitted electronically to either:

Applications received after the deadline or missing required documents may not be considered. The Commission may request additional documentation throughout this process.

Step 2 – Qualification Screening and Merit-Based Ranking August 1, 2026 – August 4, 2026

DPS Director Candidate References Questionnaire for Three (3) references will be sent to candidates who meet minimum qualifications to be submitted to the Commission.

  • At the CSC regular meeting on August 5, 2026, the TIG will present its findings and recommendations regarding candidate qualifications and rankings.
  • At the CSC special meeting on August 12, 2026, the Commission will deliberate and take action on TIG recommendations regarding the final candidates and interview process.

Step 3 – Leader’s Intent and Reference Questionnaire Submission Deadline: August 19, 2026 (date subject to change)

  • Candidates advancing to the final phase of consideration will have their interviews confirmed and will be provided specifications for a written Leader’s Intent Statement specific to the position of Director of Personnel
  • DPS Director Candidate Reference Questionnaire will also be
  • The Leader’s Intent Statement and Reference Questionnaire must be submitted no later than 4:30 p.m. HST on August 19, 2026.

Step 4 – Candidate Interviews and Deliberations

August 24, 2026 – August 28, 2026- Dates subject to change

  • Candidate interviews will be
  • Additional commission meeting may be scheduled on August 31, 2026 (date subject to change)

Step 5 – Final Selection and Conditional Offer of Employment September 9, 2026

Following completion of interviews and deliberations, the Civil Service Commission will make its final selection and extend a conditional offer of employment to the selected candidate, subject to any required pre-employment/post-offer reviews, approvals, and conditions established by applicable law, rule, or policy.

Please note: This is a non-civil service position appointed by the Civil Service Commission. Accordingly, this recruitment is being administered on an open-competitive basis.

 

AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

The County of Maui does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, sexual orientation, age, religion, color, ancestry, national origin, disability, marital status, pregnancy, arrest and court record, assignment of child support, national guard participation or any other basis covered by state or federal laws governing non-discrimination

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CITY & STATE

Wailuku, Hawaii

JOB TYPE

Full-Time

WORKPLACE TYPE

On-Site

COMPENSATION

($) 192458 - ($) 192458

COMPENSATION RATE

Per Year