Here are the HR roles to aim for if you intend to expand your career prospects – and salary – over the next year
HR is where the money is in 2014, but for a fast track to the top, you need to focus on three positions, according to CTPartners’ 19th annual executive jobs forecast. Develop a data-driven mindset and upskill your business literacy and you could just find yourself shooting for one of these on-the-rise jobs.
Chief Human Resources Officer As CEOs increasingly recognize the value of HR, more board rooms are demanding the presence of a CHRO. HR is no longer the lowest paid among the senior functions, and can often be seen on par with other major executives on leadership teams. “The compensation for CHROs has been growing year over year exponentially, and we expect that will continue,” said CTPartners CEO Dan Kaplan. Salary range: $167,000-$453,000
Head of HR Analytics If you think HR data is merely about employee engagement scores, this isn’t the position for you. “It's about figuring out what’s the right data to analyze to drive the business,” said Kaplan. “We see the role being filled by partners out of elite strategy consulting firms, PHDs who come out of heavy analytics environments.” Because there are few qualified candidates for these kinds of roles, they tend to be paid far higher than most other HR positions. And demand is soaring: only 14% of organizations currently have HR analytics programs, but more than 60% are planning to build such functions in the next two years, according to Deloitte research. Salary range: $76,000-$105,000
HR Director, Social/Labor Relations It might sound unfamiliar, but growth in this niche area is in part because of the huge legislative shifts of recent times. “Having someone who understands how … you work with organized labor is absolutely necessary,” said Kaplan. For some companies, that will mean dealing with internal communications via social media, while others may focus on industrial labor relationships. Either way, this role will be in high demand for 2014. Salary range: $60,000-$184,000
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Chief Human Resources Officer As CEOs increasingly recognize the value of HR, more board rooms are demanding the presence of a CHRO. HR is no longer the lowest paid among the senior functions, and can often be seen on par with other major executives on leadership teams. “The compensation for CHROs has been growing year over year exponentially, and we expect that will continue,” said CTPartners CEO Dan Kaplan. Salary range: $167,000-$453,000
Head of HR Analytics If you think HR data is merely about employee engagement scores, this isn’t the position for you. “It's about figuring out what’s the right data to analyze to drive the business,” said Kaplan. “We see the role being filled by partners out of elite strategy consulting firms, PHDs who come out of heavy analytics environments.” Because there are few qualified candidates for these kinds of roles, they tend to be paid far higher than most other HR positions. And demand is soaring: only 14% of organizations currently have HR analytics programs, but more than 60% are planning to build such functions in the next two years, according to Deloitte research. Salary range: $76,000-$105,000
HR Director, Social/Labor Relations It might sound unfamiliar, but growth in this niche area is in part because of the huge legislative shifts of recent times. “Having someone who understands how … you work with organized labor is absolutely necessary,” said Kaplan. For some companies, that will mean dealing with internal communications via social media, while others may focus on industrial labor relationships. Either way, this role will be in high demand for 2014. Salary range: $60,000-$184,000
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