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Miami HR director Angela Roberts describes hiring process, employment office and diversity efforts
Summary
Angela Roberts, director of human resources for the City of Miami, described the city's application process, the on-site employment office at the Miami Riverside Building, and the role of city managers in diversity and inclusion in an interview on Empowered 305.
Angela Roberts, director of human resources for the City of Miami, outlined how residents can apply for city jobs, discussed the city's approach to diversity and inclusion in hiring, and described her approach to personnel management during an interview on the "Empowered 305" program.
Roberts said she began with the city in 1999 and became director of human resources in 2017 after serving as director of the city's employee-relations office she identified as EODP. "I am here to save you from yourself," Roberts said of her role overseeing rules, policies and personnel decisions. She described herself as "transparent" and said she balances empathy for employees with the need to enforce rules.
On where residents should apply, Roberts said the city offers two options: in person at the human resources employment office in the Miami Riverside Building on the seventh floor, where staff can help applicants fill out applications, or online through the city’s website. "We don't accept resumes, but you can attach them to your application if you want, but we look at the application," Roberts said. She added that recruitment staff can walk applicants through the online application and answer position-specific questions.
Roberts discussed work-life balance for city employees, encouraging staff to separate work from home life when possible and to use vacation time. She described one of the most rewarding parts of her job as helping employees "make a difference" and said the HR department has grown from about 29–30 employees when she became director to about 40 today.
On diversity and inclusion she said hiring outcomes often reflect the priorities of the city manager in place at the time. When asked about how the city ensures diversity in hires, Roberts said that recent city managers have focused on placing diverse candidates in higher ranks while emphasizing selection based on "knowledge, skills, and abilities."
Roberts also described the HR office's role in practical assistance: the employment office can sit with applicants to complete applications. She emphasized transparency in procedures and the need to follow rules and policies even when political pressures exist.
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