Commission promotes existing staff to HR generalist and authorizes external recruitment for HR director

The Pennington County Commission approved two personnel actions and directed recruitment activity on April 7 as part of a broader effort to restructure human-resources operations.

Sage (recruiter/social-media manager) was promoted to the county’s HR generalist role with an accompanying pay adjustment effective March 29, 2026. The board noted she has performed HR generalist duties during the recent director vacancy and that formal recognition aligns title and duties.

Commissioners also reviewed and approved a slightly revised HR director job description (minor edits to reflect current claims-handling processes and a flexible combination of education and experience). The board then authorized the commission office to initiate active recruitment for a permanent HR director and approved using an external executive-search firm (alternative HR) to manage postings, prescreening and background checks. The recruitment will accept internal and external applications; the search firm can be asked to deliver a short‑list of qualified candidates for the commission to interview.

Commissioners emphasized they want a careful, documented search process and clear communication with department heads and affected divisions (including the sheriff’s office) during any structural changes. Several commissioners said they preferred outsourcing the heavy lifting of candidate screening to an outside firm while ensuring internal staff (including newly promoted HR generalist Sage and the commission office) are kept informed. The board asked staff to return with a timeline, vendor scope and estimated cost for the executive search.

What’s next: Commission staff will finalize the job posting and vendor scope, advertise internally and externally, and work with the selected search firm to screen candidates. The board will establish the interview panel and timeline once the search firm provides a short list.