What Positions Are in the HR Department?

The Human Resources Department—commonly referred to as HR—is responsible for managing employee-related matters within a company, including recruitment, training, performance management, compensation and benefits, employee relations, and compliance. As modern businesses place increasing emphasis on talent strategy, the roles within HR have expanded and become more specialized. A well-structured HR department typically includes a range of positions covering various levels of responsibility, from entry-level support to strategic leadership. Here, we provide a comprehensive overview of common HR roles and their duties to help you understand the structure and career paths available in this field.

1. HR Director / HR Manager

The HR Director or HR Manager leads the entire department and is responsible for strategic planning and day-to-day operations. They align HR policies with company goals and oversee recruitment, training, performance evaluation, compensation, employee relations, and compliance. In addition, they drive corporate culture initiatives and manage organizational changes. HR Directors often work directly with senior leadership and play a vital role in company-wide decision-making.

2. Recruitment Specialist / Recruitment Manager

Recruitment Specialists or Managers are responsible for acquiring new talent. Their duties include posting job ads, screening resumes, conducting interviews, managing job offers, and onboarding. A Recruitment Manager typically develops recruitment strategies, optimizes processes, and builds partnerships to ensure the organization attracts the right talent.

3. Training Specialist / Training Manager

Training Specialists design and implement training programs to improve employees' skills and performance. They coordinate with internal trainers or external vendors, manage training schedules, and evaluate training effectiveness. Training Managers focus on long-term employee development and leadership pipeline planning to support organizational growth.

4. Performance Management Specialist / Manager

This role is responsible for creating and maintaining performance appraisal systems. Key tasks include setting performance standards, conducting evaluations, analyzing results, and giving feedback. The goal is to ensure employee contributions align with company expectations and to foster improvement through transparent and fair assessments.

5. Compensation and Benefits Specialist / Manager

These professionals manage the company’s compensation structure and benefits offerings. They handle payroll processing, social insurance contributions, and benefits programs. Compensation Managers also conduct salary benchmarking, optimize reward systems, and ensure the company’s offerings are competitive and cost-effective.

6. Employee Relations Specialist / Manager

Employee Relations staff are tasked with maintaining a positive workplace environment. They resolve complaints, mediate conflicts, and ensure smooth internal communication. Employee Relations Managers also help establish policies to support employee satisfaction and organizational stability.

7. HR Assistant / Generalist

HR Assistants or Generalists support routine administrative tasks such as managing personnel records, handling onboarding/offboarding procedures, maintaining attendance systems, and assisting in various HR functions. This is an entry-level role critical for the smooth operation of the HR department.

8. Compliance Specialist

Compliance Specialists ensure that HR operations comply with national and local labor laws. Their duties include managing labor contracts, ensuring social insurance and leave policies are lawful, and updating HR practices in line with legal requirements. They also conduct legal training to improve awareness across the company.

9. HR Business Partner (HRBP)

HRBPs work closely with business units to align HR strategies with operational goals. They offer tailored solutions for workforce planning, organizational design, performance improvement, and employee relations. HRBPs serve as strategic advisors and are key in bridging HR and business needs.

10. HRIS Specialist / Manager (Human Resources Information System)

HRIS Specialists or Managers maintain and optimize HR systems used for payroll, recruitment, training, and data analytics. As digital transformation grows, this role is crucial for automating workflows, ensuring data accuracy, and driving tech-based decision-making within HR.

11. Talent Development Specialist / Manager

This position focuses on long-term talent growth. Responsibilities include career coaching, identifying high-potential employees, succession planning, and leadership development. Talent Development Managers design frameworks to ensure companies have a strong pipeline of future leaders.

12. Labor Law and Compliance Specialist / Manager

These specialists handle legal matters related to labor disputes, inspections, and contract law. They help create internal policies, manage conflict resolution, and mitigate legal risks. Their role is to protect the company while ensuring fair treatment of employees under labor regulations.

13. HR Officer / Supervisor / Consultant

These roles involve handling core HR functions such as hiring, training, performance reviews, or compensation on a day-to-day basis. HR Consultants often act externally or internally to advise on HR best practices, policy improvement, and HR system design.

Conclusion

The HR department is made up of a diverse range of positions that span from operational roles to strategic leadership. Depending on the size and structure of a company, these positions may be combined or further divided. Each role plays a unique and essential part in managing an organization’s most valuable asset—its people.

Whether you’re just entering the field or looking to advance your HR career, understanding the scope of these roles and how they interact will help you navigate your professional development. As companies continue to invest in talent management, HR will only grow in complexity, specialization, and influence—making it a dynamic and rewarding career path for those with the right skills and dedication.