Public Sector HR Specialists

Built for people.
Proven for public service.

The Hive partners with government agencies, municipalities, special districts, and mission-driven organizations to build practical and compliant HR systems that support their people and mission.

City & County Government Special Districts Joint Power Authorities Nonprofits
Recruiting for executive and hard-to-fill public sector roles
Classification and Compensation studies grounded in defensible market data
Culture and HR systems built to last

Strategic HR support for organizations that serve others

The Hive delivers recruiting expertise, compensation and organizational strategy, culture transformation, and hands-on HR operations support.

01

Executive & Hard-to-Fill Recruiting

Search support for leadership, technical, and difficult-to-fill roles in government and mission-driven organizations.

  • Recruitment strategy and targeted outreach
  • Candidate screening and interview support
  • Selection, offer, and onboarding guidance

02

Classification & Compensation

Classification and total compensation studies built to withstand board review, labor union requirements, and internal scrutiny.

  • Market benchmarking and peer analysis
  • Pay band and salary structure design
  • Benefits benchmarking and analysis
  • Classification review recommendations
  • Implementation considerations and cost analysis

03

Culture & HR Transformation

Culture assessments and practical HR improvement plans that help organizations turn friction into clarity and action.

  • Employee listening and organizational analysis
  • Leadership debriefs and alignment sessions
  • Transformation roadmaps and implementation plans
  • Process and policy design

04

Fractional HR Support

Ongoing senior-level HR support for organizations that need experienced guidance without the cost of a full-time internal HR leader.

  • Interim HR leadership and strategic advising
  • Employee relations and performance management support
  • Compliance, policy, and process guidance
  • Manager coaching and day-to-day HR problem solving

05

Policy Manual Support

Clear, practical policy manual development and updates that help organizations reduce risk, improve consistency, and support leaders and employees alike.

  • Policy review and gap analysis
  • Custom handbook and manual development
  • Compliance alignment and plain-language revisions
  • Rollout support and leadership guidance

06

Facilitation

Structured facilitation for leadership teams, boards, and staff groups to support decision-making, alignment, and productive conversations.

  • Retreat and meeting design
  • Strategic planning workshop facilitation
  • Executive performance evaluation workshop facilitation
  • Leadership and team alignment sessions
  • Stakeholder dialogue and consensus-building support

Built for public agencies and mission-driven teams

The Hive partners with organizations to develop people practices that are credible, compliant, practical, and supportive of a healthy workplace culture.

City & County Government

From entry-level recruiting to executive search, classification and compensation studies, and culture change support.

Special Districts

Support for specialized roles, evolving workforce needs, and HR systems that keep pace with day-to-day operations.

Joint Power Authorities

Practical people strategy for lean teams that need structure, responsiveness, and trust.

Mission-Driven Nonprofits

HR and recruiting support that protects culture while helping organizations grow responsibly.

What our clients say

Over the years, I have found [Rex’s] advice and counsel to be invaluable in helping me manage the direction of the Agency's efforts.

— Executive Officer, Special District

Rex and I worked together at the Air District and I chaired the Personnel Committee. He is very competent and does a good job and so I was very happy to see his name on this.

— Elected Official & Board Member, Transit Agency

We have been thrilled to work with Rex. He has been extremely responsive and just done a fantastic over-the-top job on all the projects he has worked on with us.

— Deputy Director, Transit Agency

A simple process with real momentum

1

Discovery

We start with context, goals, constraints, and the people realities behind the problem.

2

Assessment

We review the role, structure, compensation, or culture issue and identify what matters most.

3

Execution

We deliver the work with clear communication, practical tools, and decision-ready recommendations.

4

Follow-through

You leave with a path forward, not just a report.

Every engagement is led by senior consultants, with both partners actively involved from start to finish.

Rex Sanders, PSHRA-SCP, SHRM-SCP

Public Sector HR and Governance Expert

With over 20 years of experience in public-sector human resources, Rex is a recognized leader in workplace culture, leadership, and strategic HR management. Before co-founding The Hive, Rex held executive Administrative and HR positions at a special district, where he led organizational culture initiatives, DEI strategies, classification and compensation studies, and large-scale recruitment efforts. His ability to foster collaboration between agencies, employees, and stakeholders has made him a trusted voice in HR policy development.

As the President of the Public Sector HR Association (PSHRA) San Diego Chapter, Rex is an active thought leader in employee engagement, compensation strategies, and HR compliance. He is also a certified expert in workplace bullying prevention and a champion of inclusive leadership.

Rafael Silva

Compensation and strategy expert

A leader in management consulting, data analytics, and HR strategy, Rafael brings a global perspective, rigorous problem-solving, and a data-driven approach to client work. At The Hive, Rafael has successfully managed recruitments, complex classification and compensation studies, and workforce analytics. His expertise lies in blending quantitative insights with human-centered HR solutions, ensuring that organizations align their pay structures, talent strategies, and cultural initiatives with operational goals.

Rafael has also developed proprietary statistical methods to analyze compensation against market comparators, helping agencies make equitable, fiscally responsible, and competitive pay decisions. His leadership in recruitment strategies has enhanced candidate diversity and process efficiency, making hiring more effective and equitable.

Tell us what you're working on.

Response time: typically within one business day

Build HR systems your people can trust.

Whether you are filling a critical role, rethinking culture, or building stronger HR systems, The Hive can help.