Jose Vargas has been appointed the new Deputy Director of Human Resources for the City of Las Cruces, a promotion from his former role as the City's HR Manager since 2022. Vargas, who initiated his journey with the City in 2019 as an HR Analyst, quickly moved up the ranks to become Senior HR Analyst by July 2021 and then onto HR Manager a year and a half later. His contributions have been crucial in spearheading several programs and improvements within the city's human resources landscape.
According to the City of Las Cruces, Vargas played a crucial role in numerous projects. These projects include implementing the 48/96 schedule for the Fire Department, a massive Classification and Compensation study, and effectively re-implementing MUNIS Human Capital Management modules. He has also worked on the enhancement of NEOGOV functionalities and the processing of Salary and Benefits Projections, including the redesign of a new appraisal system.
During his time as HR Manager, Vargas played a key role in the transition of various Human Resource functions. He helped seamlessly integrate the Payroll with Learning and Development programs, which aimed to create a more efficient department. His background, with operations management roles at The Home Depot and overseeing Human Resources and Operations at Target, totals nine years of invaluable experience that has equally benefited his public service career.
Jose Vargas, a New Mexico native, holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with a special focus in Management and Marketing from New Mexico State University. When he's not actively focused on improving the workplace for city employees, he enjoys spending time with his family and two dogs. His promotion reflects his commitment and the trust the city places in his capabilities to lead and innovate in his new role as Deputy Director.
