Aug. 6, 2025 -- Lackawanna County has launched a search for a director of human resources. JoAnn Granza-Decker, who has held the position since 2022, has informed Commissioners Bill Gaughan and Chris Chermak that she will resign, effective Sept. 2, to take a similar position elsewhere.

The human resources director is responsible for managing all policies and programs for more than 1,000 Lackawanna County employees across 30 executive branch agencies and multiple court-related agencies. That includes labor negotiations with multiple unionized bargaining units, contract administration and compliance, benefit administration, employee recruitment and more. A complete job description and job requirements are posted on lackawannacounty.org.

Compensation will be negotiable.

Granza-Decker first joined the county in the commissioners’ office in 2008, before migrating to human resources the following year. She was promoted to director in 2022. She has emphasized employee health and wellness, collaborating with county health provider Blue Cross to provide a lactation pod for new mothers employed by the county, organizing a wellness fair, and raising awareness about personal health and wellbeing countywide. Granza-Decker also was instrumental in re-establishing an internship program for college students that had been suspended during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It was not an easy decision,” Granza-Decker said of her impending departure, “as I have made so many great relationships here at the county over the last 15 years. I have learned so much and for that I will always be grateful and think of Lackawanna County as my home.”

The county has posted the position on multiple job-search sites and plans to move as quickly as possible for a replacement, according to Gaughan.

Read the full job description here.