Human Resources Director

Overview of ClientOur client, located in downtown Chicago, is a multi-state non-profit that helps children and families see and create a future where, regardless of their past, they can reach their full potential. They serve over 10,000 children and families each year through education centers, child and family services, behavioral health resources, and residential programs to empower children and families.

This is a hybrid role, working 3 to 4 days in the office.

The compensation for this position is a base salary of $120,000 annually. There is currently no bonus offering.

Job Summary Reporting directly to the Chief People Officer (CPO), the Human Resources Director will manage a team comprised of HR Business Partners, in addition to overseeing employee relations, DEI work across the organization, employee benefits, leave of absences, HR reporting and analytics, rewards and recognition, performance management and development planning, compensation, benefits, HRIS, payroll, HR compliance, policy development and administration, and coordination and compliance of all employment files. This role is central to creating a diverse, respectful, engaging, and inclusive work environment for an organization of 800+ employees.

The ideal candidate will have:Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Organizational Development, or related field required.Master’s degree or a related advanced degree preferred.Recent non-profit experience as a Human Resources leader highly preferred.Ability to travel throughout the states of Illinois and Florida up to 30% of the time.A strong reputation for being innovative, known for having impressive relationship management skills, as well as being consistently recognized as a trusted advisor and approachable resource.Minimum of 5 years of experience managing, coaching, and developing a team of Human Resources professionals that include Human Resources Generalists and/or HR Business Partners, preferably field-based.Deep employee relations experience and expertise.Demonstrated experience understanding key attrition drivers and creating and introducing impactful and realistic workforce retention strategies, specifically across a highly distributed, entry-level workforce.Deep experience and working expertise in managing Workers' Compensation and Leave of Absence cases.Advanced level knowledge of HR-related reporting and analytics to include advanced working knowledge of Microsoft Excel.Advanced experience successfully managing HRIS and payroll processing.Significant experience leading comprehensive compensation market studies and introducing required enhancements to the organization.Advanced experience partnering with external and internal resources to identify and introduce competitive and comprehensive health and wellness benefits to an organization to include annual open enrollment.Strong change management, process management and project management skills.Significant experience creating, introducing and managing an organizational-wide rewards and recognition program.Experience developing and administering relevant HR policies.Significant experience in Human Resources Compliance to include maintaining accurate employee files/records.Experience successfully implementing new HR technology and systems to an organization.Advanced experience modernizing and introducing an organizational-wide performance management program to include development planning and associated key processes.Demonstrated experience identifying and introducing impactful Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging programs that lead to stronger employee engagement and retention.Substantial experience assessing, managing, coaching, and developing direct reports.Deep experience partnering closely with department heads and the HR team to identify key engagement drivers and develop programs that enhance employee satisfaction and motivation.The natural ability to command respect through fostering positive relationships and providing valuable guidance in challenging situations across all levels of an organization.Demonstrated experience being able to navigate and resolve conflicts effectively, while also offering innovative solutions to challenges as they arise.Advanced written and verbal business communication skills to include being highly capable of facilitating workshops to large groups.A natural curiosity to understand an organization's strategic and operational priorities.Working knowledge of the latest human resources trends and best practices.Ability to work collaboratively with the CPO to plan, lead, direct, develop, and coordinate the policies, activities, and staff of the HR department, ensuring legal compliance and implementation of the organization's mission and strategy.Ability to maintain confidentiality and discretion, as required.Relevant HR certification desired – PHR, SPHR, SHRM-CP, SHRM-SCP preferred.Valid driver’s license and acceptable driving record with the ability to obtain the organization's required levels of coverage for auto insurance.The ability to pass a comprehensive background check to include fingerprinting.The ability to pass a drug test in accordance with local, state and federal regulations.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities to include:Managing the day-to-day organizational HR support delivered by direct reports, fostering communicative and collaborative relationships with colleagues.Serving as a trusted business partner to the senior leadership team, ensuring consistent and transparent communication that supports strategic priorities and business needs.Leveraging the required skills needed for the role to produce exceptional results in a variety of HR-related areas.Developing and implementing a comprehensive employee engagement and retention strategy aligned with the organization's goals and values.Implementing initiatives that promote employee well-being, work-life balance, and a sense of belonging.Conducting regular surveys, focus groups, and one-on-one interviews to gauge employee satisfaction and identify areas for improvement using data-driven insights to continually assess and improve engagement strategies.Oversight of planning, coordinating, and executing employee activities and events that enhance employee morale, satisfaction, and commitment and align to the strategy of creating a highly engaged culture.Providing leadership and guidance to a team of professionals dedicated to employee engagement, satisfaction, accountability, and retention.Implementing human resources strategies by establishing department accountabilities, including employment processing, communication, and compensation program.Researching, proposing, and managing the benefits program for the organization, along with the CPO, to ensure the best total rewards are being offered to employees.Leading and managing the annual open enrollment process for employee benefits, with a corresponding communication strategy.Ensuring compliance with all local, state, and federal laws, EEO and OSHA reporting, and collaborating with the CPO and outside counsel as needed.Direct timely processing of all worker’s compensation, FMLA, Leaves of Absence, and unemployment claims by HR team.Overseeing and approving all assigned HRIS employee-related workflows.Monitoring and overseeing internal and external equity and HR metrics.Remaining abreast of human resources trends and the non-profit sector through relevant webinars, books, articles, blogs, and other sources.Ensuring the organization complies with federal, state, and local legal requirements by studying existing and new legislation.Oversight of maintaining company organizational charts and the employee directory.Managing revisions and updates to the organization's employee handbook, as necessary.Performing all other duties as assigned.

Physical Demands & Work Environment: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. The position requires visual and auditory acuity within professionally determined normal ranges, with correction if need; and manual dexterity sufficient to operate a computer and office equipment, including, but not limited to, the telephone, computer, and photocopier. The employee is occasionally required to move items up to 50 pounds.

Our client is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities and ensuring equal access to employment opportunities. If you require any accommodations throughout the hiring process, please inform the assigned recruiter of your needs and every effort will be made to accommodate them.