Manager, Human Resources

American Lung Association • Chicago, IL

11d • Hybrid

About The Position

The Manager, Human Resources serves as an HR advisor to assigned leaders, providing guidance on employee relations, performance management, talent development, compensation, organizational effectiveness, and other employment matters. The role combines this advisory work with hands-on responsibility for HR processes and systems, including salary administration, HRIS workflows, data, documentation, and compliance activities. The manager uses knowledge of the American Lung Association’s mission and talent priorities to help leaders make fair and consistent employment decisions that balance employee needs, organizational priorities, and responsible stewardship. The role leads HR initiatives from assessment through implementation and uses workforce data, industry practices, sound judgment, and employment-law knowledge to identify risks and recommend solutions. Sensitive and complex matters involving organizational, legal, financial, or reputational risk are handled in partnership with the CHRO and HR team.

The position is based in the American Lung Association’s Chicago, Illinois office and follows a hybrid arrangement of in-person and virtual work. The organization maintains a smoke-free workplace; employees must abstain from tobacco use in any form, including vaping.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in HR, business, organizational development, or a related field, or equivalent relevant experience.
• Five or more years of progressive HR experience, including significant employee-relations experience advising managers on performance, corrective action, and other team concerns.
• Demonstrated experience advising managers on compensation decisions and employee pay concerns, applying established compensation strategy and practices, internal equity, and market data.
• Strong knowledge of HR practices and employment law, with the ability to research and apply requirements across multiple jurisdictions.
• Strong judgment and advisory skills, including the ability to diagnose underlying issues, recommend practical solutions, influence decisions, and constructively challenge leaders when appropriate.
• Ability to balance advisory work with ongoing administration of HR processes and systems, including HRIS workflows, data, and reporting.
• Strong analytical, project-management, and communication skills, including the ability to use workforce data to identify issues and support decisions.
• Ability to build trusted relationships at all levels and exercise sound judgment about when to involve the CHRO, other HR colleagues, or legal counsel.
• Demonstrated commitment to fair, consistent, inclusive, and transparent employment practices.
• Must abstain from tobacco use in any form, including vaping.

Nice To Haves

• Master’s degree or PHR/SPHR certification.
• Experience with ADP Workforce Now.
• Experience in a nonprofit, association, mission-driven, or similarly complex organization.

Responsibilities

• Learn assigned departments’ priorities and talent needs to anticipate workforce challenges and provide practical HR solutions.
• Help leaders strengthen team structure, leadership practices, and collaboration within and across departments.
• Help leaders plan and communicate change, anticipate employee concerns, and address issues affecting team effectiveness, engagement, or trust.
• Educate leaders when decisions or practices could create risk.
• Advise and coach leaders on employee-relations matters, including performance, conduct, workplace conflict, corrective action, and employment separations.
• Conduct objective, timely, and well-documented workplace investigations; assess findings and recommend appropriate action, consulting the CHRO or legal counsel as warranted.
• Ensure employment decisions are fair, consistent, appropriately documented, and aligned with policy and applicable law.
• Identify recurring employee-relations issues and recommend broader solutions, including leadership coaching, training, policy clarification, or process improvements.
• Advise leaders on onboarding, professional development, engagement, recognition, and other talent and performance needs.
• Support organization-wide talent and performance initiatives, including planning, communications, training, tools, and implementation.
• Provide coaching and training to strengthen manager and employee effectiveness.
• Use employee feedback and workforce data to assess effectiveness and improve programs and practices.
• Advise leaders on compensation decisions and pay conversations using market data, internal equity, performance, and organizational guidelines.
• Monitor compensation and workforce data to identify inconsistencies or risks and recommend action.
• Maintain accurate job classifications and workforce data to support compliant and consistent administration of compensation and talent programs.
• Monitor employment-law and regulatory developments and recommend policy or practice changes.
• Lead the development, implementation, and communication of assigned employment policies and procedures.
• Identify employment-practice risks and work with the CHRO to implement appropriate controls or corrective measures.
• Maintain appropriate documentation to support compliant employment decisions and HR practices.
• Lead HR initiatives from assessment through implementation and partner with the CHRO and HR team on sensitive, complex matters.

Benefits

• Paid leave, including 10 vacation days in the first year and 15 days thereafter, 2 personal days, 15 sick days per year, and 12 company-paid holidays per year.
• Paid parental leave for eligible employees.
• Medical, dental, and vision plans for employees and eligible dependents.
• Voluntary critical illness, accident, hospital indemnity, short-term disability, and supplemental life/AD&D insurance plans.
• Company-paid life/AD&D and long-term disability insurance coverage.
• 401(k) Defined Contribution Retirement Plan with matching employer contributions up to 4% and year-end discretionary non-elective contributions.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager