People & Culture/HR Business Partner - Assurance

Cohen & Co Advisory•Chicago, IL

13d•$130,000 - $150,000•Hybrid

About The Position

At Cohen & Co, our People & Culture (P&C) Business Partners serve as the connective tissue between our service lines and the broader P&C organization. We align people strategies with firm priorities, ensuring that decisions about talent, structure, and leadership directly support firm growth and client excellence. Embedded within our service line and Corporate Shared Services teams, P&C Business Partners anticipate needs before they surface, bring data and discipline to workforce decisions, and help leaders operate with greater clarity, consistency, and speed. They collaborate closely with colleagues across Talent Acquisition, Talent Operations, Talent Development, and Talent Deployment, as well as firm leadership. This is a high-impact, relationship-driven role for someone who thrives on strategy, influence, and operational excellence — and who brings a strong understanding of professional services environments. Key areas of focus: Talent Management Build talent strategies that identify emerging leaders, address skill gaps, and ensure a ready succession bench. Guide performance and development conversations that elevate standards, strengthen accountability, and advance growth. Partner with the Talent Development team to align learning priorities with business capability needs. Equip future leaders through targeted coaching, exposure, and career planning. Engagement and Culture Translate engagement and stay-interview insights into targeted actions that strengthen connection, performance, and retention. Lead integration of new hires, lateral partner s, and M&A teams to align expectations and reinforce culture. Oversee onboarding and integration across U.S. and global operations to create one connected employee experience. Change and Integration Help teams navigate organizational shifts, process redesigns, and technology adoption, including Workday. Partner with Deployment Specialists to clarify roles, rebalance work, and minimize disruption. Deployment and Workforce Planning Partner with service lines and Deployment leaders to align capacity, client demand, and staffing priorities. Anticipate workforce needs to ensure work is allocated equitably and talent is deployed where it drives the most leverage. Provide leaders with workforce insights that sharpen planning and strengthen decision quality. Performance Management and Manager Coaching Ensure clarity around goals, expectations, and success measures. Develop managerial capability to provide timely, actionable feedback and coach for performance. Drive consistency and follow-through in review and development cycles. Use performance data to identify strengths, risks, and targeted interventions. Compensation and Recognition Steward annual compensation, promotion, and bonus cycles to ensure fairness, transparency, and alignment with performance. Deliver data-driven insights that support pay decisions, recognition, and retention. Employee Relations Address performance or conduct issues through coaching, development, or formal action. Provide guidance on complex employee matters. Help leaders balance empathy with accountability. Identify systemic issues and recommend solutions that strengthen trust and communication. Analyze employee concern data to inform broader P&C initiatives Partner /MD Integration Accelerate new partner integration by ensuring clarity of expectations, visibility with key leaders, and early business contribution. Serve as a bridge between P&C, service lines, and leadership to ensure integration follows a structured, consistent plan. Provide coaching and feedback throughout the first year to support relationship-building and firm engagement. Capture insights from each integration to continuously refine the partner onboarding model. M&A Integration Support the work of due diligence, assessing team structures, key roles, and retention risks. Guide onboarding, communication, and change planning to help new teams understand the firm’s culture, standards, and expectations. Identify and address talent gaps early to protect client continuity and team stability. Monitor integration progress post-close, ensuring leaders have the tools and support to sustain performance and engagement.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or related field
10+ years of progressive HRBP
Strong preference for experience in a professional services or public accounting environment
Demonstrated success advising senior leaders on talent strategy, organizational design, and employee relations
Strong understanding of performance management, compensation cycles, and workforce planning
Proven ability to use data and insights to drive decisions
Exceptional communication, influencing, and relationship-building skills

Nice To Haves

Experience supporting multi-office or international operations
Familiarity with Workday
SHRM-SCP, SPHR, or equivalent certification
Experience in M&A integration or partner/MD onboarding

Responsibilities

Build talent strategies that identify emerging leaders, address skill gaps, and ensure a ready succession bench.
Guide performance and development conversations that elevate standards, strengthen accountability, and advance growth.
Partner with the Talent Development team to align learning priorities with business capability needs.
Equip future leaders through targeted coaching, exposure, and career planning.
Translate engagement and stay-interview insights into targeted actions that strengthen connection, performance, and retention.
Lead integration of new hires, lateral partner s, and M&A teams to align expectations and reinforce culture.
Oversee onboarding and integration across U.S. and global operations to create one connected employee experience.
Help teams navigate organizational shifts, process redesigns, and technology adoption, including Workday.
Partner with Deployment Specialists to clarify roles, rebalance work, and minimize disruption.
Partner with service lines and Deployment leaders to align capacity, client demand, and staffing priorities.
Anticipate workforce needs to ensure work is allocated equitably and talent is deployed where it drives the most leverage.
Provide leaders with workforce insights that sharpen planning and strengthen decision quality.
Ensure clarity around goals, expectations, and success measures.
Develop managerial capability to provide timely, actionable feedback and coach for performance.
Drive consistency and follow-through in review and development cycles.
Use performance data to identify strengths, risks, and targeted interventions.
Steward annual compensation, promotion, and bonus cycles to ensure fairness, transparency, and alignment with performance.
Deliver data-driven insights that support pay decisions, recognition, and retention.
Address performance or conduct issues through coaching, development, or formal action.
Provide guidance on complex employee matters.
Help leaders balance empathy with accountability.
Identify systemic issues and recommend solutions that strengthen trust and communication.
Analyze employee concern data to inform broader P&C initiatives
Accelerate new partner integration by ensuring clarity of expectations, visibility with key leaders, and early business contribution.
Serve as a bridge between P&C, service lines, and leadership to ensure integration follows a structured, consistent plan.
Provide coaching and feedback throughout the first year to support relationship-building and firm engagement.
Capture insights from each integration to continuously refine the partner onboarding model.
Support the work of due diligence, assessing team structures, key roles, and retention risks.
Guide onboarding, communication, and change planning to help new teams understand the firm’s culture, standards, and expectations.
Identify and address talent gaps early to protect client continuity and team stability.
Monitor integration progress post-close, ensuring leaders have the tools and support to sustain performance and engagement.