Senior Human Resources Business Partner

Ace Hardware Corporation•Oak Brook, IL

11d•$80,000 - $90,000•Onsite

About The Position

The Senior Human Resources Business Partner (Sr. HRBP) is a strategic advisor to the Emery Jensen field sales organization, serving as a trusted partner to sales leadership and a key driver of talent, performance, and retention outcomes. This role sits at the intersection of business strategy and people strategy—translating commercial goals into actionable HR solutions that enable a high‑performance sales culture. The Sr. HRBP partners closely with Sales Directors, Field Sales Managers, Business Development leaders, and Territory Managers to deliver a comprehensive HR agenda aligned to business growth and operational excellence. This role oversees and advances all core HR practices supporting the sales organization, including workforce planning, performance management, employee relations, leadership development, and organizational effectiveness. This position is pivotal in shaping culture, strengthening leadership capability, and ensuring HR strategies are proactively deployed to help the sales team achieve and sustain results.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business, or a related field.
5+ years of progressive HR experience, including significant time in strategic HRBP roles.
Strong business acumen with the ability to think holistically about people, performance, and strategy.
Proven ability to influence and partner with senior leaders in a fast‑paced, results‑driven environment.
Adaptable, agile mindset with comfort operating in evolving or growth-oriented organizations.
Exceptional communication, consultation, problem‑solving, and relationship‑building skills.
High attention to detail with the ability to manage competing priorities effectively.
Self‑motivated, hands‑on, and solutions‑oriented with a “do what it takes” mindset.
Demonstrated experience as a broad HR generalist with increasing scope and responsibility.
Strong project management, conflict resolution, and change management skills.
Willingness to travel to sales regions and bi‑annual trade shows as needed.
WORK AUTHORIZATION: This position is not eligible for employment visa sponsorship now or in the future.

Responsibilities

Align HR strategies, programs, and processes with the sales organization’s strategic and operational goals.
Actively support and reinforce company culture grounded in our core values.
Partner closely with sales leaders to understand business challenges and translate them into people and talent solutions.
Ensure HR policies, practices, and programs enable—not hinder—sales performance.
Serve as a trusted advisor and HR subject matter expert to the SVP of Sales, Sales Leadership, and people managers.
Provide strategic counsel on organization design, workforce planning, succession planning, and talent development.
Leverage business insight and trend awareness to proactively address organizational needs.
Partner with Sales and HR Leadership to resolve employee relations matters, including investigations and complex performance issues.
Identify training and organizational development needs in partnership with sales leadership and your direct manager.
Collaborate with the Organizational Development team to design and deliver scalable solutions.
Coach and support sales leaders in their own leadership growth and development.
Provide proactive coaching and consultation to leaders on staffing, performance management, employee relations, and policy application.
Partner with HR leadership to recommend appropriate courses of action for corrective action, grievances, or compliance-related matters.
Guide managers in identifying, documenting, and addressing performance gaps while strengthening engagement, productivity, and retention.
Support employees directly by providing guidance on employee relations topics and acting as a mediator when needed.
Continuously assess and anticipate employee relations trends and risks within the sales organization.
Evaluate recruiting and onboarding practices supporting sales roles, identify opportunities for improvement, and lead or support enhancement initiatives.
Ensure hiring and onboarding experiences align with business needs, culture, and compliance standards.
Partner with your direct manager to design and deliver manager training across HR practices, including interviewing, performance management, corrective action, harassment prevention, policy education, and onboarding best practices.
Identify, recommend, and implement improvements to HR processes, policies, and services that enhance efficiency and effectiveness.
Develop and execute HR initiatives aligned with enterprise and sales-specific business objectives.
Leverage data, reporting, and trend analysis to inform decisions and anticipate future HR needs.
Partner with shared services to ensure compliance with all applicable federal and state employment regulations.

Benefits

Incentive opportunities
Generous 401(k) retirement savings plan with a fully vested matching contribution the first year, in addition to an annual discretionary contribution
Comprehensive health coverage (medical, dental, vision and disability – up to 26 weeks short-term disability and long-term disability) & life insurance benefits for you and your dependents
21 days of vacation immediately available (prorated in the first year)
Up to 6 paid holidays depending on the month of hire
Company Car, phone and fuel card are provided for field-based positions
Annual Cares Week
20 hours off work per year to volunteer at an organization of your choice
Opportunities to help Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals and the Ace Helpful Fund through the Ace Foundation
On-site classes
Facilitator-led courses
Generous tuition assistance program
Frequent campus events like Employee Appreciation Week, vendor demos, cookouts, and merchandise sales
Mobile spas, auto maintenance, car wash and detailing, dry cleaning, dentists, eye doctors, flu shots, recycling and more
Employee discounts on Ace merchandise (including top brands like Weber, Traeger, Yeti, Craftsman, DeWalt and more), travel, fitness, computers and thousands more
Birth/Adoption bonding paid time off
Adoption cost reimbursement
Employee Assistance Program (EAP) – access to free visits to therapists and lawyers, guidance on financial matters, elder and childcare, and assistance with tickets to entertainment events
Identity theft protection