Senior Manager of Human Resources

Crowell & Moring•Chicago, IL

3h•$150,000 - $230,000

About The Position

The Senior Manager of Human Resources leads processes and initiatives in key HR areas, including talent retention, employee relations, employment compliance, and leadership coaching. The role advises management on employee-related issues and collaborates directly with the General Counsel’s office when necessary. It advises senior leaders, partners, and multiple internal client areas across the firm, and helps develop and deliver HR department projects. The position also leads complex HR projects, oversees employee relations investigations and leave management, supports performance evaluation and talent acquisition processes, and develops HR reporting and improvements to policies and services. It supervises the HR Coordinator/Leave Administrator in specified duties and provides subject-matter expertise and coaching to HR staff.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in a related field; equivalent training and experience may substitute.
At least seven years of experience demonstrating broad knowledge of the human resources profession, including an emphasis on employee relations.
Strong conflict-management skills.
Ability to adapt to changing priorities, maintain productive work, meet deadlines, and manage workload.
Ability to assign and direct others’ work to ensure accurate and timely completion.
Ability to supervise others, including hiring, training, assigning work, managing performance, counseling, disciplining, and terminating.
Ability to manage subordinate supervisors in a complex work environment and develop a cohesive, effective work unit.
Ability to provide quality client service on complex non-legal matters with patience, creativity, and discretion.
Ability to manage a broad range of tasks, including resolving complaints and counseling managers and employees on policies, procedures, and agreements.
Ability to lead projects and initiatives by setting goals and milestones and meeting completion timelines.
Ability to develop strategies to resolve problems using judgment consistent with standards, practices, policies, procedures, regulations, and law.
Intermediate knowledge of the Microsoft Office suite to prepare written communications, spreadsheets, slides, reports, presentations, and standard work documents.
Extensive knowledge of applicable state and federal employment laws and governmental compliance requirements.
Ability to communicate persuasively, orally and in writing, with internal and external contacts.
Ability to analyze information from varied sources and apply critical and creative thinking to complex problems.

Nice To Haves

Experience in a law firm.
Knowledge of immigration laws and processes.

Responsibilities

Lead complex HR initiatives and projects, including annual surveys, focus groups, HR training, talent recruitment and retention, performance evaluations, mentoring, and sponsorship.
Advise managers, supervisors, and employees on HR practices, policies, and compliance with applicable employment laws.
Prepare, update, and recommend HR policies and procedures to enforce management guidelines.
Work with management and employees to improve work relationships, morale, productivity, and retention, and respond to employee relations issues.
Manage and resolve complex employee relations issues and lead objective investigations involving professional staff and lawyers; document issues and collaborate with employment counsel and the General Counsel’s office on findings and recommendations.
Provide employee-investigation expertise and coaching to HR department staff.
Partner with HR team members to administer leave programs and policies in accordance with applicable federal and state employment laws, and advise HR staff on these matters.
Conduct exit interviews and work with HR Business Partners and the HR Director to analyze data and recommend corrective action and continuous improvement.
Project-manage firmwide professional staff evaluation processes.
Evaluate department reports, decisions, and results against established goals, and recommend and develop approaches, policies, and procedures to improve efficiency and services.
Oversee leave management and the relationship with the leave database service provider; coordinate with the HR Coordinator and Attorney Resources department on policies and programs spanning lawyers and professional staff.
Supervise the HR Coordinator/Leave Administrator in leave-related duties.
Liaise with the Practice Innovation department and HRIS to create, update, and maintain HR BI Dashboard reporting.
Assist with full-cycle talent acquisition for professional staff vacancies as needed.
Perform other related duties as required and assigned.