Brightpoint (formerly known as Children’s Home & Aid) invites you to join our team of mission-driven staff who share a common vision: an equitable world where all children and families thrive in strong communities. As a leader in the human services sector for 140 years, we aim to advance the well-being of children by investing in families and strengthening communities through data-informed, collaborative, and preventative solutions.

The HR Manager - Employee Experience serves as a trusted advisor and partner to Brightpoint’s leadership and staff on human resources and culture issues. Manages initiatives, processes, and procedures related to employee engagement, EDIBU (Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, Belonging, & Understanding), talent acquisition and management, performance management, employee relations, employee benefits, compensation, human resources policy implementation, and workforce planning.

Core Responsibilities and Essential Job Functions:

Supervision and Employee Relations

Supervises, manages workload, and monitors performance of Human Resources Business Partners, Human Resources Generalists, Human Resources Benefits Associate, and other staff as assigned. This includes hiring and training staff, implementing the organization’s personnel policies and practices, approval of timecards, performance appraisals, performance improvement plans, leaves, promotions, salary changes, terminations, and documentation of all personnel actions. Coaches leaders/supervisors on recruiting practices, employee performance management, talent strategies, and effective management of employee relations. Works closely with leaders/supervisors and employees to improve work relationships, increase job satisfaction, build morale, and increase productivity and retention. Oversees and manages resolution of employee relations issues, including providing consultation to Business Partners as they coach supervisors on Performance Improvement Plans and terminations and working directly on more complex cases. Analyzes and interprets results of exit surveys, reports of reasons for resignations, and recent employee relations issues to determine trends, identify issues, and develop solutions. Oversees the discrimination and harassment claims process, including investigations, mediation, and conflict resolution; provides coaching and training when necessary.

Hiring Processes and Compensation

Manages and oversees hiring processes. Manages the development of job descriptions. Assigns salary grades and exempt/non-exempt status to job descriptions. Oversees the posting of open positions. Oversees the interviewing and reference checking processes. Approves salary offers and conditional employment. Ensures the effective use of the hiring and onboarding portions of the human resources information system (HRIS). Manages new employee onboarding activities. Networks through industry contacts, associations, social networks, and employees to identify and recruit qualified candidates. Manages the recruitment budget and approves expenditures for job posting sites, advertising, and other employment marketing sources. Manages the recruitment platform of the human resources information system (HRIS) system, including maintenance, upgrades, and troubleshooting. Updates salary scales to reflect changes in minimum wage laws, funder contracts, and other requirements. Researches trends in salaries in the industry and recommends changes to the salary scale to the Director. Produces reports and analytics as needed.

Benefits and Employment Law

Leads the annual open enrollment process for employee benefits. Manages the contract for the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) process. Oversees Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and FMLA, administrative, and other leaves of absence and manages more complex cases. Manages the unemployment claims resolution process, including overseeing a contractor, ensuring that claims are addressed and information is provided promptly, and testifying when needed. Ensures compliance with and timely reporting, as required, for all federal, city, and state employment laws, such as EEOC, FLSA, OSHA/Workers’ Compensation, FMLA, Title IX, and ADA. Maintains current knowledge of federal, state, and local human resource laws and regulations.

Retention and Culture

Helps coordinate and deliver staff engagement events and initiatives. Promotes equity, diversity, inclusion, belonging, and understanding (EDIBU) by implementing protocols to ensure HR practices, including recruitment and hiring practices are inclusive, equitable, and fair. Participates in initiatives to promote positive organizational culture that values EDIBU. Ensures that all HR materials and platforms are equitable, inclusive, and accessible. Collaborates with various teams of staff to address issues of employee turnover and retention, and to promote high staff performance.

Performance Management

Leads the annual performance management process and works with the Director, Vice President, and HR Operations to ensure a smooth process. Sets the performance management assessment timeline. Determines the rating scale and performance questions. Ensures that the questions/categories covered in the review system align with current organization goals and values. Designs the goal-setting and career development planning sections. Oversees the set-up of the HRIS performance management tool. Communicates information on the performance management process to staff. Manages follow-up with those who do not meet performance management process deadlines. Ensures that the SharePoint platform is updated with accurate and current information regarding the performance management process.

Administration, Policy, and Data Management

Assists the Human Resources Director and other HR staff members with consistently reviewing and updating current policies and implementing new HR policies and procedures. Analyzes HR data regularly, identifying areas for improvement in current processes. Maintains data on job openings, new hires, recruiting activities, and other relevant metrics, and creates regular reports. Collaborates across multiple departments including Finance, Information Technology (IT), and program areas on cross divisional needs. Partners with fellow People and Culture leaders and areas to carry out projects and initiatives. Maintains records and documentation as required by law, accreditation standards, and funders. Maintains current knowledge of Brightpoint programs and staffing.

Leadership Responsibilities:

Develops Staff Provides a Secure Base Maintains Program Standards Facilitates Effective Team Functioning Leads Program/Unit Forward

Required and Preferred Qualifications and Skills:

Bachelor’s degree required. Master’s degree preferred in the Human Resources field. A minimum of five (5) years of Human Resources experience required. A minimum of two (2) years of supervisory experience leading direct reports required. Demonstrates knowledge of human resources administration, policies, practices, and local, state, and federal employment laws and regulations. Demonstrates excellent oral and written communication skills, with the ability to present information clearly and concisely, both verbally and in writing, to diverse audiences in a variety of settings. Demonstrates excellent interpersonal skills to effectively collaborate with staff and external stakeholders. Demonstrates excellent analytical and problem-solving skills. Demonstrates initiative, consistent follow-through, and the ability to work independently. Demonstrates effective organizational and time management skills with the ability to set priorities, handle multiple projects and responsibilities, and meet deadlines. Demonstrates intermediate computer skills, including Microsoft Office Suite’s Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook, videoconference software, and HRIS systems; proficiency in UltiPro (UKG) a plus. Demonstrates proficiency in HRIS systems used by the organization within 60 days of hire. Demonstrates respect and acceptance of diverse individuals and communities served by, working in partnership with, or employed by Brightpoint including but not limited to age, race, religious belief, gender, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and LGBTQIA+ populations.

Additional Requirements:

 Travel locally and to other locations in the state (up to 20% of time.); occasional overnight travel for conferences or other meetings.

Job details:  

Compensation: Salary Range starts at $77k; offers are commensurate with candidate qualifications and experience. Benefits: Medical/dental/vision insurance, 3+ weeks paid time off in the first year including the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day (PTO increases with tenure); 11 paid holidays, supplemental insurance options, 401(k) with match (more benefits details here)  Location: 200 West Monroe Street (downtown Chicago loop). Schedule: Full-time, salaried. Regular business hours with remote flexibility 3-4 days/week. Student Loan Forgiveness: Brightpoint is an approved agency for Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF). 

Where you work matters. 

We believe that by building diverse and inclusive teams of passionate advocates for youth and families, we can continue to show up for Illinois families, putting those families at the center of every decision, and strengthening the communities where we all work, play, and live together. (More about who we are here.) 

We invite you to become an active member of a team that supports, inspires, and challenges each other, and grow your career in an organization that celebrates emerging leaders and provides development and learning opportunities aligned with your individual goals and aspirations. If you are looking for an opportunity to do meaningful work, including raising your unique and authentic voice to disrupt the systemic inequality impacting children and families, we encourage you to apply today.   

Click here to review our agency’s Blueprint for Impact.

Brightpoint is committed to the principles of Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action. All employment activities are conducted in an equal and equitable fashion. The Agency prohibits employment discrimination on the basis of race, color, gender, age, religion, disability, national origin, ancestry, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, parental status, veteran status, source of income, and any other legally protected category in the recruitment, selection, hiring, determination of salary level and benefits, promotion, demotion, layoff, termination, and other terms and conditions of employment.