People + Culture Business Partner

Isaacson, Miller (IM), a national retained executive search firm specializing in leadership recruitment in the civic sector, seeks to hire a People + Culture Business Partner to contribute to the growth of the firm and the conduct of its work. This is an exciting opportunity for a talented individual who is dedicated to the success of mission-driven organizations, drawn to the intellectual demands and professional pace of executive recruiting, and wishes to have an impact on the caliber and diversity of leadership in organizations that advance the common good.

Since its founding in 1982, IM has been committed to strengthening and diversifying the leadership of mission-driven organizations. A belief in the power of exceptional leadership and an unwavering commitment to service excellence, integrity, and impact animate the firm. IM’s more than 240 staff members share a fundamental commitment to its clients’ missions, motivating them to continue to achieve outstanding results, and their work is guided by seven core values that anchor IM today and drive the firm’s aspirations for the future:

• We value diversity, equity, and inclusion
• We value excellence in our craft
• We are intellectually curious
• We are generous colleagues
• We seek and support opportunities to grow
• We create social impact
• We are transparent

These core values anchor IM today and the firm’s aspirations for the future. They guide firm strategy, client service, teammate recruitment, day-to-day interactions, and the firm’s and its peoples’ drive for continuous improvement.

For additional information about the firm, please visit www.imsearch.com

THE PEOPLE + CULTURE BUSINESS PARTNER ROLE

A key liaison between People + Culture and individual business teams, the People + Culture Business Partner is responsible for aligning the firm’s strategic objectives with the day-to-day contributions of our employees. Bringing human resources expertise and practical experience, the P+C Business Partner’s portfolio spans enterprise-level P+C strategy, program design, and team-level execution, positioning People + Culture to develop and deliver value-added programs and services that advance the firm’s business objectives and inspire high levels of employee performance and engagement.

Reporting to the Director of People Operations, the P+C Business Partner manages day-to-day employee relations matters for 5 teams. The P+C Business Partner contributes to P+C strategy, program design, and execution across the employee lifecycle, including talent acquisition, talent management, compensation, benefits, and employee relations, also serving as the P+C team’s lead on all matters of policy and compliance. The P+C Business Partner also maintains strong working relationships with their P+C colleagues on the design and delivery of people-centered programs and services. As part of a highly experienced People + Culture team, you’ll have the opportunity to collaborate with professionals who bring a wealth of knowledge in human resources, executive search, and mission-driven work.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE PEOPLE + CULTURE BUSINESS PARTNER

Employee Relations

• Establish productive and trusting relationships across role groups and model IM’s core values in all interactions.
• Engage P+C colleagues in the development of people-focused programs and deploy these initiatives at the team level. Leverage employee- and team-level insights to recommend new P+C strategies, policies, and other opportunities for continuous improvement.
• Maintain and apply in-depth knowledge of legal requirements related to the day-to-day management of employees, reducing legal risks and ensuring compliance.
• Manage and resolve complex employee relations issues. Conduct objective and thorough investigations.
• Handle employee terminations and work with the People + Culture Specialist on the offboarding process.
• Educate and support leadership and people managers on employee relations expectations and best practices. Provide people-focused coaching and mentorship support for leadership, functional heads, managers, and individual employees.

Strategic Alignment

• Meet with team leaders regularly to discuss and advance relevant people matters. Blend advocacy for People + Culture leading practices with pragmatic approaches to implementation, problem solving, and issue resolution.
• Collect, analyze, and share people-related data to inform planning, programs, and policies. Engage the Specialist in the data collection and analysis process.
• Partner with Community Managers and other People + Culture colleagues to plan and deliver events, foster a positive workplace culture, build morale, and increase employee engagement and retention.
• Identify training needs for business units, role groups, and individuals, and liaise with the Learning + Development team on program design and delivery. Facilitate or co-facilitate learning, leadership development, and/or team building activities where appropriate.
• Play a crucial role in driving change by providing guidance and support to employees and managers.

Talent Acquisition and Talent Management

• Oversee talent acquisition for supported teams at the strategic and tactical levels.
  • Engage team leaders in identifying talent needs and work with the Director of People Operations to obtain headcount approvals.
  • Facilitate an inclusive recruitment process for all open roles in assigned teams.
• Deliver talent management programs and services to ensure that all IM employees are positioned to contribute at their highest level.
  • Oversee performance management for supported teams. Ensure that annual reviews and quarterly check-ins are completed in a timely fashion in accordance with firm standards.
  • Share performance management insights with team leaders, including potential promotions and internal transitions. Assist managers and employees in obtaining and analyzing performance data.
  • Engage the P+C Specialist on HRIS administration to ensure a smooth performance management process.
  • Facilitate or co-facilitate other talent processes, including but not limited to promotions and talent reviews, for supported teams.
  • Execute all new hire onboarding steps and partner with the Specialist, Learning + Development, and Community Managers to deliver holistic orientations for new hires.
  • Provide strategic guidance on workforce and succession planning.
  • Contribute expertise to talent program design and execution.

Policy and Compliance

• Ensure that People + Culture processes are developed and performed in compliance with all legal and organizational requirements, standards, and procedures.
• Manage compliance including leading audits, documentation, and testing of key controls, and ensuring internal policies and processes support compliance requirements.
• Manage leave of absence programs and relationships with leave administration vendors.
• Apply knowledge of federal, state, and IM leave programs to improve communication around leave.
• Educate and provide guidance to colleagues on People + Culture and across the firm on relevant laws, policies, and trends.
• Collaborate with People + Culture colleagues on the development of new policies and updates to existing policies.

THE SUCCESSFUL CANDIDATE | QUALIFICATIONS AND CHARACTERISTICS

IM seeks People + Culture Business Partner candidates who are drawn to the firm’s belief in the power of exceptional leadership and an unwavering commitment to service excellence. An investment in the success and integrity of the firm as a whole is essential, as is a commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion, and the cultural competence to work effectively across multiple lines of difference. While no one candidate will possess all of them, the successful candidate will bring many of the following experiences, skills, and attributes.

• Bachelor’s degree and a minimum of 6-8+ years of People + Culture/Human Resources experience.
• Expertise in all areas within scope of responsibility for this role.
• HR certification is strongly preferred; demonstrated expertise in all areas within scope of responsibility and additional years of experience will be considered in lieu of certification.
• Track record of serving as a trusted advisor to senior leaders on HR matters; ability to build rapport and trust with stakeholders at all levels.
• Strategic outlook, superlative program design and execution skills, and capacity to provide guidance and insight on complex and sensitive HR matters.
• Strong client orientation and demonstrated ability to be service-oriented to the firm’s internal clients.
• Analytical mindset and aptitude for using HR data to generate insights.
• Comfort and competence working in a remote-first environment.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and handle sensitive matters with discretion and maturity.
• Exceptional attention to detail.
• Demonstrated understanding of and commitment to the value of a diverse and inclusive workplace.
• High level of proficiency in Microsoft Office, specifically Outlook, and prior experience with databases.
• Proficiency with HR systems, including HRIS and LMS tools.
• An interest in the mission work of IM’s client base.
• Ability to learn new content areas quickly is essential.
• Exceptional written and oral communication skills.
• Relational talent and an engaging personality.
• The capacity to build rapport and trust with people at all levels and of many different backgrounds, styles, and aspirations.
• The ability to work independently and efficiently.
• Excellent project management and time management skills and the ability to meet deadlines and drive the collaborative completion of shared work.
• Maturity, discretion, and sound judgment in engaging with multiple constituencies, often involving issues of confidentiality.
• A collegial and collaborative nature.
• An inclination to connect with, learn from, and offer assistance to colleagues throughout the firm.
• Honesty, openness, and a healthy sense of humor.

APPLICATION, COMPENSATION, AND BENEFITS

Please visit www.imsearch.com/IMcareers to learn more about the opportunities offered at IM, and to submit application materials in confidence. Applications should include a resume as well as a cover letter explaining your interest in Isaacson, Miller, and the People + Culture Business Partner role.

As an employee-owned firm, IM offers competitive compensation and benefits, including a non-contributory health and dental offering as well as participation in a profit-sharing pension plan and an employee stock ownership plan. The minimum starting salary for this position is $110,000 annually. We value relevant experience for this role that could accelerate contribution and impact to IM. Compensation will be determined based on the relevant experience the candidate brings to the role.

COMMITMENT TO EQUITY, DIVERSITY, AND INCLUSION

Equity, diversity, and inclusion are embedded in Isaacson, Miller’s mission, founding impulse, core values, and practice. From the start, IM has worked hard to recruit outstanding leaders across lines of difference and has been gratified to serve clients who share IM’s core values. IM has successes to celebrate and looks forward to continued growth and learning. Through the firm’s commitment to be a diverse and welcoming community of colleagues where everyone can thrive, all become stronger and empowered to provide the very best service to IM’s clients and contribute to a vital and powerful civic sector.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

IM is an equal opportunity employer and strives to create a safe work environment for its employees free of discrimination and harassment. IM hires the most qualified individuals for each position, and does so without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, and medical conditions related to pregnancy, childbirth, or breastfeeding), sex stereotyping (including assumptions about a person’s appearance or behavior, gender roles, gender expression, or gender identity), gender, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, age, mental or physical disability, ancestry, medical condition, marital status, military or veteran status, citizenship status, sexual orientation, genetic information, or any other protected status of an individual or that individual’s associates or relatives. This Equal Employment Opportunity policy applies to all areas of employment for all employees.