Human Resources Manager

Chicago Public Schools (CPS) is the third-largest school district in the United States, serving over 340,000 students in more than 600 schools and employing nearly 36,000 people, most of them teachers. CPS has set ambitious goals to ensure that every student, in every school and every neighborhood, has access to a world-class learning experience that prepares each for success in college, career, and civic life. In order to fulfill this mission, we make three commitments to our students, their families, and all Chicagoans: academic progress, financial stability, and integrity. Six core principles are embedded within these commitments - student-centered, whole child, equity, academic excellence, community partnership, and continuous learning.

Reporting to the Director of Human Resources (HR), the Human Resources Manager must be an entrepreneurial, results-driven self-starter with exceptional project management, problem-solving, and process improvement skills. This person will play a critical role in managing strategic priorities and operations that support Central Office and Citywide (CO/CW) departments covering more than 4,000 employees. This is a high-volume, fast-paced role full of opportunities to design and implement new and impactful initiatives.

The HR Manager is expected to successfully oversee and/or perform the following responsibilities:

Lead a team of HR Business Partners to provide strategic consultative HR support

• Manage and develop a team of three Human Resources Business Partners to deliver high-quality work with an exceptional level of customer service and professionalism.
• Implement project planning and operational systems to manage large-scale projects and initiatives to successful completion aligning work to maximize team performance.
• Develop and coach the team to be aggressive problem-solvers that identify, recommend, and implement operational improvements.
• Establish and maintain a high bar and standards for team output, deliverables, and overall performance to support the district's needs.
• Drive accountability proactively addressing team and/or operational underperformance improving results to meet and exceed expectations.

Provide strategic project management oversight from strategy formulation and development through execution

• Lead continuous improvement processes outlining a vision for key workstreams and distilling them down to operational plans.
• Develop and maintain tools to track progress toward project and operational goals including dashboards to monitor key performance indicators. Proactively address off-track metrics to achieve the objectives outlined.
• Partner with the Director of HR and other senior leaders to drive cross-functional improvements in employee engagement, onboarding/offboarding processes & technology, retention, employee relations, talent management, etc.
  • Diagnose departmental and organizational challenges, and develop and implement strategies to resolve issues.
• Collaborate with the Talent Development Manager to facilitate the completion of performance management and leadership development initiatives including but not limited to talent calibrations, reviews, and succession planning.
• Coach, train, and advise managers and staff regarding employee relations, talent management and human resources issues using sound judgment in line with Board of Education policies and applicable laws/regulations.

Build and lead data-driven operational processes for the Central Office proactively driving systematic improvements

• Develop and maintain data dashboard(s) to track, monitor, and report key human resources metrics (e.g. turnover, employee engagement, etc.) to aid in strategy evaluation, development, and performance management.
  • Analyze and report performance data and efficacy and effectiveness of strategies at an aggregate level.
  • Compile workforce reports and perform data analysis related to, but not limited to talent management, workforce planning, and organizational restructurings.
  • Identify areas for improvement rooted in data and proactively drive strategies to increase operational effectiveness and output.
• Partner with the Director of HR and the Office of Employee Engagement team to proactively resolve employee relations issues, HR investigations, and disciplinary proceedings.
• Review and approve transactional processes for Central Office departments as needed.
• Manage and improve Central Office/Citywide selection, compensation, onboarding, offboarding, employee engagement, and other key HR processes.
• Outline and redesign HRIS system workflows in partnership with the HRIT and Workforce Analytics teams.

Cultivate an exceptional employee experience aligned to best practices throughout the full employee life cycle

• Partner with talent office leadership and external departments to design and launch a new hire orientation and onboarding program.
• Advise leaders on strategies to build and sustain employee engagement and retention through an equity lens and by applying principles of targeted universalism .
• Develop a comprehensive offboarding and exit interview process with applicable tools and resources for managers and employees.
• Develop and maintain a suite of human resources and talent management training, tools, and resources for managers on HR best practices and internal systems & processes.
• Lead the development and execution of a districtwide employee engagement survey for 40,000 employees including reporting, action planning, and the development and execution of plans to address issues identified.
• Cultivate programs, training, and tools to improve the talent management capacity and capabilities of managers thereby improving the overall employee experience.

• Performs additional ad hoc duties and projects as required.

Type of Education Required:

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university. Master's degree preferred.
• HR Certification: PHR/SPHR, SHRM-CP/SHRM-SCP preferred

Type of Experience & Skills Required:

• Minimum of five (5) years of direct high-volume human resources experience in a large, high-volume, fast-paced work environment
• Minimum of three (3) years of direct management experience leading a high-performing human resources team
• Extensive and diversified leadership experience leading large-scale, complex strategic initiatives with ambitious goals and deadlines with varied stakeholders
• Proven ability to build consensus among diverse stakeholders to lead and drive change, including influencing and motivating others toward a common goal
• Significant project and change management experience with a proven record of successfully building, improving, and maintaining strategic HR systems and programs
• Impeccable judgment, integrity, curiosity, and professionalism
• Experience coaching senior leaders in human resources related matters in a large complex organization
• Comfortable with ambiguity and establishing a direction on one's own, with frequent support but without requiring constant supervision
• Ability to manage relationships at all levels of the organization
• Exceptional facilitation, verbal and written communication skills, able to present information to audiences at all levels of the organization

Key Competencies Required:

Individual Leadership and Team Engagement

• Leads a creative, innovative, and high-functioning team; delegates and leverages the team effectively to drive for impactful results and achieve ambitious goals.
• Supports the professional development of team members, and maximizes opportunity for every team member to take thoughtful risks and find innovative solutions.
• Demonstrates excellent execution and leadership skills and the ability to successfully lead team members in balancing multiple high priority projects.

Emotional Intelligence and Professional Maturity

• Keeps composure when conversations are challenging and decisions are unpopular.
• Is fearless in the face of conflict; Comfortable naming issues and addressing them openly as they occur. Not afraid to share difficult news.
• Demonstrates resilience, objectivity, and the ability to receive and implement constructive feedback in real-time.
• Able to lead complex and difficult tasks transparently and effectively.
• Appropriately judges the right timing to engage the Deputy Chief and/or other senior leaders around key issues.
• Reflective and self-aware; accepts responsibility for decisions, mistakes and lessons learned.

Problem Solving, Decision Making, Planning, and Organization

• Exhibits exceptional critical-thinking skills and experience in leading data-driven practices at a systems-level, including the ability to analyze data, identify trends, pinpoint problems and root causes, ask probing questions, set goals, track resources, and develop innovative solutions.
• Demonstrated ability to set a vision, map it to an operational plan, and execute upon it. Quickly adjusts to shifting priorities and deadlines with the ability to juggle multiple varied projects simultaneously along with operational requirements.
• Possesses a deep understanding of systems-level operations and management and uses this knowledge to deliver upon desired outcomes.
• Pursues and implements innovative ideas and methods. Committed to seeking out and sharing current research and evidence-based best practices.

Residency Requirement:

As a condition of employment with the Chicago Public Schools (CPS), employees are required to live within the geographic boundaries of the City of Chicago within six months of their CPS hire date and maintain residency throughout their employment with the district.