Senior Human Resources Manager

Blue River PetCare; Berlin; Hybrid; EUR 121,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision insurance

Retirement plan

Paid time off

Paid holidays

Life and disability insurance

Employee Assistance Program

Job summary

Blue River PetCare is seeking a Senior Human Resources Manager to lead the HR Business Partner function in support of hospital operations in the Chicago area. You will guide employee relations, performance management, organizational effectiveness, compliance, engagement, and leadership development while coaching the HRBP team.

You will oversee onboarding for newly acquired clinics, promote scalable HR practices, and counsel Practice Management and Operations leaders.

Qualifications

• 7+ years of experience as HR partner with employee relations focus
• Experience supporting HR operations across states and locations
• Demonstrated ability to mentor and lead teams

Responsibilities

• Partner with Managers and Operations to address employee development and counseling, compensation, compliance, and training
• Oversee HR Business Partner team and ensure effective handling of employee relations matters
• Drive leadership development and mentorship within the HRBP team
• Educate leaders on HR best practices and compliance
• Support onboarding and integration of newly acquired hospitals
• Ensure consistent HR practices across the organization
• Advises on complex HR matters and escalation paths
• Facilitate training programs for managers and employees
• Support HR due diligence for acquisitions

Skills

Employee relations

Leadership

Communication

Project management

HR policies

Training & development

Labor law

Multi-state operations

HRIS (Workday)

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Business Management, Human Resources, or related field

Tools

Workday

Microsoft Office

Job description

We’re proud to announce that Blue River PetCare is a certified Great Place To Work!

Blue River PetCare is a multi-state owner and operator of high-quality veterinary hospitals, with our corporate office located in downtown Chicago. We take pride in adding team members who share our commitment to supporting the veterinary industry and clinics within Blue River PetCare. In addition to robust benefits, we offer a welcoming culture and ability to develop a career that grows alongside the company.

This team member must be located within 40 miles of the Blue River PetCare corporate office (1 S. Wacker Dr., Chicago, IL 60606) to work a hybrid schedule.

The Senior Human Resources Manager leads Blue River PetCare’s Human Resources Business Partner (HRBP) function in support of hospital operations.

Serving as strategic partner to Regional Operations, hospital leaders, and cross-functional stakeholders, this role provides guidance on employee relations, performance management, organizational effectiveness, compliance, employee engagement, leadership development, and policy interpretation. The Senior HR Manager leads, develops, and coaches the Human Resources Business Partner team; advises leaders on complex employee matters; assesses business needs and challenges through visits to hospitals as needed; and strengthens practice management capabilities and employee engagement. This role also cultivates strong relationships with existing hospitals, supports the seamless onboarding and integration of newly acquired clinics, and promotes scalable, consistent HR practices across the organization through objective guidance, coaching, and counsel to Practice Management and Operations leaders.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities :

• Partners with Managers and Operations to address business needs related to employee development and counseling, compensation, communication, employment-law compliance, and training
• Oversees the HR Business Partner team, which serves as the first point of contact for managers addressing employee relations matters. Develops the team’s ability to apply employment law and HR best practices to resolve issues promptly and effectively, in partnership with the Director.
• Drives excellence across the HR Business Partner team through leadership development, mentoring, and modeling best practices.
• Builds trust, strengthens engagement, enhances knowledge, and promotes accountability across the field team
• Educates practice management and Operations leaders on effective management practices, HR best practices, and applicable requirements
• Advises on complex employee relations and performance matters, including investigations, corrective action, performance improvement, and risk mitigation
• Oversees and educates affiliated hospital, operations, and HR teams on performance documentation, counseling records, disciplinary processes, issue mitigation and ensures compliance with overall company and HR best practices.
• Supports and reinforces HR due diligence and the integration of newly acquired hospitals through successful onboarding, policy alignment, employee communications, and leadership support. Facilitates the transition to BRP’s HR practices and systems while promoting consistency and HR best practices across the organization.
• Supports and reinforces HR due diligence and the integration of newly acquired hospitals, including onboarding, policy alignment, employee communications, leadership support, and transition to BRP HR practices, systems, and consistency.
• Ensures compliance with applicable legislation for employee pay requirements, onboarding, terminations, payroll facilitation, and any other aspects in conjunction with Field Operations and internal business partners
• Partners with managers to administer disciplinary processes and maintain employee documentation, including performance improvement plans, corrective actions, counseling records, performance documentation, and issue resolution
• Partners and participates in HR diligence for new hospital acquisitions and communicates onboarding resource information
• Manages and ensures compliance with applicable legislation for employee pay requirements, onboarding, terminations, payroll facilitation, and any other aspects in conjunction with Regional Operations
• Trains managers on Human Resources related expectations, develops and implements training materials and training tools
• Supports the development and delivery of training programs and toolkits for managers and employees, including LMS courses, manager training, and live and recorded webinars
• Provides guidance on the development, interpretation, and consistent application of HR policies, practices, and employment requirements. Builds trusted partnerships with Operations, HR leaders, and cross functional partners through sound judgment, responsiveness, clear communication, and consistent delivery of high-quality HR guidance and solutions.
• Works in partnership with HR compliance and our Operations partners to ensure employment regulations are communicated, implemented, and maintained
• Advises HR Business Partners on complex HR matters and escalates issues to Human Resources leadership and/or legal counsel as appropriate
• Facilitates process and procedure development, champions methods for improvement, and facilitates implementation
• Performs other duties as assigned, including special projects

Basic Qualifications :

• 7+ years of previous business partnership experience, with demonstrated emphasis and success in employee relations and relationship building; Minimum of 3+ years successfully managing staff

• Superior employee relations and mentoring skills

• Experience supporting HR operations across multiple states and geographically dispersed locations, with strong knowledge of labor and Human Resources best practices and employment laws

• Demonstrated experience using employee engagement data and organizational insights to identify trends, develop action plans, and drive measurable improvements in the employee experience

• Proven experience identifying training needs and facilitating training programs

• Multi-unit experience driving initiatives and best practices in partnership with Operations required. Veterinary, healthcare, or related industry experience is a plus

• Exceptional oral, written, and presentation communication skills are a must, including the ability to build relationships, engage staff, and influence and educate clinic management

• Must be a proven self-starter with the skill to achieve results autonomously with minimal supervision

• Demonstrates strong consultative partnership and communication skills, with the ability to influence leaders, navigate challenging conversations, provide sound guidance, and build credibility across all levels of the organization

• Strong multi-tasking and time management skills with the ability to meet tight deadlines and pivot based upon needs and priorities; project management skills

• Proactive mindset to solve problems and research solutions, facilitates new ideas and incorporates best practices that will scale with the organization

Technical Skills:

• Proficiency in the Microsoft Office suite, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook
• Adept and experienced in HCM/Payroll/HRIS systems, Workday experience a plus
• Project Management software and experience preferred
• Strong presentation skills; adept at recommending, implementing, and facilitating education

Education Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Management, Human Resources, or related field preferred

Physical Requirements:

• Must be able to regularly travel via motor vehicle or plane. Travel is estimated between 25 – 40%
• Must be able to stand, sit, and move within a clinic as well as remain in a stationary position when in their home- based office
• The person in this position needs to occasionally move inside the office to access file cabinets, supplies, and office machinery.
• Frequently communicates with managers at remote locations in person, by email, and by phone and must be able to exchange information clearly and accurately
• Occasionally moves equipment and supplies weighing up to 15 pounds
• Frequently communicates and collaborates with clinic personnel and colleagues
• Frequent keyboarding/computer data entry

Supervision: Provides direct leadership and oversight to the Human Resources Business Partner team, including coaching, development, performance management, workload prioritization, and escalation support.

Work Location: Chicago – Hybrid: Required to be in office 2-3 days/week unless traveling

#LI-Hybrid #LI-KS1

Compensation and Benefits

The anticipated salary range for this position is $135,000-$145,000 annually.

In addition to base compensation, this position is eligible for the following additional compensation: annual discretionary bonus.

The range displayed above reflects the minimum and maximum compensation the Company reasonably and in good faith expects to offer for this position at the time of posting. Actual compensation will be determined based on factors such as the candidate’s experience, qualifications, skills, education, certifications, internal equity, geographic location, and business needs.

Eligible employees may participate in the Company’s benefits program, which include:

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• Health Savings Account and/or Flexible Spending Account
• Retirement savings plan
• Paid time off
• Paid leave: paid leave benefits are provided in accordance with applicable state and local laws and may vary based on the employee’s work location
• Paid holidays
• Life and disability insurance
• Employee Assistance Program
• Additional voluntary benefits

Benefits and eligibility may vary based on employment status, scheduled hours, location, and the terms of the applicable plans and policies.

Applications are anticipated to be accepted 30 days from posted date. The Company may extend or close the posting before or after this date based on business needs.

Blue River PetCare values diversity and is committed to fostering an inclusive environment where each individual’s unique contributions are respected and supported. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, national origin, ancestry, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, veteran status, or any other status protected by applicable law.