HR Business Partner

FirstEnergy; Akron (AL); On-site; USD 120,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive pay

Pension plan

401(k) matching

Medical coverage

Dental & vision

Tuition reimbursement

Career development

Diversity & inclusion

Job summary

FirstEnergy is seeking an HR leader to partner with senior executives across Corporate, Operations, Utilities and Shared Services. The role centers on shaping culture, workforce planning, and employee experience from the Akron HQ.

You will drive strategy, change management, and people initiatives with a focus on engagement and organizational effectiveness. The position requires a 6+ year HR background, strong leadership, and expertise in HR data analysis, employment law, and transformation.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business, or related field.
• Master’s degree preferred.
• 6+ years of progressive HR experience; HR transformation preferred.
• Ability to advise and influence senior executives and implement people strategies.
• Strong knowledge of employment law and HR best practices; regulated industry experience preferred.
• Proven leadership through organizational design, workforce planning, and cultural transformation.
• Ability to analyze HR data and present actionable insights to senior leadership.

Responsibilities

• Partner with senior executives to design and execute people strategies aligned with business priorities.
• Guide leadership on employee relations, performance management, talent planning, succession planning, and org effectiveness.
• Oversee HR data analysis and reporting to provide actionable insights on engagement and workforce health.
• Champion diversity, equity, and inclusion with measurable goals in hiring and leadership development.
• Lead change management initiatives including reorganizations and large-scale cultural shifts.
• Coordinate enterprise-wide HR processes like performance reviews and compensation cycles.
• Model FirstEnergy’s values: integrity, safety, and operational excellence.

Skills

HR leadership

Change management

People strategies

Executive advising

HR data analysis

Organizational design

Diversity & inclusion

Employee relations

Education

Bachelor’s degree in HR/Business

Master’s degree in HR/Business

Tools

HRIS

Workforce analytics tools

Job description

FirstEnergy at a Glance
We are a forward-thinking electric utility powered by a diverse team of employees committed to making customers’ lives brighter, the environment better and our communities stronger.
FirstEnergy (NYSE: FE) is dedicated to integrity, safety, reliability, and operational excellence. Headquartered in Akron, Ohio, FirstEnergy includes one of the nation's largest investor-owned electric systems, more than 24,000 miles of transmission lines that connect the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions, and a regulated generating fleet with a total capacity of more than 3,500 megawatts.

About the Opportunity

This is an open position with the First Energy Service Company.

The reporting location for this on-site position is the Akron First Energy HQ.

This role will support First Energy’s enterprise-wide executive functions (Corporate, Operations, Utilities and Shared Services). The HR leader will be responsible for partnering with senior and executive leaders and their associated functions on all things strategy, engagement and culture. In this role, you will have the opportunity to partner directly with your business leaders, shaping culture, setting an operational rhythm and being an advocate for the employee experience. This role truly will be shaping how HR interfaces with the company and presents numerable opportunities to define, refine and co create the people experience with First Energy.

Key Responsibilities:

• Partner closely with senior executives to design and execute people strategies that enable business priorities, workforce planning, and organizational design.

• Provide expert guidance to leadership on employee relations, performance management, talent planning, succession management, and organizational effectiveness.

• Oversee HR data analysis and reporting to provide actionable insights on engagement, attrition, succession coverage, and workforce health.

• Champion diversity, equity, and inclusion by embedding measurable goals into hiring, leadership development, succession planning, and advancement.

• Guide leadership through change management initiatives including reorganizations, integrations, and large-scale cultural or operational shifts.

• Facilitate enterprise-wide HR processes such as performance reviews, compensation cycles, and engagement surveys, ensuring alignment and accountability across business units.

• Act as a role model for FirstEnergy’s values, prioritizing integrity, safety, and operational excellence in all decisions.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business, or related discipline required; Master’s degree preferred.
• Minimum of 6+ years of progressive HR experience: Experience in HR transformation is preferred.
• Proven ability to advise and influence senior executives, build credibility as a trusted advisor, and implement people strategies that impact business outcomes
• Strong knowledge of employment law and HR best practices; utility or regulated industry experience preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to lead through change, with success in organizational design, workforce planning, and cultural transformation.
• Expertise in analyzing HR data and presenting clear, actionable insights to senior leadership.

• Exceptional leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills.

  Benefits, Compensation & Workforce Diversity

  At FirstEnergy, employees are key to our success. We depend on their talents to meet the challenges of our changing business environment. We are committed to rewarding individual and team efforts through our total rewards philosophy which includes competitive pay plus incentive compensation, a company-sponsored pension plan, 401(k) savings plan with matching employer contribution, a choice of medical, prescription drug, dental, vision, and life insurance programs, as well as skills development training with tuition reimbursement. Please visit our website at www.firstenergycorp.com to learn more about all of our employee rewards programs. FirstEnergy proudly supports workforce diversity. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, status as a protected veteran, or status as a qualified individual with a disability. No recruiters or agencies without a previously signed contract. Unable to sponsor or transfer H-1B visas at this time.

  Safety

  Safety is a core value for FirstEnergy and is essential to all of our business activities. We ensure employees have the tools, information, and processes to perform their duties in a manner that assures safety for themselves, their co-workers, our customers and the public. Our goals are to provide a safe work environment, to maintain an accident-free, injury-free workplace, and to promote and maintain public safety. To meet these goals, we dedicate ourselves to achieving world-class safety standards.

  Demonstrated ability to lead through change, with success in organizational design, workforce planning, and cultural transformation.

  Expertise in analyzing HR data and presenting clear, actionable insights to senior leadership.

  Exceptional leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills