HR Business Partner, Great Lakes & Northeast

ERM; Rolling Meadows (IL); Hybrid; USD 97,800 - 119,900; Full time

Job summary

ERM is seeking a Human Resources Business Partner to support approximately 300 consultants and leaders across North America, with base in Boston, Minneapolis, Rolling Meadows, or nearby offices. This hybrid role partners with business leaders to influence organizational effectiveness and lead employee lifecycle initiatives.

You will navigate growth, talent development, organizational change, employee relations, and workforce planning, helping ERM attract, develop, and retain top talent while

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in HR, IR, OD, or related field (or equivalent experience).
• 5–7 years of progressive HR experience supporting leaders and employees across ERP.
• Experience as an HR Business Partner or similar strategic HR role preferred.
• Ability to navigate interpersonal dynamics and foster constructive dialogue.
• Ability to work with a geographically distributed workforce in a matrixed environment.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Project management experience in HR.
• Ability to travel to different offices as needed.
• Not eligible for immigration sponsorship.

Responsibilities

• Develop deep understanding of the business and projects to advise leaders.
• Build relationships with stakeholders and collaborate to achieve goals.
• Identify people-related needs and communicate with stakeholders.
• Analyze trends with leadership to develop programs and policies.
• Serve as thought partner to Partners and employees.
• Champion Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging.
• Lead HR lifecycle projects across North America.
• Coach managers to improve people leadership.
• Support performance management rollout and coaching.
• Handle employee relations matters with guidance.
• Ensure HR policies align with risk management and legal requirements.
• Support engagement, attrition analysis, and retention strategies.
• Assist leaders with salary and bonus decisions.

Skills

Consultative HR support

Employee relations

Performance management

Talent planning

Coaching

Organizational effectiveness

Change management

Employment law

Communication skills

Project management

Travel willing

Education

Bachelor's degree in HR/IR/OD or related field

Tools

Workday

Job description

Shape the Future of Talent and Leadership in a Global Sustainability Consulting Firm

At ERM, we believe that exceptional people practices drive exceptional business outcomes. We are seeking a Human Resources Business Partner to support approximately 300 consultants and leaders across multiple U.S. offices while helping advance the people strategy of a global leader in environmental and sustainability consulting. Based in Boston, MA; Minneapolis, MN; Rolling Meadows, IL; or another location near an ERM office, this hybrid role offers the opportunity to partner closely with business leaders, influence organizational effectiveness, and lead meaningful employee lifecycle initiatives across North America.

This is more than a traditional HR role. As a trusted advisor, coach, and strategic partner, you will help leaders navigate growth, talent development, organizational change, employee relations, and workforce planning. Your work will directly impact employee engagement, leadership effectiveness, and the continued success of ERM's people and business strategies.

Why This Role Matters?

People are at the heart of ERM's success. As a Human Resources Business Partner, you will play a critical role in helping leaders build high-performing teams, develop talent, foster an inclusive culture, and drive organizational effectiveness. Your ability to connect business objectives with people strategies will help ensure ERM remains a destination for top talent while supporting sustainable business growth across North America.

What Your Impact Is:

• Serve as a strategic advisor and thought partner to business leaders and employees.
• Influence talent, performance, and organizational strategies that support business goals.
• Drive employee engagement, retention, and career development initiatives.
• Help leaders navigate complex employee relations matters with confidence and sound judgment.
• Champion Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging initiatives across the business.
• Partner with HR Centers of Excellence to deliver consistent, effective HR programs and solutions.
• Lead and support employee lifecycle projects that enhance the employee experience across North America.
• Contribute to a culture where employees can grow, thrive, and make meaningful contributions.

What You'll Bring:

Required

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Industrial and Labor Relations, Organizational Development, or a related field, or equivalent experience.
• 5-7 years of progressive HR experience providing consultative support to leaders and employees across employee relations, performance management, talent planning, coaching, organizational effectiveness, change management, and employment law.
• Experience as an HR Business Partner or in a comparable strategic HR role is preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to navigate interpersonal dynamics with confidence and judgment, fostering constructive dialogue and contributing to resolution in complex situations.
• Ability to cultivate strong relationships with a diverse and geographically distributed employee population and operate effectively in a matrixed environment.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Project management experience within the Human Resources field.
• Ability to travel and visit different offices to support the business on an as‑needed basis.
• This position is not eligible for immigration sponsorship.

Preferred

• Experience with Workday.
• PHR, SPHR, or other specialized HR training.

Key Responsibilities:

Strategic Partnership to Business

• Develop deep understanding of the business, key projects, market influencers, and competition.
• Build strong working relationships with key stakeholders and collaborate to achieve business goals.
• Evaluate and anticipate business and people-related needs and communicate those needs with appropriate stakeholders.
• Analyze trends and metrics in partnership with leadership and the HR group to develop solutions, programs, and policies.
• Serve as a thought partner and advisor to Partners and employees while providing independent and unbiased counsel.
• Champion Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging.
• Lead and support Human Resources and employee lifecycle project management activities.

Employee Relations and Performance Management

• Coach managers to effectively provide feedback and strengthen people leadership capabilities.
• Facilitate the rollout of ERM's annual and mid-year performance management processes.
• Handle employee relations matters, including employee and manager coaching and counseling, support, and execution of resulting actions.

HR Compliance

• Provide HR policy interpretation and guidance for risk management, partnering with the HR Director and ERM's Legal team as needed.
• Collaborate with North America HR teams, including HR Business Partners, Compensation and Benefits, HR Operations, and Training & Development, to ensure smooth, effective, and consistent implementation of HR programs.
• Maintain knowledge of state and federal employment laws and legal requirements to mitigate risk and ensure compliance.
• Assist with special projects and requests as needed.

Talent Management

• Help managers create meaningful career paths and development plans to build employee capabilities.
• Support the development of high performers and participation in development programs such as Aspire and Path to Partnership.
• Partner with Talent Acquisition and hiring managers to support strategic hiring plans throughout the fiscal year.

Organizational Effectiveness and Rewards

• Support the development and implementation of engagement action plans that positively impact business unit culture.
• Evaluate attrition trends and develop strategies to manage appropriate retention levels.
• Help ensure high‑performing employees are recognized and rewarded appropriately throughout the year.
• Assist leaders with decisions regarding salary increases and bonus recommendations.

For the HR Business Partner, Great Lakes & Northeast position, the anticipated annual base pay is $97,800-$119,900 (USD). Actual pay will depend on factors such as education, experience, skills, location, performance, and business needs. In some cases, pay may fall outside this range. This role may be eligible for bonus pay (casual and fixed term/flex force employees are not bonus eligible).

We offer a comprehensive benefits package, including paid time off, parental leave, medical, dental, vision, life, disability, AD&D insurance, 401(k) or RRSP/DPSP, and other applicable benefits to eligible employees.

Note: Bonuses, commissions, and other forms of additional compensation are not guaranteed and subject to the sole discretion of ERM and its policies and procedures.

Who We Are

As the largest global pure play sustainability consultancy, we partner with the world’s leading organizations, creating innovative solutions to sustainability challenges and unlocking commercial opportunities that meet the needs of today while preserving opportunity for future generations. We also see our diversity as a strength that helps us create better solutions for our clients. Our diverse team of world-class experts supports clients across the breadth of their organizations to operationalize sustainability, underpinned by our deep technical expertise in addressing their environmental, health, safety, risk and social issues. We call this capability our "boots to boardroom" approach for its comprehensive service model that allows ERM to develop strategic and technical solutions that advance objectives on the ground or at the executive level.

ERM is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. We do not discriminate based upon race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, or other applicable legally protected characteristics.

Thank you for your interest in ERM!