HR Operations & Employee Relations Lead

The Family Institute at Northwestern University; Chicago (IL); Hybrid; USD 89,636 - 123,193; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits

403(b) retirement savings plan

Generous time off

Professional development opportunities

Job summary

A leading behavioral health organization in Chicago seeks an HR Operations & Employee Relations Lead. This hybrid role is crucial for fostering a positive workplace culture and managing employee relations and performance issues. Candidates should have significant HR experience, ideally in employee relations governance, and a proactive approach to compliance and culture-building initiatives. The position offers a competitive salary range and benefits, emphasizing a collaborative and inclusive environment.

Qualifications

• 5-7 years of progressive HR experience, with at least 3 years in employee relations.
• Proven ability to manage sensitive employee situations.
• Strong understanding of employment laws and HR best practices.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary contact for employee relations concerns.
• Partner with managers on performance management.
• Ensure compliance with employment policies and laws.
• Lead investigations into employee relations cases.

Skills

Employee relations expertise

Performance management

Compliance knowledge

Interpersonal communication

Project management

Data-driven decision-making

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources or related field

HR certification (SHRM-CP/SCP or PHR/SPHR)

Tools

HRIS systems

AI-driven tools

Payroll systems

Job description

Join to apply for the HR Operations & Employee Relations Lead role at The Family Institute at Northwestern University

LOCATION: Hybrid work arrangement from home office and our Chicago office

FLSA CLASSIFICATION: Exempt

THE ORGANIZATION

Through clinical services, education, and research, The Family Institute at Northwestern University is one of the nation’s leading relationship-based behavioral health organizations committed to strengthening and healing children and adolescents, couples, families, and individuals. When you join The Family Institute, you are joining a team of over 230 collaborators comprised of clinicians, educators, researchers, therapists-in-training, partners, and administrators across three service sites. We are a strong, independent organization focused on advancing the world of behavioral health.

Learn more about our culture.

THE ROLE

The HR Operations & Employee Relations Lead plays a critical role in fostering a positive, inclusive, and high‑performing workplace. This role combines strong employee relations expertise, ownership of HR operational workflows, and a commitment to building and sustaining organizational culture. The HR Operations & Employee Relations Lead provides exceptional service to employees and managers, ensures compliance with employment law, oversees core HR processes, and drives improvements that strengthen the employee experience across the organization.

This role is ideal for someone who excels at guiding managers through complex employee relations and compliance issues, can evaluate and evolve programs, modernize systems and workflows through data, is deeply committed to building a positive and inclusive culture, and can balance day‑to‑day needs with strategic projects and continuous improvement work.

ESSENTIAL JOB RESPONSIBILITIES

Employee Relations & Performance Management

• Serve as the primary point of contact for employee relations concerns, providing coaching, conflict resolution, and guidance to employees and managers.
• Build strong, trusted relationships at all levels through approachable, solutions‑oriented support.
• Partner with managers on all aspects of performance management, including feedback conversations, team dynamics, talent development, performance issues, and policy application.
• Lead investigations and document findings in accordance with best practices and legal standards.
• Ensure consistent interpretation and application of employment policies and relevant federal/state employment laws.
• Facilitate and support the performance review process and guide managers in structuring meaningful goal‑setting and development conversations.
• Maintain documentation of all employee relations cases, analyze trends, and proactively recommend interventions.

Culture & Internal Communications

• Partner with the Senior HR Director to support culture strategy and multi‑year engagement priorities.
• Lead implementation of engagement initiatives and support development of culture‑building programs.
• Support recognition programs, internal communications, Shared Services Digest content, and coordinated messaging across departments.
• Partner with leaders to ensure consistency in tone, expectations, and employee touchpoints across the employee lifecycle.
• Use qualitative and quantitative data to identify themes and inform culture, engagement, and operational improvements.

HR Operations & Compliance

• Provide governance and oversight of payroll workflows, ensuring data accuracy, timely processing, quality checks, and issue escalation.
• Ensure HR policies, procedures, and practices are compliant with local, state, and federal employment law, recommending updates as laws evolve.
• Own the leave of absence and accommodation processes from a programmatic standpoint, ensuring consistency, legal compliance, and operational alignment.
• Maintain oversight of multi‑state compliance requirements and ensure HR practices meet evolving legal standards.
• Develop and maintain SOPs, guides, templates, and toolkits that support managers and employees.

HR Technology, Process Improvement & Project Management

• Act as a key contributor to HR system enhancements (HRIS, payroll, benefits, AI‑enabled workflows), ensuring processes are efficient, user‑friendly, and scalable.
• Lead and support strategic HR projects, including policy redesigns, compensation cycles, performance processes, and change‑management efforts.
• Translate business needs into practical solutions, balancing day‑to‑day execution with long‑term improvements.
• Utilize data and technology to streamline HR operations, support decision‑making, and enhance the employee experience.
• Leverage AI tools and automation to improve HR processes, employee communication, and data‑driven decision‑making.
• Collaborate with Shared Services Team to streamline workflows, automate processes, and enhance the employee experience.
• Support organizational change by helping leaders and teams navigate transitions, new ways of working, and culture shifts.
• Provide coaching and support to HR team members on HR standards, service quality, and consistent application of processes.
• Serve as a thought partner to the Senior HR Director in shaping HR strategy, role design, and service delivery models.
• Perform other duties as assigned by manager for business necessity.

SUMMARY OF QUALIFICATIONS

Knowledge and Skills

• Proven ability to navigate sensitive employee situations with professionalism, empathy, and sound judgment.
• Experience in culture, engagement, and internal communications.
• Demonstrated experience managing employee accommodations, leaves of absence, and performance management processes.
• Strong understanding of employment laws and HR best practices.
• Excellent interpersonal, facilitation, and written communication skills.
• Tech‑savvy with experience using HRIS systems and comfort with AI‑driven tools.
• Strong HR operations background—working with payroll, benefits, HRIS data integrity, and policy interpretation.
• Strategic thinker who can balance employee experience with organizational priorities.
• Proactive, collaborative, and data‑informed approach to problem‑solving.
• Strong project management and time management skills; ability to prioritize across competing demands.
• Adaptability in navigating change and shifting organizational needs.
• Excellent relationship‑building skills that foster trust and collaboration.
• Curiosity and proactivity in identifying trends, recommending improvements, and advancing culture initiatives.

MINIMUM HIRING SPECIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Organizational Psychology, Business Administration, or related field.
• 5-7 years of progressive HR experience with at least 3 years of experience in employee relations, compliance, and HR Operations.
• HR certification (SHRM-CP/SCP or PHR/SPHR) is highly preferred.

PHYSICAL AND MENTAL REQUIREMENTS

• Must be able to compose written reports clearly and effectively.
• Must be able to be in a stationary position due to attention to computer screen.
• The ability to communicate information and ideas so others will understand. Must be able to exchange accurate information in these situations.
• The ability to observe details at close range (within a few feet of the observer) to perform work‑related duties.
• Must be able to apply established protocols in a timely manner.
• Must be able to determine solutions to problems.
• Must be able to operate successfully while handling multiple projects.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

The Family Institute is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity, Veteran status, or any other protected class. We strive to create a working environment that is free of all forms of discrimination and one that promotes human dignity and mutual respect among all staff. We believe every member of our organization enriches our diversity by exposing us to a broad range of ways to understand and engage with the world, to identify challenges, and to discover, design, and deliver solutions.

If you are a candidate with a disability and require reasonable accommodation to complete this application, please direct your inquiries to the Recruiter.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

Compensation is based on a number of factors, including but not limited to: scope and responsibilities of the position; a candidate’s applicable work experience, key skills and qualifications, as well as internal and external market considerations. The pay range for this full‑time, exempt position is $89,636.00 - $123,193.40/year. The Family Institute provides competitive benefits, including health, a 403(b) retirement savings plan, generous time off, and professional development. For a more inclusive list of benefits, please visit our Careers page at https://www.family-institute.org/about-us/careers.