Human Resources Business Partner

Kirkland & Ellis; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 135,000 - 165,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Healthcare

Paid time off

Retirement plan

Learning & development opportunities

Job summary

Kirkland & Ellis in Chicago is seeking an HR Business Partner to act as a strategic advisor, aligning talent strategies with business goals and collaborating with leaders and Centers of Excellence to deliver thoughtful, scalable people solutions.

You will guide performance management, workforce planning, employee relations, change management, and organizational effectiveness, using data and evolving tools to drive continuous improvement and business impact.

Qualifications

• 7+ years in Talent Management or HR, in an advisory role.
• Bachelor’s degree in HR or related field; SHRM/PHR/SCP preferred.
• Strong knowledge of employee relations, performance management, and workforce planning.
• Proven ability to influence senior leaders and manage sensitive matters.

Responsibilities

• Act as strategic advisor to business leaders to align talent with goals.
• Lead workforce and succession planning, organizational design, and readiness.
• Support performance calibration, onboarding, internal mobility and career paths.
• Advise on employee relations and engagement, partnering with Legal as needed.
• Drive change management and continuous improvement with data and AI tools.

Job description

About Kirkland & Ellis

At Kirkland & Ellis, we don't just meet the standard for legal excellence - we set it. Our culture is built on teamwork, ingenuity and an unwavering commitment to continuous growth. We tackle the most sophisticated legal challenges with bold ideas and innovative solutions, powered by the exceptional experience and ambition of our 7,000+ people, including 4,000+ attorneys, across 24 offices worldwide. Our dedicated professionals share our lawyers' commitment to excellence and show up each day to do meaningful work that helps drive global business, investment and innovation forward.

What You’ll Do

Are you a trusted HR leader who thrives at the intersection of business strategy, people impact, and organizational effectiveness? As a Human Resources Business Partner (HRBP), you'll serve as a strategic advisor to functional and business unit leaders, helping strengthen their performance by aligning talent strategies with business goals. In this role, you'll collaborate closely with leaders and Centers of Excellence to deliver thoughtful, consistent, and scalable people solutions across performance management, workforce planning, employee relations, change management, and organizational effectiveness.

• Strategic Partnership: Serve as a trusted advisor to business unit leaders, aligning people strategies with functional priorities, enterprise goals, and organizational effectiveness.
• Workforce, Talent & Succession Planning: Guide organizational design, role clarity, workforce planning, succession planning, and leadership readiness to build sustainable capability.
• Performance & Talent Development: Support goal setting, performance calibration, feedback, development planning, onboarding, internal mobility, and career pathing across the business unit.
• Employee Relations & Engagement: Advise managers on employee relations, performance challenges, and corrective actions, partnering with Employee Relations and Legal as needed while driving engagement initiatives.
• Change Management & Continuous Improvement: Support change initiatives such as technology implementations and operating model shifts, while identifying opportunities to streamline, automate, and elevate work through AI and evolving tools.
• Collaboration, Compliance & Insights: Partner with Talent Centers of Excellence (Talent Acquisition, Benefits, Compensation, Learning & Development, Employee Relations, HR Operations) to ensure consistent, compliant practices, leveraging data and analytics to inform leadership decisions.

If you're excited to partner with leaders, shape people strategies, and drive meaningful organizational impact as an HR Business Partner, we'd love to hear from you!

What You’ll Bring

• Education: Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field; Human Resources certifications (SHRM-CP, SHRM-SCP, PHR, or SPHR) preferred.
• Experience: 7+ years of progressive Talent Management or Human Resources experience, ideally in an HR Business Partner or advisory role.
• Human Resources Expertise: Strong knowledge of employee relations, performance management, workforce planning, and core talent management practices.
• Influence & Judgment: Proven ability to influence senior leaders, manage complex stakeholder relationships, and handle sensitive matters with discretion.
• Change & Organization Design: Exposure to organizational design, change management, or talent transformation initiatives.
• Analytical & Adaptive Mindset: Comfort leveraging data, evolving tools, and best-in-class practices to drive continuous improvement and business impact.

Compensation

The base salary range below represents the low and high end of the salary range for this position in Chicago. This range may differ based on your geographic location and cost of living considerations. At Kirkland & Ellis, we consider compensation more than just a base salary. We offer an exceptional range of flexible benefits including comprehensive healthcare, paid time off, and retirement. We also offer personal support and tailored learning and development opportunities all designed to help you realize your full potential both in life and at work.

Compensation Range

Chicago: $135,000 - $165,000

Equal Employment Opportunity

All employment decisions, including the recruiting, hiring, placement, training availability, promotion, compensation, evaluation, disciplinary actions, and termination of employment (if necessary) are made without regard to the employee’s race, color, creed, religion, sex, pregnancy or childbirth, personal appearance, family responsibilities, sexual orientation or preference, gender identity, political affiliation, source of income, place of residence, national or ethnic origin, ancestry, age, marital status, military veteran status, unfavorable discharge from military service, physical or mental disability, or on any other basis prohibited by applicable law.