Human Resources Business Partner

Houston Dose; Houston (TX); Hybrid; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Graham Media Group (GMG) is seeking an experienced HR Business Partner to serve assigned client groups and drive organizational effectiveness across our local markets. You will analyze people data, lead HR initiatives, and partner with leaders to deliver proactive HR solutions that support a high-performance culture.

You will manage lifecycle processes, build SOPs, lead workforce planning, and guide managers on performance and development while navigating multi-state employment regulations.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in human resources, business administration, or equivalent work experience.
• 5+ years progressive HR experience; 2 years in an HR Business Partner or similar consultative role preferred.
• Experience with Workday HRIS and transactional HR processes alongside strategic work.
• Experience managing complex employee relations matters end-to-end.
• Experience facilitating training or learning programs for adults.
• Proven track record of process improvement and SOP creation.
• Knowledge of employment laws across multiple states.
• Experience using AI tools to improve HR work.
• Strong written and verbal communication with influence across a distributed org.
• Ability to operate across strategic and transactional levels of HR.

Responsibilities

• Build trusted relationships with business leaders and managers as their primary HR partner.
• Analyze people data and workforce trends to surface proactive solutions.
• Support lifecycle processes: hiring, onboarding, changes, leaves, offboarding; coordinate benefits, payroll, and recruiting.
• Create and maintain SOPs for core HR processes across multi-market teams.
• Partner with HR Director on workforce planning and change management.
• Use data and AI tools to monitor workforce health and provide actionable recommendations.
• Handle employee relations from intake to resolution, including investigations.
• Advise managers on performance management and documentation.
• Coach managers on feedback, performance, and team development.
• Identify talent gaps and assist with succession planning and development.
• Support headcount planning, role definitions, and team structuring.
• Work with hiring managers to align talent needs with business goals.
• Facilitate HR learning experiences and training aligned with company priorities.
• Ensure policy consistency and compliance across states.

Skills

HR Business Partner

Workday

Employee relations

Training & learning

Process improvement

Employment law

AI tools

Communication

Strategic/Transactional HR

Stakeholder influence

Education

Bachelor's degree in HR or related

Tools

Workday HCM

Job description

Graham Media Group (GMG) is a dynamic media organization committed to informing, connecting, and serving the communities where we live and work. Through our local television stations, digital platforms, and evolving media businesses, we create trusted journalism, meaningful content, and innovative solutions that make a difference in our communities. As part of Graham Holdings Company, GMG combines the strength and resources of a larger organization with the entrepreneurial spirit and local impact of our individual markets. Our culture is grounded in integrity, collaboration, innovation, and a commitment to excellence — and we believe our people are at the heart of our success.

The HR Business Partner serves assigned client groups with trust and understanding of business needs, providing expertise across the full employee lifecycle. This role partners closely with leaders and employees to drive organizational effectiveness, support a high-performance culture, and deliver HR solutions that move the business forward. The HRBP operates as a proactive trusted advisor — analyzing people data to surface insights before problems arise, bringing forward solutions, and equally comfortable navigating complex employee relations matters, coaching managers, facilitating learning experiences, and leading process improvement work that raises the bar for how HR operates.

This role represents an opportunity to help shape and strengthen HR business partnership at GMG as the organization continues to build its HR infrastructure, processes, and vendor support. The HRBP will operate across both strategic and operational areas of HR, with responsibility for supporting the employee lifecycle and ensuring a high-quality experience for leaders and employees. As the HR function and its infrastructure continue to evolve, the scope and balance of responsibilities may also evolve, creating opportunities for this role to contribute to how HR work is structured, delivered, and continuously improved.

Responsibilities

• Build trusted, credible relationships with business leaders and managers within assigned client groups, serving as their primary HR partner
• Analyze people data and workforce trends to proactively identify risks, gaps, and opportunities — bringing forward solutions before issues escal
• Support and execute employee lifecycle processes, including hiring, onboarding, employee changes, leaves of absence, and offboarding; coordinate with benefits, payroll and recruiting, and other partners to resolve employee and manager needs.
• Build and maintain SOPs for core HR processes, ensuring consistency across a distributed, multi-market workforce
• Partner with the HR Director on workforce planning and change management initiatives
• Use data, analytics, and AI-enabled tools to build a continuous picture of workforce health; translate findings into actionable recommendations without waiting to be asked
• Manage employee relations matters from intake through resolution, including investigations involving policy violations, harassment, discrimination, retaliation, conduct and workplace conflict; document findings and recommend appropriate resolutions in partnership with Director of HR.
• Advise and coach managers on performance management, corrective action, and documentation
• Coach managers on delivering effective feedback, managing performance, and building team capability
• Identify talent gaps and partner with the HR Director on succession planning and development strategies
• Partner with business leaders to understand current and forward-looking talent needs within assigned client groups — headcount planning, role definition, and team composition — translating business strategy into workforce and talent decisions
• Work directly with hiring managers to ensure talent needs within assigned client groups are well understood and supported
• Facilitate HR-related learning experiences, including manager development, policy training, and onboarding programs; partner with the HR Director to identify training needs and ensure learning solutions are aligned with company-wide priorities and standards
• Ensure consistent policy application across assigned client groups and support compliance with federal, state, and local employment regulations across multiple states

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in human resources, business administration, or equivalent work experience
• Minimum of 5 years progressive HR experience; 2 years in an HR Business Partner or other comparable consultative role is strongly preferred
• Working proficiency in Workday (or a comparable HRIS), including comfort executing transactional processes (hiring actions, leave tracking, verifications) alongside strategic work
• Demonstrated experience managing complex employee relations matters end-to-end
• Experience facilitating training or learning programs for adult audiences
• Proven track record of process improvement — building SOPs, redesigning workflows, or leading structured improvement initiatives
• Working knowledge of employment law across multiple states
• Demonstrated use of AI tools to improve HR work — whether for communications, documentation, data analysis, research, or workflow automation
• Strong written and verbal communication skills; ability to influence without authority across a distributed organization
• Comfort operating across both strategic and transactional levels of HR work, with the flexibility to shift focus as the function’s infrastructure matures

Preferred

• Experience in media, broadcasting, or a similarly distributed, multi-site environment
• SHRM-CP, SHRM-SCP, PHR, or SPHR certification
• SHRM AI & Human Intelligence (AI&HI) credential or equivalent AI-focused professional development
• Six Sigma, Lean, or formal process improvement experienceExperience with Workday HCM modules beyond core HR (e.g., Time Off/Leave, Recruiting, Benefits)

Work location: On-site with some travel

Graham Media Group is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

In addition to complying with the requirements of federal law, GMG will comply with applicable state and local laws prohibiting employment discrimination.

Any offer of employment is conditional upon the successful completion of a pre-employment drug screening, investigative background check, employment/education verifications and reference checks.