Manager, People & Diversity, Employee Engagement

Ceres Accelerator for Sustainable Capital Markets; Chicago (IL); Remote; USD 72,000 - 87,000; Full time

Job summary

Join a forward-thinking nonprofit organization dedicated to sustainability as a Manager in People & Diversity. This role offers the opportunity to lead initiatives that promote equity, well-being, and a positive workplace culture. You will manage key projects, support employee engagement, and ensure compliance with HR policies while fostering an inclusive environment. With a commitment to diversity and a collaborative spirit, this position is ideal for someone passionate about making a difference in the workplace. If you are ready to contribute to meaningful change and support a diverse workforce, this is the perfect opportunity for you.

Benefits

Remote work opportunities

Employer paid health insurance

Employer paid dental insurance

403(b) retirement plan with match

Generous vacation and paid time off

Flexible spending accounts

Commuter and work from home allowances

Summer and winter breaks

Summer Fridays

Parental leave

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in HR operations or administrative support roles.
• Strong judgment in managing sensitive matters and maintaining confidentiality.

Responsibilities

• Lead projects to enhance employee engagement and workplace culture.
• Respond to employee relations concerns and conduct investigations.

Skills

Project Management

Communication Skills

Organizational Skills

Problem Solving

Decision Making

Attention to Detail

Relationship Building

Education

Bachelor's degree in Human Resources or related field

Experience in HR operations

Tools

Microsoft Office Suite

Salesforce

Smartsheet

Job description

Apply for our Manager, People & Diversity, Employee Engagement role.

About Ceres

Ceres is a nonprofit organization working with the most influential capital market leaders to solve the world’s greatest sustainability challenges. Through our powerful networks and global collaborations of investors, companies, and nonprofits, we drive action and inspire equitable market-based and policy solutions throughout the economy to build a just and sustainable future.

For more information about Ceres, please visit our website (www.ceres.org).

Here at Ceres, we value integrity, equity, belonging, compassion, and respect. We demonstrate those values through how we communicate and collaborate with our colleagues and external partners; and embody them in our decision making and advocacy efforts to create a more just and sustainable future.

About the People & Diversity Team

The People & Diversity (P&D) team leads engagement to attract, retain, reward and ensure equity, wellbeing, and development for our greatest asset, our people. Critical to the progress of Ceres’ mission, this team leads initiatives to curate a culture of inclusion and belonging while diligently attending to the workforce needs of Ceres.

About You

You combine strong project management, an HR generalist perspective, organizational, and administrative capabilities with excellent communication skills, strong initiative, decision-making, and an attention to detail. You are a skilled facilitator, listener, observer, investigator, and communicator (written and oral) with an aptitude for creating shared understanding, relationship building, and distilling information into its basic parts. You are passionate about people and diversity and pride yourself on using your talents to identify solutions, ensure a positive workplace culture, and foster equity and inclusion.

About the Role

The Manager will lead and/or support key projects and processes, in support of the Chief People & Diversity Office (CPDO) and the People & Diversity team, related to Ceres’ culture, employee engagement, compensation, benefits, metrics and reporting, compliance, learning, inclusion and accessibility, and communications.

This role reports to the Chief People and Diversity Officer (CPDO), with a dotted line to the Director, Learning and Employee Experience (LEE), and can be performed remotely or from the Boston, MA office. Candidates must be flexible to work with employees in all US time zones.

Specific duties include but are not limited to the following:

General P&D and CPDO Support

• Develop effective relationships to promote positive employee relations throughout the organization to ensure a high level of employee satisfaction and engagement.
• Take the lead on responding to, delegating, or escalating internal HR, and DEI related questions and elevate to P&D Directors or Sr. Directors as appropriate.
• Track progress on key P&D cross cutting initiatives, updating milestones, deadlines, and deliverables (examples are annual planning, system implementations, open enrollment, performance review cycles, and organizational structural changes).
• For assigned projects, coordinate meetings, delegate as appropriate, monitor project progress, maintain documentation, and provide regular follow-up with appropriate stakeholders. Ensure timely completion and escalate as appropriate.
• Compile and organize data to support team analysis and reporting needs.
• Under direction of CPDO, draft and coordinate written communications to employees regarding a range of topics, such as merit increases, promotions, policy updates in support of organization-wide initiatives.
• Assist with new employee orientation programs through administrative support and occasional presentation delivery.
• Provide supplemental calendar support to the Chief People & Diversity Officer, ensuring priority meetings are scheduled and helping to optimize calendar management.
• Other duties as assigned.

Employee Relations

• Respond to a range of employee relations concerns, including harassment, discrimination, retaliation, workplace violence, and other violations of rules, regulations, policies, and procedures, conducting investigations as appropriate.
• Respond to or conduct initial fact finding or investigate as appropriate, and collaborate with Director LEE to bring to resolution, employee relations matters in a manner consistent with the Ceres policies, procedures, and state and federal law. Ensure timely communications and updates and documentation provided to Dir. LEE and CPDO.
• Analyze employment related trends and partner with Dir LEE and colleagues on the People & Diversity team to help develop proactive strategies, solutions, programs, and policies for recommendation to CPDO.
• Participate in performance-related discussions, as needed.
• Escalate issues using strong judgment, discretion and appropriate sense of urgency assessing risk and sensitivity level.
• Partner with LEE to develop and conduct training on Ceres’ initiatives related to workplace culture or workplace policy.
• Apprise P&D leadership and Ceres’ leadership, as appropriate, on the status of issues and concerns being addressed and recommendations or disciplinary actions as appropriate.

Learning, Engagement and DEI

• Provide direction for employees seeking to submit requests for reasonable accommodations under the ADA. Assist in gathering relevant information and partnering with the Dir. LEE or CPDO as appropriate.
• Research and help draft general and employee handbook policies related to human resources or benefits. Support communication and associated change management.
• Conduct or assist with climate assessments of teams in response to concerns related to employee culture. May document and present reports and recommendations to Chief People & Diversity Officer for review and finalization.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or commensurate experience required; degree in a related field such as Human Resources, Business Administration, Data Analysis, Communications, or similar highly preferred.
• Minimum five (5) years of relevant full-time experience required; experience in human resources operations or administrative support roles highly preferred.
• Working knowledge of applicable local, state, and federal laws, regulations, and federally mandated programs which govern employment policies and practices (e.g. Fair Labor Standards Act, Family Medical Leave Act, Americans with Disabilities Act, etc.).
• Experience with project coordination and timeline tracking for organization-wide initiatives.
• Ability to effectively research, manage, resolve, document, and, as appropriate, escalate team questions and issues.
• Ability to research, prepare, and present comprehensive written and oral reports effectively.
• Experience supporting and prioritizing executive calendars preferred.
• Strong judgment in managing time-sensitive matters. Ability to maintain confidentiality and handle sensitive information.
• Excellence in organization, follow-through, and attention to detail. Strong time management, initiative, and ability to manage multiple priorities.
• Professional communication style and interpersonal skills with ability to build relationships and credibility, collaborate, and as needed, resolve conflict effectively with all levels of staff.
• Ability to anticipate needs and prioritize competing demands.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, particularly Excel and PowerPoint, and familiarity with Salesforce and Smartsheet preferred.
• Demonstrates Ceres' values of integrity, equity and belonging, collaboration, compassion and respect, and pragmatic advocacy.
• Interest in being part of a diverse workforce and advocacy-focused not-for-profit organization coupled with a desire to support Ceres' commitment to Inclusion & Equity.
• Willingness to travel as needed.

Compensation and Benefits

The hiring salary is $72,100 - $86,100 with competitive benefits (Pay Grade 15). Ceres offers fantastic benefits including opportunities for hybrid and remote work; 82% or 85% (depending on your coverage election) employer paid health insurance and 90% employer paid dental insurance; a 403(b) retirement plan with a generous match that starts on day one; generous allowances for commuter and work from home expenses; flexible spending accounts to set aside money on a pre-tax basis for eligible expenses; 10 holidays, generous vacation, and additional paid time off including a week-long summer and winter breaks, summer Fridays, and sick, personal, and parental leave.

Ceres Culture

Everyone has a role to play in the movement towards a more just and sustainable world.

At Ceres, we are committed to intentionally and carefully curating, engaging, and retaining a diverse and inclusive workforce. We endeavor to create a supportive environment that sparks innovation, fosters respect, and allows Ceres employees, in all roles at all levels, to come together equally to be fulfilled, successful, and to thrive.

Ceres is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion. We strongly encourage applications from all qualified candidates, and we do not discriminate based on race, color, national origin, age, religion, marital status, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, military or veteran status, disability, or any factors prohibited by applicable law.

If you have questions related to the above statement or need a reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), please contact our ADA Coordinator at [e-mail]. Please note, this email address is for ADA inquiries only.

To Apply

We encourage all applicants to review our website to familiarize themselves with Ceres before applying: www.ceres.org. Please submit a resume and cover letter through our online application. Professional references may be requested during the selection process. Existing work authorization is required at the time of application submission as Ceres is unable to sponsor any visa work sponsorship for this position.