Senior Human Resources Manager

Permanent Placements LLC; Chicago (IL); Hybrid; USD 150,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance with HSA options

Dental and vision coverage

Disability insurance

Life insurance

Flexible Spending Accounts

Vacation and sick time

Employee assistance programs

Commuter and transit benefits

Voluntary insurance and wellness

4/1 hybrid work arrangement

Job summary

Permanent Placements LLC is assisting a prominent global law firm in finding an experienced Human Resources Senior Manager for its Chicago office. The role is a senior leadership position acting as a strategic HR partner to office and firm leadership.

The Senior Manager will oversee a broad range of talent functions including staff recruiting, employee relations, performance management, compensation, professional development, retention, compliance, and workforce planning.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience in Human Resources, Business, Organizational Development, or a related discipline.
• Minimum of 10 years of HR, business management, or related experience.
• Prior HR experience within a law firm or professional services environment strongly preferred.
• Previous management or supervisory experience required.
• Demonstrated recruiting experience and understanding of talent acquisition best practices.
• Significant experience handling employee relations and performance management matters.
• Strong understanding of compensation, benefits, and other core HR programs.
• Working knowledge of federal, state, and local employment laws and regulations.
• Familiarity with Illinois employment laws and Chicago employment ordinances is important for this role.
• SHRM-CP, SHRM-SCP, PHR, or SPHR certification preferred.
• Ability to establish credibility and build trusted relationships with attorneys, professional staff, and executive leadership.
• Excellent interpersonal, written, verbal, and presentation skills.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities with sound professional judgment.
• Ability to manage sensitive and confidential matters with discretion.
• Proven ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines in a demanding professional environment.

Responsibilities

• Lead recruiting, onboarding, and retention initiatives for professional staff.
• Partner with senior leadership on employee engagement, morale, retention, and workplace culture initiatives.
• Provide guidance to employees and management regarding HR policies, benefits, leave programs, and employment practices.
• Advise on FMLA, short- and long-term disability, workers’ compensation, and related employee matters.
• Manage complex employee relations issues and provide coaching and counseling to managers.
• Oversee corrective action, disciplinary matters, performance improvement plans, and employee separations.
• Manage performance review processes for attorneys and professional staff.
• Develop and facilitate management training and professional development initiatives.
• Provide guidance on compensation matters and assist with annual salary and bonus administration.
• Participate in workforce planning, succession planning, and career development initiatives.
• Partner with professional development teams to identify appropriate training and skill-development resources.
• Maintain accurate and compliant personnel records, including I-9, EEO, recruiting, new-hire, and separation documentation.
• Develop and continuously improve HR processes, policies, practices, and procedures.
• Support organizational change and change-management initiatives.
• Supervise legal support personnel and help ensure effective workflow and high-quality attorney support.
• Collaborate with HR colleagues and leadership across the broader organization on firmwide talent initiatives.

Skills

Leadership

Employee relations

Talent acquisition

HR policy

Communication

Analytical thinking

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent in HR/Business/OD

Tools

HRIS

Workday

Microsoft Word

Excel

PowerPoint

Outlook

Adobe applications

Microsoft Copilot

ChatGPT

Job description

Our client, a prominent global law firm, is seeking an experienced Human Resources Senior Manager to join its Chicago office. This is a senior-level HR leadership opportunity for a professional with deep experience in law firms or other sophisticated professional services organizations.

The Senior Manager will serve as a strategic HR partner to office and firm leadership, overseeing a broad range of talent functions including staff recruiting, employee relations, performance management, compensation, professional development, retention, compliance, and workforce planning.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead recruiting, onboarding, and retention initiatives for professional staff.
• Partner with senior leadership on employee engagement, morale, retention, and workplace culture initiatives.
• Provide guidance to employees and management regarding HR policies, benefits, leave programs, and employment practices.
• Advise on FMLA, short- and long-term disability, workers’ compensation, and related employee matters.
• Manage complex employee relations issues and provide coaching and counseling to managers.
• Oversee corrective action, disciplinary matters, performance improvement plans, and employee separations.
• Manage performance review processes for attorneys and professional staff.
• Develop and facilitate management training and professional development initiatives.
• Provide guidance on compensation matters and assist with annual salary and bonus administration.
• Participate in workforce planning, succession planning, and career development initiatives.
• Partner with professional development teams to identify appropriate training and skill-development resources.
• Maintain accurate and compliant personnel records, including I-9, EEO, recruiting, new-hire, and separation documentation.
• Develop and continuously improve HR processes, policies, practices, and procedures.
• Support organizational change and change-management initiatives.
• Supervise legal support personnel and help ensure effective workflow and high-quality attorney support.
• Collaborate with HR colleagues and leadership across the broader organization on firmwide talent initiatives.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience in Human Resources, Business, Organizational Development, or a related discipline.
• Minimum of 10 years of HR, business management, or related experience.
• Prior HR experience within a law firm or professional services environment strongly preferred.
• Previous management or supervisory experience required.
• Demonstrated recruiting experience and understanding of talent acquisition best practices.
• Significant experience handling employee relations and performance management matters.
• Strong understanding of compensation, benefits, and other core HR programs.
• Working knowledge of federal, state, and local employment laws and regulations.
• Familiarity with Illinois employment laws and Chicago employment ordinances is important for this role.
• SHRM-CP, SHRM-SCP, PHR, or SPHR certification preferred.
• Ability to establish credibility and build trusted relationships with attorneys, professional staff, and executive leadership.
• Excellent interpersonal, written, verbal, and presentation skills.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities with sound professional judgment.
• Ability to manage sensitive and confidential matters with discretion.
• Proven ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines in a demanding professional environment.

Technology

Candidates should have experience with:

• HRIS and Applicant Tracking Systems
• Workday or comparable HR technology
• Microsoft Word
• Excel
• PowerPoint
• Outlook
• Adobe applications

Experience utilizing AI-powered tools such as Microsoft Copilot, ChatGPT, or similar platforms to improve professional and managerial workflows is also desirable. Candidates should understand responsible AI practices, particularly with respect to confidentiality, privacy, validation of outputs, and appropriate human oversight.

Compensation

Expected Base Salary: $150,000 – $170,000 annually

Actual compensation will be determined based on experience, qualifications, location, and other job-related factors.

The position may also be eligible for a discretionary bonus.

Our client offers a comprehensive benefits package that may include:

• Medical insurance with HSA options
• Dental and vision coverage
• Short- and long-term disability insurance
• Life insurance
• Healthcare and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts
• Vacation and sick time
• Employee assistance programs
• Commuter and transit benefits
• Additional voluntary insurance and wellness programs
• Position: Full-time, 4/1 hybrid
• This is an office-focused leadership role where a meaningful in-person presence is expected to support employees, collaborate with management, and contribute to office culture.