Senior Manager - HR Operations Process & Technology

Kirkland & Ellis; Chicago (IL); Hybrid; USD 153,000 - 191,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive healthcare

Paid time off

Retirement plan

Learning and development opportunities

Job summary

Kirkland & Ellis is seeking a Senior Manager, HR Operations Process & Technology to lead complex HR technology projects and manage the HR project portfolio across the firm. You will coordinate with HR leadership to prioritize initiatives and ensure timely delivery.

The role requires strong leadership, collaboration with developers and vendors, and a track record of delivering high-quality outcomes in a fast-paced environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required.
• 10+ years of project and/or portfolio management experience.
• Prior people management experience preferred.
• Computer Science degree and/or graduate-level education is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Lead complex organizational development initiatives and strategic change efforts.
• Manage HR project portfolio across business units and align with leadership.
• Mentor teams and deliver measurable results on time and within budget.
• Collaborate with attorneys, technical teams, and vendors to translate requirements into action.

Skills

Project management

Portfolio management

Agile methodologies

SDLC

Communication

Business analysis

Technical writing

Adaptability

Education

Bachelor's degree

Computer Science degree / graduate-level education (plus)

Tools

JIRA

Visio

Project management platforms

Job description

About Kirkland & EllisAt 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

The Senior Manager, HR Operations Process & Technology leads complex, high-impact HR technology projects in alignment with the Firm's project lifecycle, standards, and priorities. This role is responsible for building and managing the HR project portfolio across business units, ensuring work is focused on the Firm's most critical objectives in coordination with HR leadership.

The Senior Manager mentors and guides teams to deliver measurable results on time and within budget, while also leading projects directly as needed to drive outcomes and continuously improve processes.

This role requires a structured, solution-oriented professional who can assess issues, develop and test solutions, and ensure thorough documentation for resolution.

Success depends on strong relationship-building, deep product knowledge, and the ability to work effectively with senior leadership, attorneys, technical teams, and end users to gather and translate business requirements.

The ideal candidate is results-driven and comfortable operating in a high-demand, fast-paced environment with strong communication, business analysis, and technical writing skills. Experience working with developers, architects, and external vendors is essential.

Candidates must bring strong people and process management capabilities, a solid technology foundation, and the ability to lead, present, and influence effectively. The ideal candidate is detail-oriented, self-motivated, and focused on delivering high-quality outcomes while leading by example within and beyond HR.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic & Change Leadership

• Lead complex organizational development initiatives, including team development and strategic change efforts.
• Drive change within scope of influence by identifying priorities and removing barriers to performance.
• Focus teams on achieving key goals while maintaining accountability for individual and team results.

Decision Making

• Make sound, timely decisions informed by experience, analysis, and judgment.
• Integrate new and historical information to guide outcomes and coach others on effective decision-making.
• Hold team members accountable for quality and timely execution.

Communication & Stakeholder Management

• Partner with leadership to develop organizational objectives, milestones, and implementation plans.
• Structure and communicate complex ideas clearly and effectively, translating strategy into actionable plans.
• Deliver regular communication to teams and stakeholders while leading performance, development, and career discussions.
• Demonstrate strong active listening skills.

Interpersonal Effectiveness

• Build strong relationships and lead through influence.
• Proactively identify and resolve conflict, guiding teams and stakeholders toward productive outcomes.
• NAVIGATE challenging situations with sound judgment and strong negotiation skills.
• Motivate and inspire others to achieve results.

What You’ll Bring

Education & Experience

• Bachelor's degree required.
• 10+ years of project and/or portfolio management experience.
• Prior people management experience preferred.
• Computer Science degree and/or graduate-level education is a plus.

Skills & Expertise

• Strong project and portfolio management experience.
• Experience with Agile methodologies and Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC).
• Experience with workflow and project management software.
• Strong working knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite.
• Ability and willingness to learn and adopt new technologies.
• Excellent communication, business analysis, and technical writing skills.

Technology & Tools

• Microsoft Office Suite
• Visio
• JIRA
• Project and workflow management platforms

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: $153,000 - $191,000

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. #LI-Hybrid #LI-MK1