Senior People & Culture Generalist

Westside Justice Center; Chicago (IL); In loco; USD 75.000 - 90.000; Tempo pieno

Vantaggi offerti da questo lavoro

Health insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Paid time off

401(k) retirement plan

Descrizione del lavoro

Westside Justice Center in Chicago seeks a Senior People & Culture Generalist to lead HR programs across recruitment, onboarding, engagement, and development. You will partner with leaders to foster an equitable, mission-driven workplace aligned with WJC’s values.

Responsibilities include implementing Total Rewards, coaching supervisors, ensuring compliance, and advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion while building a strong organizational culture that supports staff well-being and

Competenze

• 5+ years of HR or people operations experience.
• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Nonprofit Management, or related field (or equivalent experience).
• Thorough knowledge of nonprofit employment structures, regulations, and best practices.
• Deep alignment with WJC’s mission and values.
• Excellent interpersonal, communication, and conflict resolution skills.
• Intercultural competence and emotional intelligence.
• Collaborative spirit and relationship-building skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities with care and professionalism.
• Integrity, discretion, and empathy in handling confidential matters.
• HRIS experience (preferred BambooHR).
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite.

Mansioni

• Lead recruitment, ensuring relevant candidate pools and fair hiring practices.
• Coordinate orientation and onboarding to ensure new staff integrate smoothly into the team and culture.
• Develop and implement the People & Culture Plan, including employee recognition, wellness, engagement surveys and learning opportunities.
• Oversee employee benefits (Total Rewards) and report on benefits.
• Partner with supervisors to implement equitable performance management practices.
• Coach supervisors on feedback, communication, and employee development.
• Provide guidance on learning and development programs aligned with mission and values.
• Maintain compliance with employment regulations and confidential files.

Conoscenze

Employee relations

Performance management

Compliance

Coaching

Interpersonal skills

Diversity & inclusion

HRIS experience

Formazione

Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Nonprofit Management, or related field

Strumenti

BambooHR

Microsoft Office

Descrizione del lavoro

Unleash your strategic management skills and make a difference with the Westside Justice Center. Join our mission-driven team as the Senior People & Culture Generalist and play a critical role in advancing access to justice in our communities.

Founded in 2015, the Westside Justice Center (WJC) is not just a workplace—it is a community-centered Legal Aid clinic committed to eradicating barriers to justice and uplifting authentic community leadership.

As the Senior People & Culture Generalist, you will play a key role in fostering an inclusive, values-driven, and mission-aligned workplace. This position supports the full employee life cycle—from recruitment and onboarding to engagement, development, and retention—ensuring that all people practices reflect the organization’s commitment to equity, transparency, and community.

If you're a proactive individual with a passion for strengthening organizational culture, promoting employee well-being, and advancing equitable people systems, we invite you to join us in our mission.

Key Responsibilities

• Employee Experience & Engagement
  • Champion a culture rooted in belonging, collaboration, and respect.
  • Coordinate new hire onboarding to ensure staff feel welcomed, supported, and connected to the mission.
  • Serve as a trusted resource for employee inquiries and concerns; providing guidance and resolution to personnel issues such as poor performance, employee conflicts, and manager-employee disputes
  • Promote a positive work culture by drafting and implementing the annual People & Culture Plan, which includes employee recognition, wellness, engagement surveys and action plans, culture- and spirit-building activities, and individual and organization-wide learning opportunities
  • Oversee employee benefits offerings and services (known as Total Rewards) by liaising with benefit service providers, meeting with employees to track benefits, and reporting on Total Rewards
• Talent & Performance Management
  • Partner with supervisors to implement and sustain equitable performance management practices.
  • Coach supervisors on feedback, communication, and employee development.
  • Support implementation of learning and development programs aligned with mission and values.
• Recruitment & Onboarding
  • Lead recruitment, ensuring relevant candidate pools and fair hiring practices.
  • Manage job postings, candidate communications, and interview logistics, and support leadership in determining salary bands.
  • Screen candidates and make hiring recommendations.
  • Coordinate orientation and onboarding to ensure new staff members integrate smoothly into the team and culture.
• Compliance & Policy
  • Maintain compliance with federal, state, and local employment regulations.
  • Create and communicate People and Culture policies and procedures that align with WJC’s mission, vision, and values.
  • Consult external counsel to ensure legal compliance in WJC policies and procedures.
  • Maintain accurate and confidential personnel files.
  • Review employee timesheets and supervisor payroll approvals.
• Culture, Equity, & Inclusion
  • Operationalize equitable practices across all HR functions, from resume screening to performance reviews.
  • Support culture-building activities and community learning opportunities.
  • Collect and analyze workforce data to inform continuous improvement and accountability.

Successful Candidates will Possess:

• 5+ years of progressively responsible HR or people operations experience, including demonstrated experience independently handling employee relations, performance management, employment compliance, and supervisor coaching
• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Nonprofit Management, or related field (or equivalent experience)
• Thorough knowledge of nonprofit employment structures, employment-related laws and regulations, compliance, and best practices
• Deep alignment with WJC’s mission and values
• Excellent interpersonal, communication, and conflict resolution skills
• Intercultural competence and emotional intelligence
• Collaborative spirit and relationship-building skills
• Ability to manage multiple priorities with care and professionalism
• Integrity, discretion, and empathy in handling confidential matters
• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail
• HRIS experience (Preferred BambooHR)
• Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite or related software
• Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion within the workplace
• HR certification (SHRM-CP, PHR, or similar) preferred but not required

Benefits

• Community Impact
• Health Insurance
• Dental Insurance
• Vision Insurance
• Paid Time Off
• 401(k) retirement plan

Work Environment

The work environment described here is representative of that an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation(s) may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• This job operates in a professional office environment. The role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones and photocopiers
• Ability to communicate verbally
• Ability to spend extended time working on a computer
• Ability to go up and down stairs
• Occasional need for local travel for work-related reasons

Compensation

Actual compensation will be determined based on a wide array of relevant factors, including market considerations, organizational needs, and an individual’s skills, experience, and qualifications. Target salary hiring range is $75,000 - $90,000.

Disclaimer

The above is intended to describe the general content of and requirements for the performance of this role. It is not intended to be an exhaustive statement of duties, requirements, or responsibilities. This document does not create an employment contract, implied or otherwise, other than an “at will” relationship.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

The Westside Justice Center is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer and is committed to maintaining an inclusive environment free from discrimination and harassment.

We prohibit discrimination in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity, transgender status, and sexual orientation), national origin, age, disability, genetic information, marital status, parental status, military service or discharge status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

Consistent with our mission to advance justice and equity, people of color, women, LGBTQI-GNC individuals, immigrants, and formerly incarcerated people are strongly encouraged to apply.