Strategic Human Resources Leader, Specialty Program Group

Strategic Human Resources Leader

The Strategic Human Resources Leader develops and implements people strategies that align with business goals for a Specialty Program Group (SPG), a subsidiary of HUB International. They focus on long-term success through effective talent management and performance, culture building and employee engagement.

The Strategic Human Resources Leader acts as a consultant, partner and advisor to the most senior level of leadership locally by proactively shaping workforce plans, driving organizational health and effectiveness, and ensuring compliance with legal and corporate requirements. Workforce analytics and metrics are used to inform the local talent/people strategy, measure HR's impact, and demonstrate ROI. In essence, this role focuses on developing a high-performing culture that supports business growth and innovation.

This role sits at the center of the Strategic Human Resources Operating Model, serving as the primary point of accountability for HR delivery within Specialty Program Group. The Strategic Human Resources Leader orchestrates across the full HR ecosystem, including HR Centers of Excellence (HR Operations, Total Rewards, Talent Development, Talent Acquisition, etc.) and HR Support Services, to ensure coordinated, consistent, and high-quality HR solutions. This role emphasizes collaboration, influence, coordination, and alignment between the field and the enterprise center.

Further, this role is accountable for leading and developing a team of Strategic Human Resources Business Partners (HRBPs) in the Specialty Program Group. This includes hiring, onboarding, coaching, mentoring, development, and performance management. The Strategic Human Resources Leader proactively identifies and adapts roles and talent to ensure both are set up to help the business reach its goals.

Key Areas of Responsibility:

Business Acumen:

• Engage with leaders and other various stakeholders to gain a deep comprehension of business operations and use that knowledge to drive value.
• Apply HR expertise to solve business problems and create competitive advantage through a comprehensive and local people strategy.
• Actively contribute to local business strategy discussions with the local Executive Management Team by asking thought provoking questions and helping stress-test business initiatives from a people perspective.
• Serve as a key stakeholder for M&A, translating deal strategy into organizational reality while retaining and developing talent, helping to increase productivity and build a cohesive culture.
• Know how to identify, prioritize, and execute on people initiatives based on business impact vs. HR trends.
• Remain current on industry, labor market and HR trends, and use this information to inform and revise talent strategies.

Strategic Consulting:

• Elevate Human Resources' perception from service provider to thought partner who can help shape strategic direction vs. executing against it.
• Act as an internal advisor and thought partner to leaders, providing expert HR guidance and objective perspective on organizational challenges through effective critical thinking, influence, problem solving and change management.
• Lead strategic projects and initiatives that enhance culture and belonging, engagement, and leadership effectiveness; may also lead or contribute to HR initiatives across the enterprise.
• Apply project management skills and risk management principles to proactively address potential challenges and drive strategic initiatives to completion.

Relationship Management:

• Develop deep and authentic rapport with Specialty Program Group's executive management team by understanding each leader's priorities, communication preferences, decision-making style, and pain points, building trust and credibility by follow through on commitments, maintaining confidentiality, demonstrating business knowledge, and consistently showing HR's value.
• Know who needs to be consulted, informed, and brought along the journey for different HR initiatives to succeed.
• Foster and maintain strong partnerships with HR colleagues, leveraging collective knowledge that supports the business and drives consistent HR practices.
• Partner with HR Centers of Excellence to execute on a variety of programs such as various comp analyses, leader engagement, performance management, and talent development.

Talent Management:

• Establish Specialty Program Group's talent strategy, which connects to the local business strategy. This roadmap guides talent decisions and investments.
• Actively apply HR expertise across the talent lifecycle, supporting workforce planning, succession planning, talent acquisition, talent development, and retention initiatives.
• Drive employee experience initiatives that improve engagement, productivity, and organizational effectiveness.
• Lead change management efforts, helping the organization navigate transformation with agility and resilience, and care and consideration for employees.
• Provide coaching to leaders to ensure high-performing and inclusive team environments.
• Advise managers and employees on employee relations issues, offering proactive, inclusive solutions and escalating complex matters when needed.

Data Judgement:

• Leverage resources and tools to collect, manage, and analyze workforce data.
• Translate metrics into business language that demonstrates the relationship between talent and performance, i.e., measures such as revenue per employee, quality of hire, and retention impact on client satisfaction, and equip HRBPs (where applicable) to tell compelling data stories with managers.
• Focus on predictive analysis (what will happen) and prescriptive data (recommendations on what we should do) vs. historical data (what happened).
• Quantify the value and impact of HR initiatives on the business, using data and insights to assess progress and demonstrate ROI.

Agility:

• Operate in a state of continuous transformation and evolution vs. episodic change, adopting change as a part of daily work life and building muscle memory for adaptation.
• Monitor the organization for change fatigue, partnering with leaders to ensure change initiatives are sequenced thoughtfully and not overwhelming people with too much change too fast.
• Exhibit a growth mindset by being adaptable, receptive to new ideas and seeking opportunities to learn and implement newfound insights and information that better support the business.
• Possess a strong belief in possibility; demonstrate resilience and the ability to change directions and adjust HR priorities rapidly as and when needed as business needs shift.

People Leadership:

• Lead, coach, and develop a team of Strategic HR Business Partners, fostering a high-performing, collaborative, and growth-oriented team culture.
• Set clear performance expectations for the HRBP team aligned to the Strategic HR Operating Model, conducting regular performance reviews and providing ongoing coaching and development.
• Hire, onboard, and integrate new HRBP team members, ensuring they are equipped with the tools, knowledge, and relationships needed to succeed.
• Ensure consistent application of HR practices, standards, and frameworks across the HRBP team, driving quality and alignment in how HR is delivered.
• Identify skill gaps and development opportunities within the team, working with HR COEs to build HRBP capability over time.
• Model the behaviors and competencies expected of the Strategic HRBP role, serving as a visible example of HR excellence and business partnership.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or related discipline. Advanced degree or HR certification (PHR, SHRM-CP, CPHR or equivalent) preferred.
• 8-10 years of progressive Human Resources experience with a minimum of 5 years of previous leadership experience.
• Proven experience as an HR Business Partner or HR Leader supporting senior executives and driving strategic Human Resources initiatives.
• Experienced with creating and executing short- and longer-term HR and talent strategies aligned with business objectives.
• Demonstrated ability to act as a trusted advisor and partner to senior level leaders.
• Comprehensive knowledge across all HR disciplines: talent management, talent acquisition, leadership development, total rewards, employee relations, and HR Operations.
• Demonstrated knowledge of employment law and other applicable legislations, and HR policies and practices.
• Experience partnering with Centers of Excellence and HR Support Services with dotted-line or matrixed accountability.
• Proven ability to manage ambiguity, shifting priorities, and change in a fast-paced environment.
• Creative problem solver who can balance the needs of the business and its people.
• Strong data analysis capabilities with ability to derive insights and tell stories with data.
• Project management skills with the ability to drive cross-functional and sometimes complex initiatives.
• Strong communication, influence, and relationship-building skills across all levels of the organization. Able to facilitate difficult conversations and build consensus.
• (If applicable) Demonstrated experience leading and developing teams of (junior) HRBPs, with the ability to set direction, coach performance, and build team capability.
• Proficiency with Workday or similar HRIS platforms.

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