Human Resources Director

Organizational Description. North Lawndale Employment Network is a comprehensive workforce development agency on Chicago’s West Side dedicated to advancing the economic outcomes of the community’s residents through innovative employment initiatives, including our social enterprises. In August 2021, North Lawndale Employment Network transitioned to a new campus which features a premier community café for residents and stakeholders.

Our Mission. To improve the earning potential of the North Lawndale community through innovative employment initiatives that lead to economic advancement and an improved quality of life for residents.

Position Summary

The Director of Human Resources is responsible for leading the full spectrum of human resources operations for NLEN. This is a hands-on, independent HR leadership position responsible for building and maintaining effective HR infrastructure while serving as a trusted resource to employees, managers, and executive leadership.

Because this position does not have dedicated HR support staff, the successful candidate must be comfortable owning the work from strategy through execution . This includes payroll verification for ADP, HRIS management, employee relations, recruiting, onboarding and offboarding, benefits administration, compliance reporting, employment documentation, policy administration, and maintaining accurate personnel records.

The Director will be expected to proactively identify compliance requirements and deadlines, establish systems to ensure timely completion, and independently follow through without requiring ongoing direction or reminders.

The ideal candidate is both a strategic HR leader and a highly capable HR practitioner, someone who can advise the executive team on people strategy one day and troubleshoot a payroll or benefits issue the next.

Key Responsibilities

Human Resources Leadership & Strategy

• Serve as NLEN’s primary HR leader and subject-matter expert.
• Develop and implement HR practices, policies, procedures, and systems that support organizational strategy and operational effectiveness.
• Partner with the COO and leadership on workforce staffing, planning, organizational structure, employee performance, compensation, and talent needs.
• Ensure HR policies and practices are consistently and equitably applied throughout the organization.
• Owning and managing annual trainings, the employee handbook, and any other HR service requirements for staff
• Maintain an up-to-date HR compliance calendar and proactively monitor all federal, state, and local employment requirements and filing deadlines.
• Identify HR risks and recommend solutions before they become compliance or employee-relations issues.
• Maintain appropriate confidentiality and discretion when handling sensitive employee and organizational information.
• Develop HR dashboards and reports for COO as needed.

Payroll & HRIS Administration

• Own and oversee the organization’s payroll process, ensuring accurate and timely payroll processing, in partnership with ADP comprehensive services, to include payroll verification and supervisor approvals
• Serve as the internal subject-matter expert and liaison for ADP, including employee data, payroll, benefits, timekeeping, PTO, deductions, reporting, and related HR functions.
• Ensure accurate employee setup, status changes, compensation changes, deductions, tax information, direct deposits, and terminations within ADP.
• Review payroll for accuracy prior to submission and reconcile payroll-related information as appropriate.
• Partner with Finance to ensure payroll, benefits, taxes, and general ledger information are accurate and properly reconciled.
• Troubleshoot payroll discrepancies and resolve employee payroll questions promptly.
• Maintain accurate employee records and ensure HRIS data integrity.
• Manage PTO, leave balances, employee classifications, and other employee data within the HRIS.
• Identify opportunities to automate and improve HR processes through ADP and other systems.

HR Compliance & Regulatory Reporting

Own the organization’s HR compliance calendar and ensure all required filings, notices, records, and reporting are completed accurately and on time.

Responsibilities may include, but are not limited to:

• Form 5500 and applicable retirement plan filings
• W-2 preparation and reporting
• 1099 preparation and reporting, as applicable to HR/vendor relationships
• Federal, state, and local payroll tax requirements and reporting
• ACA and applicable benefits-related reporting
• EEO-1 reporting and other applicable workforce reporting
• OSHA and EEOC reporting
• New-hire reporting
• Workers’ compensation requirements and reporting
• Unemployment claims and responses
• Employment verification responses
• Annual census reporting requirements
• Employment eligibility documentation, including Form I-9 compliance
• Required workplace postings and employee notices to ensure labor law compliance
• Benefits-related compliance and required employee communications
• Management of our benefits broker management consultant firm
• Maintenance of personnel files and required employment records
• Coordination of required audits, including benefits, retirement plans, workers’ compensation, and other HR-related audits
• Manage and distribute employee handbook annually
• Plan and ensure annual required staff trainings (harassment, bystander, supervisor etc).

The Director will be expected to know what filings and compliance obligations apply to the organization, maintain a calendar of deadlines, coordinate with external providers when appropriate, and ensure nothing falls through the cracks.

Talent Management

• Own the full recruitment and employment lifecycle, including hiring, onboarding, offboarding, separation
• Serve as a trusted resource for employees and managers regarding workplace concerns, policies, interpersonal conflicts, and employment matters.
• Lead and document employee-relations investigations, including complaints involving harassment, discrimination, retaliation, workplace conduct, and policy violations.
• Conduct fact-finding interviews and maintain appropriate confidentiality and documentation.
• Provide guidance to managers regarding performance concerns, corrective action, coaching, and disciplinary matters.
• Partner with executive leadership and legal counsel when employee-relations matters present significant organizational, legal, or reputational risk.
• Help establish a culture of accountability, respect, professionalism, and clear communication.
• Ensure employee-relations matters are handled consistently, fairly, promptly, and in accordance with applicable law and organizational policy.
• Lead employee relations and conflict resolution, investigations, and manager coaching
• Partner with our benefits broker to ensure support and proper benefits administration
• Lead Performance management cycle for organization

What We’re Looking For

The successful candidate will be an experienced HR professional who can operate independently, manage competing priorities, and take full ownership of the HR function .

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Organizational Development, or related field; equivalent experience may be considered
• 7+ years of progressive HR experience, including significant experience in an HR leadership or HR management role
• Demonstrated experience independently managing the HR function within an organization.
• Strong hands-on payroll experience, including payroll processing, reconciliation, employee changes, deductions, taxes, and reporting
• Advanced experience with ADP or comparable HR/payroll platforms; ADP experience is strongly preferred
• Demonstrated expertise and knowledge of federal, Illinois, and Chicago employment laws and regulations
• Experience managing HR compliance requirements and regulatory filings
• Working knowledge of Form 5500, W-2s, 1099s, ACA reporting, unemployment reporting, new-hire reporting, I-9 compliance, workers’ compensation, and other applicable employment filings
• Experience managing employee relations, investigations, corrective action, and workplace conflict resolution
• Experience with full-cycle recruiting, onboarding, and offboarding
• Strong knowledge of benefits administration and retirement plans
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Exceptional organization and attention to detail
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and exercise sound judgment with sensitive information
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision and proactively manage deadlines and compliance requirements

Preferred Qualifications

• SHRM-CP, SHRM-SCP, PHR, SPHR, or other relevant HR certification
• Experience working in a nonprofit, workforce development, education, or mission-driven organization
• Experience working in a small or mid-sized organization where the HR leader is responsible for both strategy and execution
• Experience with ADP Workforce Now and ADP Comprehensive Services
• Experience administering a 401(k) plan and coordinating Form 5500 processes
• Experience working with external payroll, benefits, legal, accounting, and HR consultants
• Experience developing HR infrastructure and processes during a period of organizational growth or transformation

The Ideal Candidate

We are looking for someone who:

• Takes ownership. You see a deadline on the horizon and make sure it gets handled before someone has to ask.
• Is highly organized. You can manage payroll, benefits, recruiting, employee relations, compliance, and competing priorities without losing track of details.
• Is proactive. You identify risks and requirements before they become problems.
• Is comfortable working independently. You don’t need a large HR department around you to get things done.
• Has strong judgment. You understand when an issue can be handled independently and when leadership, legal counsel, or another expert should be engaged.
• Is both strategic and hands-on. You can advise executives on workforce strategy while also getting into ADP to correct an employee’s payroll record.
• Is a strong communicator. You can have difficult conversations while maintaining professionalism, empathy, and appropriate boundaries.
• Understands compliance. You don’t simply react to compliance requirements—you build systems and calendars that ensure they are met consistently.
• Values people and accountability. You believe a strong workplace culture requires both compassion and clear expectations.

Success in This Role

Within the first year, the Director of Human Resources will be expected to establish a well-organized, proactive HR function in which:

• Payroll is accurate, timely, and well-controlled
• ADP is maintained as a reliable source of employee and payroll information
• Required HR and employment filings are completed accurately and on time
• HR compliance deadlines are tracked proactively
• Personnel files and HR documentation are complete and well organized
• Managers understand their responsibilities as people leaders
• Employees have a clear and accessible resource for HR questions and concerns
• Hiring, onboarding, and offboarding processes are consistent and efficient
• Employee-relations matters are addressed promptly and appropriately
• Benefits and retirement plan administration is well managed
• HR policies and procedures are current and consistently implemented
• Leadership has confidence that the organization’s HR infrastructure is operating effectively and that significant compliance risks are being identified and addressed proactively

Compensation & Benefits

NLEN offers a competitive compensation and benefits package commensurate with experience and qualifications, including health and wellness benefits, retirement benefits, paid time off, and opportunities to contribute to a mission focused on expanding economic opportunity.

Equal Employment Opportunity

North Lawndale Employment Network is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants. We value a diverse workforce and do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or any other status protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.