People & Culture Business Partner

The Organization

More than a career, it's a movement. Emancipet, the leading non-profit veterinary care provider in the United States, is on a mission to make veterinary care affordable and accessible for everyone. For the past 25 years, we've built a national network of veterinary clinics delivering high-quality, compassionate, low-cost care in underserved communities. Our clinics have the power to transform communities into places where no one has to forego veterinary care for their pets because the cost is out of reach.

The Department

The People & Culture team supports the heart of our organization - our people. We are responsible for creating and maintaining the systems, resources and workplace culture that empower our teams to thrive. From hiring and onboarding to development, compensation, compliance, and employee support, we build and run the systems that support our people, guide leaders, and help maintain a strong, healthy culture at Emancipet-so teams can do their jobs well and continue to grow.

The Opportunity

The People & Culture Business Partner role is a hybrid position based in Austin, TX that reports to the Chief People Officer.

You will serve as a trusted advisor to leaders across clinic and shared services teams. This role sits at the intersection of people, performance, and mission-helping leaders navigate complex people challenges while building healthy, sustainable, and high-performing teams.

You will work closely with leaders in real moments, coaching through tough conversations, strengthening team dynamics, and ensuring our people practices reflect both our values and the realities of delivering care and support services in a fast-paced, resource-conscious environment.

You are responsible for:

Manager & Team Partnership

• Building strong, trust-based relationships with leaders across clinic and shared services teams
• Coaching managers through day-to-day leadership moments, including feedback, team dynamics, and decision-making
• Supporting leaders in navigating difficult conversations with clarity, care, and accountability
• Strengthening leadership capability to foster inclusive, engaged, and resilient teams

Employee Relations & Risk Management

• Leading employee relations matters including investigations, conflict resolution, and disciplinary processes
• Supporting terminations with consistency, fairness, and dignity
• Ensuring policies are applied equitably while balancing compliance with compassion
• Identifying and mitigate organizational risks in alignment with employment law and best practices

Performance & Talent Management

• Partnering with leaders on goal setting, performance reviews, and development planning
• Supporting performance improvement processes and career pathing conversations
• Contributing to workforce planning, succession discussions, and capability building across clinic and shared services functions

Organizational Health & Engagement

• Leading engagement survey efforts, from administration to insight generation and action planning
• Analyzing exit feedback, retention trends, and team sentiment to identify patterns and risks
• Partnering with leaders to design targeted interventions that improve team health and employee experience

People Analytics & Insights

• Building and interpreting dashboards across key metrics
• Translating data into clear, actionable insights for leaders
• Supporting adoption and use of people systems and tools to strengthen decision-making

Change Management & Systems Adoption

• Supporting leaders through change, including organizational shifts, new programs, and policy updates
• Helping ensure People initiatives are meaningfully adopted across clinic and shared services environments
• Tailoring approaches to meet the realities of frontline and distributed teams

Compensation & Equity Support

• Providing guidance on internal equity, promotions, and compensation decisions
• Partnering with leadership to ensure fair and mission-aligned pay practices

Inclusion & Belonging

• Embedding inclusive practices into everyday team operations and leadership behaviors
• Supporting initiatives that foster belonging and reflect the communities we serve

The Ideal Candidate Has

• 5-8 years of total HR experience, including at least 3 years as an HR Business Partner, People Partner, or in a similar role supporting frontline, clinic, or shared services teams.
• 3+ years of hands-on Employee Relations experience (investigations, conflict resolution, disciplinary processes, terminations) with sound judgment and a human-centered approach.
• 3+ years coaching and influencing managers and leaders at multiple levels, with demonstrated outcomes (improved performance, reduced turnover, stronger team dynamics).
• Proven ability to balance empathy and accountability in complex, emotionally nuanced situations (examples from past ER or leadership coaching preferred).
• 2+ years applying people analytics to inform decisions-building/interpreting dashboards and translating data into clear, actionable insights for leaders.
• Clear, thoughtful communicator who builds trust quickly with managers, peers, and frontline staff.
• Bachelor's degree in HR, Business, or a related field preferred. HR certification such as SHRM-CP or PHR is a plus.
• Deep alignment with Emancipet's mission and values and demonstrated commitment to equity, inclusion, and service to underserved communities.

Compensation & Benefits

The People & Culture Business Partner position is full-time, with a salary range of $95K-$120K, depending on experience and qualifications.

Emancipet offers a comprehensive benefits package, including:

• Generous Paid Time Off - 9 paid holidays and 120 hours of PTO, increasing with tenure, with the ability to roll over 40 hours each year.
• 401(k) Plan - Emancipet match of 50% of your contribution, up to 5% of your annual pay.
• Health Insurance - 100% Emancipet-paid coverage for employees and their children, with zero co-pays, zero out-of-pocket expenses, and most common prescriptions at $0.
• Dental & Vision Insurance - 100% Emancipet-paid coverage for employees and their children.
• Telehealth - 100% Emancipet-paid telehealth for your entire household, partner/spouse, and all children under 26, regardless of insurance status. This provides $0 visits for urgent care, mental and behavioral health care, pharmacy, and health advocacy services.
• Life AD&D Insurance - 100% Emancipet-paid employee coverage, including estate planning service, travel assistance, and identity theft protection.
• Voluntary Benefits - Additional coverage options, including accident, cancer, supplemental life, short- and long-term disability, and more.
• Support for Your Pets - $324 per year in free services or products through Emancipet.

Emancipet is an Equal Opportunity Employer

Emancipet is an Equal Opportunity Employer and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any kind.

Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status, or any other status protected by law.
All candidates eligible to work in the United States are encouraged to apply. We are unable to sponsor or assume sponsorship of employment visas at this time.