People & Talent Culture Partner

Description EMBRACING ABILITIES. EXPANDING POSSIBILITIES.

At Easterseals Serving Chicagoland and Greater Rockford, we are committed to two often interconnecting pillars of work - early learning and disability. Through these pillars, we transform the lives of early learners and individuals of all abilities through access to expert educational, family, and community support. As an affiliate of America’s largest nonprofit healthcare organization, we have proudly served the communities and families of Chicagoland and Greater Rockford since 1936.

For more information about our organization, please visit us online at

We are seeking an experienced employee relations and performance management professional to join our People & Talent Culture team. PTC supports staff and leaders across our organization to cultivate a people-centric experience, foster a culture of belonging and accountability, and align people development and talent strategies with organizational goals.

Candidates should have 5 to 7 years of relevant experience to provide operational and strategic human resources support to our various programs. This position serves as the lead point of contact for managers and staff on all human resources activity, including performance and learning, employee relations and engagement, and HRIS technology concerns. The PTC Partner also supports Easterseals’ efforts to attract, train, and retain the best possible team members to the organization.

We welcome you to apply to join our dynamic PTC team and share our vision to encourage a thriving, inclusive workplace where people are inspired to do their best work, feel a strong sense of belonging, and grow with purpose – and to create lasting impact through a culture rooted in trust, inclusion, and excellence.

This position is based at our Easterseals Chicago location at 1939 West 13th Street, Chicago, IL 60608.

MAJOR FUNCTIONS/ACCOUNTABILITIES:

• Trains and develops managers within assigned programs on human resource processes and procedures to assure familiarity, understanding, and adoption
• Recommends and/or implements new approaches, policies, and procedures to effect continual improvements in the efficiency of services performed and support provided
• Leads and/or supports the implementation of PTC policy compliance with federal, state and local law; contributes to the development of PTC and workplace policies as needed and directed
• Provides backup responsibilities for the Senior People & Talent Culture Analyst by supporting the administration of various employee benefit and compensation programs, including group medical and dental insurance, short-term and long-term disability insurance, life insurance, voluntary insurance, tuition reimbursement, and retirement plans
• Monitors and ensures compliance with applicable employment regulations
• Participates in PTC team meetings and fosters accountability for results among the team
• In partnership with program management, effectively handles employee relations, coaching, and counseling initiatives to mitigate unnecessary risk and exposure; recommends improvements to PTC processes where appropriate
• Fosters and maintains a high-performance work environment through effective management of Easterseals’ performance and learning initiatives; works closely with leadership to ensure timely and effective delivery of performance evaluations, and supports management’s efforts to provide constructive feedback aimed at improving individual and organizational performance
• Champions staff learning and development, knowledge sharing, and cross-collaboration to build capacity and address capacity gaps across all levels; designs and delivers employee training content; trains and develops managers within assigned programs on human resource processes and procedures to assure familiarity, understanding, and adoption
• Monitors compliance with Worker’s Compensation, FMLA, ADA, and all other applicable laws/regulations in assigned programs
• Actively participates in program meetings
• Actively identifies, leads, and implements projects that improve approaches and processes in the organization
• Maintains outstanding customer service and supports colleagues’ efforts to do the same
• Travels to programs and other Easterseals locations as needed
• Performs other related duties as assigned
  

Requirements

Education/Certification:

• BA/BS degree or equivalent in Human Resources or a related field required
• Human Resources certification such as SHRM-CP or PHR preferred
• Must have a valid driver’s license and acceptable driving record with Easterseals’ required level of auto insurance coverage

Experience and Knowledge Required/Preferred:

• 5-7 years of related Human Resources experience
• 3-5 years of related experience in K-12, Early Learning, and/or Head Start educational environment preferred

Skills/Abilities:

• Good communication skills required
• Problem-solving skills required
• Interpersonal skills required
• Ability to work effectively with diverse people from all social and economic backgrounds
• Understanding of diversity, equity, and inclusion principles/practices and commitment to incorporating them into work
• Passion for the Easterseals’ mission in the early learning and disability spaces
• Values and dispositions of strong leadership, including active listening, social perceptiveness, negotiation, and active learning
• Technological aptitude, including comfort, familiarity, and ability to learn and use a variety of computer applications
• Intermediate-level knowledge of Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Teams, Outlook, Excel, internet browsers, and video conferencing
• Ability to travel to other work locations, meetings, and trainings, including possession of a valid driver’s license

ADA: Easterseals will make reasonable accommodations in compliance with the Americans with Disability Act of 1990. Unless exempted by the Americans with Disabilities Act, all persons hired for this position are required to possess the ability to perform the physical tasks necessary to perform all job functions, i.e., bending, floor-sitting, etc., as well as to have the ability to lift up to 50 pounds frequently.