Strategic HR Partner - Hybrid, Design Firm

Description Human Resource Business Partner Position Description The Human Resource Business Partner (HRBP) at Cushing Terrell is the day-to-day HR contact for people managers, project managers, and employees within an assigned client group. This is a hybrid or in-office role. You will carry out core HR processes with growing independence, partnering closely with the Senior HR Manager, who leads coaching and development, succession planning, organizational design, and high-risk investigations. What does this role involve day to day? You will answer manager and employee questions, support the performance management cycle, handle routine employee relations matters, check in with new hires, and pull ADP Workforce Now reports on headcount, turnover, and review completion. Because Cushing Terrell is an integrated architecture, engineering, and design firm, much of the work involves understanding project-based delivery, billable work, and how team members are staffed and shared between supervisors and project managers. What will you help build? You will help leaders hire, develop, support, and retain the teams that deliver client work. As the firm grows through acquisitions, you will also help welcome employees from firms that join Cushing Terrell, supporting Day 1 logistics and serving as a go-to HR contact during their first 100 days. Along the way, you will contribute to HR projects that turn manual processes into repeatable ones. Position Salary Range* The expected salary range for this position is $84,000 to $98,000 annually. Required Qualifications** Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business, Organizational Development, Industrial/Organizational Psychology, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience 5+ years of progressive HR experience Experience supporting employees across multiple states and geographies Working knowledge of core HR disciplines, including performance management, employee relations, and onboarding, plus federal employment law and exposure to multi-state compliance Sound judgment and discretion with confidential information, including knowing when to act and when to escalate Clear written and verbal communication, including explaining policy and process in plain language to technical professionals Proficiency with HRIS platforms such as ADP Workforce Now and Microsoft 365, including Excel for basic reporting Preferred Qualifications** SHRM-CP, SHRM-SCP, PHR, or SPHR certification Experience in professional services, architecture, engineering, design, or other project-based environments Exposure to onboarding or integrating employees from an acquired company Comfort pulling and summarizing reports and spotting trends worth raising Strong organization across multiple priorities and deadlines in a high-volume workload Steadiness through change in a firm that is growing, acquiring, and building new processes Did you know that some people hold back on applying to jobs if they don't meet 100% of the listed requirements? We don't want you to hold back! If you check most of the qualifications above and believe you could successfully do the work, we encourage you to apply! Position Responsibilities*** Serve as the first point of contact for managers and employees in your client group, answering questions clearly and promptly and escalating complex matters to the Senior HR Manager. Support the performance management cycle, including goal setting, check-ins, annual reviews, and talent calibration, tracking completion and drafting performance improvement plans for Senior HR Manager review. Guide managers and project managers on feedback, documentation, and development conversations, helping them coordinate input for the team members they share. Handle routine employee relations matters with empathy and discretion, apply policies consistently, and support workplace investigations by scheduling interviews, gathering documentation, and taking notes. Partner with Talent Acquisition and HR Operations on hiring and onboarding, check in with new hires through their first 90 days, and conduct stay and exit interviews to surface retention risks. Support the integration of employees from acquired firms, including Day 1 onboarding, policy acknowledgments, benefits enrollment communications, HRIS setup, and check-ins during their first 100 days. Pull and summarize ADP Workforce Now reports on headcount, turnover, and performance cycle completion, maintain accurate employee data, and raise trends to the Senior HR Manager. Support multi-state compliance, internal mobility, succession data, manager training, and change communications, routing compensation and leave questions to the right HR partners. Working at Cushing Terrell Cushing Terrell is a multidisciplinary design firm with 17 offices and more than 500 team members who bring together their expertise to deliver holistic built environments. Leveraging our influence as designers, we work to create sustainable systems and spaces that help people live their best lives. Why Cushing Terrell At Cushing Terrell, we empower creative designers to discover imaginative, responsible, first-of-their-kind environments. But more than that, we support a strong, cohesive team, from our design professionals to our business operations staff. Together, we champion diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging, placing people at the center of our practice, thus our tagline, 'design meets you.' Together, we find joy in uncovering imaginative solutions for the people who work here, the people we work for, and the planet as a whole. We offer a competitive benefits package, work opportunities in a variety of locations and markets, and a company culture that celebrates all the unique viewpoints and personalities that make up our talented team. View our Employee Benefits Guide: Things to Note This posting will be open through 11/3/26. Actual pay will be determined based on the candidate's years of experience, licensure status, location, level of proficiency, and other job-related factors (as permitted by law). This position is also eligible for an annual performance bonus. Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis. Cushing Terrell will not sponsor applicants for work visas. The majority of the time, a person in this role will be sitting in an office with limited physical requirements. This may require individuals to bend, stretch, twist, and reach. Cushing Terrell is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to their race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or national origin, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local laws and ordinances. Contact View phone number on click.appcast.io if you require assistance or accommodation during the employment application process. Note to recruitment agencies: Cushing Terrell does not accept unsolicited resumes from search firms or agencies. Any resume submitted to any employee of Cushing Terrell without a prior written search agreement will be considered unsolicited and the property of Cushing Terrell. #J-18808-Ljbffr Cushing Terrell