Meriton is a national team of experts driving HVAC innovation through a network of high-performing companies. From strategy and support to systems and solutions, we work behind the scenes to strengthen operations and build value—for our partners and our people.
If you’re looking to make an impact, we’re glad you’re here. At Meriton, you’ll join a team that believes in big ideas, doing great work, and building careers that matter—every step of the way.
DIRECTOR OF PEOPLE STRATEGY AND EXPERIENCE
Location: Chicago, IL
FLSA Status: Exempt
Compensation: $145,000 - $170,000
ABOUT THE COMPANY
Meriton is a national investment holding company with a portfolio of companies in the commercial HVAC industry. Founded in 2019, we believe merit has everything to do with standards and that nothing is beyond or beneath us. We base those standards around a set of values that we hold tightly to, ensuring we are building the right thing, at the right time, with the right people. We know that business is earned – never given – and that’s why we’re serious about what we do. Working together, we’ll co-create lasting growth by defining big visions and hammering down little details. Our resources streamline business processes and provide access to a network of teams with extensive industry experience.
JOB PURPOSE
This role acts as a strategic advisor to business leaders, aligning people strategies with organizational objectives to drive performance, engagement, and sustainable growth. The role leads the translation of enterprise HR strategy into business unit execution, providing expert guidance on workforce planning, organizational design, employee relations, and change management. By leveraging data-driven insights, building leadership capability, and partnering closely with Centers of Excellence, the People Business Partner ensures effective decision-making, strengthens organizational capability, and fosters a high-performing, compliant, and values-driven culture.
RESPONSIBILITIES
Compensation and Benefits Program Design
Work with Operating Companies presidents to design and deliver employee compensation structures and benefit programs; deliver elements of the technical design; provide financial, market, and legal analysis and insights; draft internal management proposals and reports.
Employee Engagement
Guide employee engagement and experience such as addressing Operating Companies issues and concerns, partnering with Operating Companies presidents on the development of employee engagement plans that foster their satisfaction.
Leadership and Direction
Identify and communicate the actions needed to implement strategy and business plan within the business area or department; explain the relationship to the broader organization's mission, vision, and values; motivate people to deliver quality work and live our core values. Identifies opportunities to develop their team and owns the development of the team's skills and knowledge.
Strategic Workforce Planning
Design and deliver complex analyses of external and internal information and analyses of complex resourcing scenarios to support the development of key strategic insights and the strategic workforce plan. Serves as the partner between Operating Companies and TA COE. Creates and updates job descriptions for new and existing roles in partnership with the COE.
Policy Execution and Implementation
Oversees the execution of policies and procedures at the Operating Company level. Partners with COE to advise the on application of policy, then monitor implementation of those procedures within the Operating Company.
HR Data Analytics and Insights
Investigate complex hypotheses, using a wide range of HR data to diagnose underlying causes of key business issues and identify opportunities to enhance employee engagement and/or improve business performance. Partners with COE to discuss hypothesis and business improvements
Transformational Change Management
Design and oversee transformational change initiatives, ensuring strategic alignment at the Operating Company level, leveraging change management to drive organizational adoption, and embedding desired cultural and behavioral shifts to achieve long-term business objectives.
Information and Business Advice
Provide expert guidance on policies and procedures, resolving high-stakes or complex issues, and shape decision-making frameworks that support leaders and strategic objectives. Provides guidance or in some cases delivers full end to end resolution of the application of policies and procedures. Collaborates with COE where needed for support.
Organizational Capability Building
Use the organization's formal development framework to identify the team's individual development needs. Identify Operating Company level needs to training and development and shares that with COE. Provide informal training or coaching to others throughout the Operating Company in own area of expertise to enable others to improve performance and fulfill personal potential.
Stakeholder Engagement
Develop stakeholder engagement by identifying stakeholders; by finding out their needs, issues, and concerns; and by reacting to these needs, issues, and concerns to support the communication of business information and decisions.
Operational Compliance
Develop and direct risk assessment and analysis, along with strategic oversight of high-risk or escalated matters. Ensure regulatory compliance, oversee internal controls, and approve policy exceptions or other high-impact decisions. Lead cross-functional resolution efforts, supporting audit readiness, and ensure strong governance and accountability across the organization. Collaborate with COE where needed for support and ask questions on policies and procedures set at that level.
Employee Relations Case Management
Investigate, and propose solutions for, very complex and/or contentious employee relations cases in liaison with line managers; coordinate the organization's response to legal cases brought by individuals; contribute to the preparation of legal submissions and ensure all parties complete casework accurately and within deadlines. Design crisis response process for high-risk cases. Owns end-to-end resolution of all employee relations cases.
Employee Preboarding and Offboarding
Provide strategic oversight for escalated preboarding and offboarding issues, providing high level decision-making support, managing risk compliance, and approving sensitive or high-impact decisions. Responsible for new hire experience and cultural assimilation. Ensures stakeholder alignment to deliver onboarding experience.
Payroll Administration
Partners with payroll specialists to handle time and payroll issues that escalate to a serious issue.
EDUCATION
Bachelor's Degree or Equivalent Experience
EXPERIENCE
6 years to 10 years of progressive HR experience, with demonstrated success as a strategic HR business partner to senior leaders.
3-6 years of leadership or managerial experience, with a proven ability to lead, influence, and develop teams while driving business objectives.
Strategic thinker with a customer-first mentality, able to translate business needs into practical people strategies while remaining hands-on and execution-focused.
Experience supporting multiple business units and geographically dispersed locations a strongly preferred.
Construction, HVAC, mechanical services or related industry experience a significant plus!
M&A/integration experience A++
Why Meriton?
- Medical Insurance, Dental Insurance, Vision Insurance
- 100% company match on 401(k) contributions, up to 6% of pay.
- Tuition Reimbursement
- Company-paid Disability insurance (short-term and long-term)
- Company-paid group life insurance
- Paid Time Off & Holidays
- Volunteer Hours
- Employee-paid supplemental insurance options
- Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
- FSA, HSA and commuter benefits options
- Paid parental leave
- Career growth and learning
- …and so much more!
NOTE: This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive. Employees may perform other related duties as negotiated to meet the ongoing needs of the organization.
Employment practices will not be influenced or affected by an applicant’s or employee’s race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, age, disability, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran status or any other legally protected status. Reasonable accommodations will be made for qualified individuals with disabilities unless doing so would result in an undue hardship.
Salary ranges listed are dependent upon a candidate’s qualifications, experience, internal equity, and the budgeted amount for the specific role and location.
Skills Required
- Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience
- 6 to 10 years of progressive HR experience
- Demonstrated success as a strategic HR business partner to senior leaders
- 3 to 6 years of leadership or managerial experience
- Ability to lead, influence, and develop teams while driving business objectives
- Strategic thinking and ability to translate business needs into practical people strategies
- Hands-on, execution-focused approach
- Experience supporting multiple business units and geographically dispersed locations
- Construction, HVAC, mechanical services, or related industry experience
- Mergers and acquisitions or integration experience
What We Do
Meriton has deep experience and a strong track record of success in the commercial HVAC industry. Our team makes long-term investments in top-tier, independent companies and brings them together to maximize our collective potential. Our portfolio has a footprint spread across 13 U.S. states between ten businesses: Air Equipment Company, CFM Company, Custom Mechanical Solutions, Engineered Equipment, Inc., HVAC RNTL, Integrated Cooling Solutions, Mechanical Products Nevada, Mechanical Products Southwest, Texas AirSystems and Vicon Equipment. For more information about our portfolio, visit our website. We are the leading network of exclusive manufacturers’ representatives in commercial and industrial HVAC equipment. Our business is driven by trusted relationships with manufacturer partners, building owners, contractors, engineers, and architects. At Meriton, our name embodies our team spirit and collaborative approach. It’s a combination of the words “merit” and “peloton”. Our company's legacy is rooted in the idea of 'merit' representing the hard work we put in to earn every win. Peloton, refers to cyclists who ride closely together to save energy and reduce wind resistance to help each other perform better in a race. That’s what we do here. Ride as a team. Reduce headwinds. Help each other grow, build and win. At Meriton we're Accelerating Excellence every day.
