Human Resources Business Partner

Description

ABOUT STRONGWARD

Strongward is a long-term disaster recovery organization. We exist to transform disaster from tragedy to strength, equipping hardest-hit homeowners and communities with the capacity to emerge stronger than before. Our services are currently offered across eight states in the South, with active rebuilding sites in New Orleans and communities across Florida.

• Safe Homes: We partner with disaster-impacted homeowners to rebuild homes, restore stability, and create a path forward through our Recovery Services. We help families return home faster, and we strengthen their homes against the next storm. We provide hands-on support in navigating and appealing disaster funding decisions that shape the recovery of hardest-hit homeowners with the fewest resources.
• Stronger Communities: Through our Advisory Services, we help under-resourced, high-risk communities build local capacity before and after disaster. Our team of subject-matter experts and Resilience Fellows provides training, consulting, and hands-on support so local leaders can build knowledge and recovery systems that stay in place long after outside support ends.

Joining Strongward is more than just joining a workforce. Many organizations focus on the immediate aftermath, when attention and funding peak. Strongward is one of the few disaster recovery organizations built specifically for the long aftermath. We work in the silence after the cameras leave, and we stay until the work is done.

Position Summary

The Human Resources Business Partner serves as a strategic and hands-on partner to leaders, managers, and employees, helping translate organizational priorities into consistent, effective, and values-aligned people practices. This role provides guidance across the employee lifecycle, including employee relations, workforce planning, talent acquisition, onboarding, performance management, HR operations, compliance, compensation support, learning and development, engagement, and retention.

As a trusted advisor and coach, the HR Business Partner supports managers in navigating complex people matters, strengthening team effectiveness, and applying policies and practices with sound judgment, discretion, and consistency. The position uses workforce data, HR metrics, and practical problem-solving to identify opportunities, reduce employment-related risk, improve HR processes, and contribute to a positive, inclusive employee experience that advances Strongward’s mission.

Requirements

Key Responsibilities and Duties

Strategic HR Partnership

• Serve as a trusted advisor, coach, and thought partner to managers on employee relations, organizational effectiveness, talent strategy, and change management.
• Partner with leaders to assess workforce needs, organizational structure, staffing plans, capacity, and future talent requirements.
• Support organizational design, role clarity, team transitions, restructuring efforts, and change communication in partnership with HR leadership.
• Build strong, collaborative relationships across the organization to understand workforce needs and provide practical, values-aligned HR guidance.
• Partner with HR leadership to use workforce data, HR metrics, and trends to identify opportunities, inform decisions, and recommend proactive solutions.

Employee Relations, Compliance, and HR Operations

• Provide guidance on employee relations matters, conflict resolution, policy interpretation, and performance concerns with discretion, consistency, and sound judgment.
• Conduct or support workplace investigations, document findings, recommend appropriate next steps, and escalate employment-related risks as needed.
• Support HR compliance by reviewing, updating, implementing, and communicating policies, required trainings, documentation practices, and employment-related processes.
• Partner with HR leadership, legal counsel, and managers as appropriate to identify, mitigate, and resolve employment-related risk.
• Support leave of absence, accommodation, workers’ compensation, benefits, and employee health or safety matters in partnership with HR leadership and external partners.
• Collaborate with HR peers and people managers to support smooth HR operations, including onboarding, offboarding, payroll coordination, HR systems, employee records, and process improvements.

Recruitment, Hiring, and Onboarding

• Partner with leaders and hiring managers to develop and implement talent acquisition strategies that attract diverse, qualified, and mission-aligned candidates.
• Support recruitment processes, including job description development, job postings, candidate screening, interview coordination, selection support, and candidate communications.
• Coordinate onboarding activities to ensure new employees experience a welcoming, organized, and inclusive transition into the organization.

Compensation, Performance, and Talent Development

• Partner with HR leadership to support compensation strategies, market benchmarking, job pricing, annual merit processes, bonus cycles, and fair pay-for-performance practices.
• Support the annual performance management process by helping leaders apply fair, consistent, and goal-aligned practices.
• Help leaders identify, develop, and retain talent through learning opportunities, coaching, feedback practices, and employee development support.
• Support talent review, succession planning, retention planning, and development conversations to strengthen internal talent pipelines and organizational readiness.
• Support employee experience, engagement, inclusion, and belonging initiatives that strengthen culture and reinforce organizational values.
• Partner with leaders to interpret engagement feedback and develop practical action plans that improve team effectiveness and employee experience.

HR Projects and Continuous Improvement

• Lead or support cross-functional HR initiatives, process improvements, audits, and implementation projects that strengthen HR programs and employee experience.
• Develop, improve, and document HR workflows, tools, templates, and communication materials to support consistent and scalable people practices.

Requirements and Qualifications

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Organizational Development, or a related field required; equivalent experience may be considered.
• SHRM-CP, SHRM-SCP, PHR, SPHR, or related HR certification preferred.

Work Experience

• Seven to ten years of progressive human resources experience, including responsibility for employee relations, HR operations, compliance, performance management, talent acquisition, and talent support.
• Experience advising managers, resolving employee relations matters, interpreting HR policies, conducting or supporting workplace investigations, and promoting fair, consistent, and compliant people practices.
• Experience supporting workforce planning, organizational design, change management, talent review, succession planning, retention planning, or employee development initiatives preferred.
• Experience supporting talent acquisition, including job description development, candidate screening, interview coordination, hiring manager partnership, inclusive selection practices, and onboarding.
• Experience with compensation practices, market benchmarking, merit and bonus cycles, learning and development, employee engagement, engagement action planning, and talent management preferred.
• Experience supporting leave of absence, accommodations, workers’ compensation, benefits, employee health or safety matters, and employment-related risk mitigation preferred.
• Nonprofit, disaster recovery, mission-driven, or multi-state workforce experience preferred.

Technical Skills and Proficiency

• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite, including Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, and Teams.
• Experience using HRIS, payroll, applicant tracking, and data management systems; Paylocity experience preferred.
• Ability to analyze HR metrics, workforce data, and trends to inform decisions, strengthen processes, and recommend proactive solutions.
• Working knowledge of federal, state, and local employment laws, HR compliance requirements, employee records management, recruiting workflows, and performance management processes.

Core Competencies (Soft Skills)

• Trusted advisor and coach with the ability to build strong, collaborative relationships with leaders, managers, employees, and external partners.
• Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills, with the ability to provide clear guidance, resolve concerns, and support effective working relationships.
• Strong judgment, discretion, and confidentiality when handling sensitive employee, candidate, compensation, and workplace information.
• Strong problem-solving, conflict-resolution, analytical, and decision-making skills, with the ability to navigate complex situations with empathy and accountability.
• Highly organized, flexible, resourceful, and collaborative, with the ability to manage multiple priorities in a dynamic, mission-driven environment.
• Commitment to inclusion, belonging, equitable practices, employee experience, continuous learning, and Strongward’s mission and values.

Special Requirements

• Must be authorized to work in the United States.
• Must successfully complete required background checks, including criminal history, sex offender registry, state, and FBI checks, as applicable.
• Ability to work effectively in a hybrid environment with regular in-office presence and remote work opportunities.
• Occasional travel may be required for staff events, leadership meetings, trainings, or organizational priorities.

Salary Range:  $75,000 - $90,000

Strongward is building a team with a broad range of backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives.

We value fresh perspectives and believe our teams grow stronger when they include different experiences. We adhere to all relevant employment laws and do not discriminate in hiring. By welcoming people from varied backgrounds, we spark new ideas and are better prepared to support the communities we serve.

Strongward is an equal opportunity employer.

All applicants will be considered without discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, pregnancy, religion, age, national origin, genetic information, disability, military status, familial status, political affiliation, or any other characteristic protected by law.