Human Resources Manager

Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP is one of the world’s leading international law firms. Established in 1884, the Firm has approximately 2,000 lawyers and is headquartered in New York, with offices in Beijing, Boston, Brussels, Chicago, Dallas, Hong Kong, Houston, London, Los Angeles, Luxembourg, Palo Alto, San Francisco, São Paulo, Tokyo, and Washington, D.C. The Firm provides coordinated legal advice and transactional capabilities to clients around the globe.

Our Washington, D.C. office strengthens the Firm’s ability to serve clients in the Nation’s Capital. Our transactional attorneys offer the expertise of an elite Wall Street law firm from offices located in the heart of Washington, D.C. In addition, many of our partners bring significant government experience and help clients navigate complex regulatory reviews, investigations, and high-profile litigation matters. More than 190 D.C.-based lawyers work on integrated teams across the Firm’s 15 global offices, bringing the full strength of the Firm to clients on capital markets transactions, banking and credit transactions, M&A transactions, private, registered and retail fund formation, tax matters, governance and compliance matters, competition matters, government and internal investigations, and international regulatory and compliance matters.

The Human Resources Manager plays a key role in managing the strategic administration and daily operations of the HR function in the Washington, D.C. office.  This position directly supervises the Senior HR Specialist in the D.C. office and partners closely with the broader HR team in New York to support all critical employee life-cycle processes.

Responsibilities

• Partner with the Director of Administration and Firmwide HR on the implementation and standardization of Firm policies, procedures, and general HR operations of the D.C. office.

• Serve as a resource for HR-related needs by providing guidance on HR policies and information on programs, services, and best practices.

• Manage day-to-day HR issues in the office in consultation with the Director of Administration and New York HR when needed.

• Assist with the annual performance review process, soliciting feedback from attorneys and managers for all staff, following up to ensure that appraisals are returned in a timely manner, and working with Director of Administration to prepare final evaluations.

• In partnership with Employee Relations and the Director of Administration, manage and resolve complex employee relations issues including conducting effective, thorough, and objective employee investigations.

• Partner with professional staff Talent Acquisition to manage hiring needs and the recruitment of professional staff, paralegals, and non-Partner attorneys.

• Manage new hire orientation, onboarding, and offboarding for professional staff and non-Partner attorneys and provide support throughout the entire employee life cycle.

• Work closely with Senior HR Specialist on all Workday transactions for former, current, and newly hired employees; oversee changes and collaborate with payroll and Workday Support Group to communicate changes in employee information.

• Partner with Senior HR Specialist to maintain accurate and updated documentation and data in HR related systems including Workday, iManage and SharePoint.

• Collaborate with Senior HR Specialist on key administrative processes including creating and maintaining all D.C. personnel files, and processing unemployment claims, garnishments, and other forms according to Firm policy as needed.

• Manage annual office programs such as Flu Shots, Staff Appreciation Week, the Health Fair, and the Holiday Party. Foster a positive and productive workplace culture.

• Oversee the Sexual Harassment Prevention Training for D.C. office, ensuring compliance with District of Columbia law.

• Stay current on D.C. employment laws, ensure legal compliance and notify all necessary parties to ensure labor law posting requirements are met.  Collaborate with HR Compliance team as needed.

• Respond to questions regarding employee records, basic benefits, HR-supported events and programs, and direct inquiries to appropriate team members when necessary.

• Work with the Firmwide HR team to ensure that the D.C. office is in compliance with firm practices and procedures.

• Assist the Director of Administration with the budget process and other assigned projects.

• Perform other duties as assigned.

Required Skills

• 5+ years of experience in a professional services environment, preferably in a large organization.

• 5+ years of experience in human resources or related field; 4-6 years of experience as a Human Resource Generalist preferred.

• Demonstrated experience in people management and employee relations, as well as knowledge of the principles, practices, and procedures of HR management and employment law.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

• Ability to exercise tact, discretion, and strong judgment to maintain the highest level of confidentiality regarding personnel information.

• Strong collaborative leadership and management skills, with a demonstrated ability to work effectively in a team environment.

• Ability to develop and maintain positive working relationships and advise employees on all office-related matters.

• High degree of flexibility and adaptability, with the ability to manage and support change in a fast-paced environment.

• Client-focused approach and the ability to provide professional, high-quality customer service.

• Strong attention to detail.

• Ability to manage multiple projects, work independently, prioritize workload, and meet deadlines in a high-pressure environment.

• Proactive approach to problem-solving and strong decision-making skills.

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office tools, including Word, Outlook Excel and PowerPoint. 

• Familiarity with HRIS systems; prior experience with Workday preferred.

Education

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent years of experience required; degree in Human Resources, Business or related field preferred

• Certification in HR (PHR, SPHR, SHRM-CP, SHRM-SCP) preferred

DC Only: The estimated base salary range for this position is $150,000 to $180,000 at the time of posting.