People Experience Manager

Husch Blackwell LLP is a full-service litigation and business law firm with multiple locations across the United States, serving clients with domestic and international operations.

At Husch Blackwell we believe that diverse, equitable and inclusive teams lead to better outcomes. Husch Blackwell is committed to retaining, recruiting, developing, and promoting talented lawyers and business professionals with diverse backgrounds and experiences. We foster an engaged, diverse, and inclusive team culture of accountability and purpose that makes our Firm and our communities better.

Our firm is committed to attracting and retaining professionals who value each other and the service we provide by embracing Teamwork, Collaboration, Client Service, and Innovation. If you are a motivated professional looking for a long-term fit where you can grow in a role, and will be valued and empowered, then we invite you to apply to our People Experience Manager position. This position is open in our Austin, Kansas City, Milwaukee, Omaha, or St. Louis office locations in a hybrid capacity. 

The People Experience Manager will lead and develop a team of People Business Partners serving our business professionals, ensuring strategic alignment between HR initiatives and the business objectives of the different functional business units. Reporting to the Director of People Experience, this manager will provide guidance, mentorship, and oversight to PBPs, drive continuous improvement in people practices, and serve as a key partner to C-suite leaders. In addition to team leadership and alignment, this role will also support clients themselves. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in HR leadership, strategic business partnering, and experience working with legal or professional services teams. Essential functions include:

Team Leadership 

• Lead, coach, and develop the Business Professional PBP team, fostering a high-performing, collaborative, and inclusive culture.
• Provide regular feedback, coaching, and professional development opportunities to PBPs.
• Set clear goals and performance expectations for the team; monitor progress and provide guidance to ensure excellence in service delivery.
• Serve as an escalation point for complex or sensitive employee relations and business partnership matters, partnering with our CoE teams as needed and keeping the Director, People Experience informed of key and complex matters.
• Ensure consistency and quality in the delivery of all PBP responsibilities, including talent strategy, workforce planning, performance management, compensation support, and change management.
• Act as a trusted advisor to senior legal leadership, understanding business priorities and translating them into effective people strategies and support needs.
• Partner with the Director of People Experience and other HR leaders to align people strategies with broader organizational goals helping to ensure we are working on the highest impact work.
• Support PBPs in navigating complex organizational changes, talent initiatives, and workforce planning .
• Provide thought leadership and innovative solutions to address emerging talent and organizational challenges.
• Oversee the execution and continuous improvement of key HR processes delivered by PBPs, including performance management, engagement surveys, succession planning, and offboarding.
• Identify opportunities to streamline, standardize, and enhance people processes and programs across all business professionals.
• Effectively collaborate with HR Centers of Excellence (e.g., Talent Acquisition, Compensation, Learning & Development) and the Legal PBP team to ensure effective implementation of people programs and initiatives.
• Guide PBPs in leveraging data and analytics to drive decisions, track progress, and measure the impact of people initiatives.
• Analyze people metrics and trends within the legal unit to identify risks, opportunities, and areas for intervention.
• Prepare and present reports to leadership, providing actionable insights and recommendations.

Talent Strategy & PBP Client Support 

• Strategic Collaboration: Partner with senior leadership to develop and implement talent strategies that align with the organization's objectives and unit-specific goals. 
• Workforce Planning: Lead initiatives in workforce planning, talent assessments, succession planning, and unit restructuring to ensure the organization has the right talent in place to meet organizational objectives. 
• Change Management: Provide coaching and support to managers, partners, and employees (including timekeepers and business professionals) during periods of organizational change, ensuring smooth transitions and alignment with company culture and unit needs. 
• Policy Application: Provide guidance on company policies, procedures, and resources available to support unit/employee needs. 
• Performance Management Leadership: Drive a consistent, fair, and data-informed performance management framework by coaching managers on effective feedback, supporting employee development and Performance Improvement Plans (PIPs), monitoring progress through regular check-ins, analyzing performance trends, and continuously sharing insights to align performance strategies with organizational needs.
• Employee Engagement: Track and report on unit engagement results, partnering with leadership to develop action plans to address largest areas of need to improve the employment experience. 
• Conflict Resolution & Employee Relations: Provide consultative employee relations support through coaching and mediation, addressing workplace concerns, resolving conflicts, maintaining thorough documentation, connecting employees to appropriate resources, and escalating complex issues to the Employee Relations team as needed.
• Compensation Support & Planning: Partner with HR Ops, Finance, and leaders to support equitable and performance aligned compensation programs by guiding merit and bonus processes, ensuring internal equity and transparency, addressing concerns, and continuously improving compensation planning and communication through feedback and collaboration.
• Employee Departures & Offboarding: Lead end to end offboarding by coordinating exit processes, conducting exit interviews, analyzing turnover trends, delivering actionable insights to senior leaders, and partnering with the People team to continuously improve retention strategies and the departing employee experience.

Cross-Functional Collaboration & Special Projects

• Represent the Business Professional PBPs in cross-functional HR projects and initiatives, ensuring the unique needs of the legal function are addressed.
• Lead or contribute to enterprise-wide HR projects as assigned by the Director of People Experience.

POSITION REQUIREMENTS

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or related field required; Master’s degree or HR certification (e.g., SHRM-SCP, SPHR) preferred or commensurate professional and educational experience.
• 10+ years of progressive HR experience, with at least 3 years in a people management or HR leadership role.
• Experience partnering with senior leaders in the legal or professional services industries, strongly preferred.
• Proven ability to lead, coach, and develop HR professionals.
• Deep expertise in talent management, workforce planning, employee relations, and change management.
• Strong business acumen with the ability to align people strategies to business objectives.
• Excellent interpersonal, communication, and relationship-building skills.
• Demonstrated ability to influence and advise senior leaders and stakeholders.
• Analytical mindset with experience leveraging data to drive outcomes and continuous improvement.
• Strong project management and organizational skills; ability to manage multiple priorities in a dynamic environment.
• Commitment to confidentiality, integrity, and ethical HR practices.
• Adaptable, proactive, and solutions-oriented approach.

The above is intended to describe the general content of and requirements for the performance of this job. It is not to be construed as an exhaustive statement of essential functions, responsibilities, or requirements. The Firm will provide reasonable accommodations as necessary to allow an individual with a disability to apply for and/or perform the essential functions of a position.  If you need assistance to accommodate a disability, please contact HR.

Please include a cover letter and resume when applying.

EOE/Minority/Female/Disabled/Vet. Principal Applicants Only.

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Qualifications Education Preferred Masters or better. Bachelors or better. Experience Required Experience in a people management or HR leadership role Progressive HR experience Proven ability to lead, coach, and develop HR professionals. Deep expertise in talent management, workforce planning, employee relations, and change management. Excellent interpersonal, communication, and relationship-building skills. Preferred Experience partnering with senior leaders in the legal or professional services industries. Equal Opportunity Employer
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