Human Resource Business Partner

HUMAN RESOURCES BUSINESS PARTNER, CENTRAL OFFICE
Chicago Public Schools (CPS) is one of the largest school districts in the United States, serving over
320,000 students in more than 600 schools and employing nearly 40,000 people, most of them teachers.
CPS has set ambitious goals to ensure that every student, in every school and every neighborhood, has
access to a world-class learning experience that prepares each for success in college, career and civic life.
In order to fulfill this mission, we make three commitments to our students, their families and all
Chicagoans: academic progress, financial stability and integrity. Six core values are embedded within
these commitments student-centered, whole child, equity, academic excellence, community partnership,
and continuous learning.
The Talent Office supports and empowers employees through all stages of their Chicago Public Schools
(CPS) careers, with the understanding that the department's success enables employees to better serve the
students of Chicago.
Job Summary:
Reporting to the Human Resources Manager, the Human Resources Business Partner (HRBP) provides
support to a portfolio of Central Office and Citywide departments across Chicago Public Schools (CPS).
This position plays a critical role in supporting strategic priorities and operational functions in areas such as
compensation, employee relations, talent management, and workforce planning. Additionally, the HRBP is
instrumental in implementing new and impactful HR programs, policies and processes that embrace
diversity, foster inclusion and promote equity (i.e. DEI) throughout CPS.
This role is based at the Central Office located at 42 W. Madison St.
The Human Resource Business Partner will be held accountable for the following responsibilities:
Serve as the primary contact providing counsel and consultative support to an assigned portfolio of
Central Office and Citywide departments, internal partners, and employee populations across all
levels of the organization
Develop an in-depth knowledge of the assigned portfolio and provide differentiated support to meet
the departments' unique needs
Partner with portfolio hiring managers to review, create and refine accurate, comprehensive job
descriptions and support effective, DEI-rooted hiring processes
Act as a thought partner to portfolio leaders to diagnose departmental and organizational
challenges and develop and implement strategies to resolve issues
Partner with the portfolio leaders, HR Director and the Office of Administrative Hearings to
effectively and proactively resolve employee relations issues, HR investigations, disciplinary
proceedings and other performance management processes for union and non-union staff
Collaborate with the compensation and organizational design team to manage staff organization
analysis for central office, school-based, and citywide staff to ensure the optimization of talent and
resources; provide support in the event of layoffs, as needed
HUMAN RESOURCES BUSINESS PARTNER, CENTRAL OFFICE
Coach, train and advise managers and staff regarding employee relations, talent management
and human resources issues using sound judgment and ensuring counsel is in line with Board
of Education policies and applicable laws/regulations
Effectively manage relationships with stakeholders and escalate issues to the HR Manager
and other senior leaders as needed
Guide and support staff in following Talent processes and procedures related to position
management, job descriptions and postings, etc., and in the use of related HR systems including
our HRIS (PeopleSoft), applicant tracking (Taleo)
Support HRIS, Oracle and Taleo data integrity and accuracy by operating with high levels
of attention to detail and facilitating regular data cleanups
Analyze and interpret policies, law changes, and procedures to ensure compliance with regulatory
requirements
Aid in the implementation and administration of centralized processes supporting the
employee lifecycle, such as onboarding/orientation, exit interview, and offboarding process, for
Central Office and Citywide departments
Recommend and implement operational improvements to streamline internal HR processes,
increase efficiency, and foster a fair and equitable work environment
Provide analytical expertise, guidance, and interpretation of varied compensation policies to
departments across the organization
Support CPS compensation guidelines, including job evaluation, job grading and analysis to
provide fair and equitable salary recommendations for internal and external candidates
Create offer letters communicating approved job offers, as well as position and/or compensation
changes
Partner with the HR Manager and other HR Leadership on project management as needed,
including determining strategic priorities, defining project scope, objectives and deliverables,
and leading change management when necessary
Identify opportunities for continuous improvement in order to increase organizational, team,
and individual performance
Perform additional ad hoc duties and projects as assigned
In order to be successful and achieve the above responsibilities, the Human Resources Business
Partner must possess the following qualifications:
Education Required:
Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university required
HR Certification (PHR/SPHR, SHRM-CP/SHRM-SCP) preferred
Experience Required:
HUMAN RESOURCES BUSINESS PARTNER, CENTRAL OFFICE
Minimum of five (5) years of strategic, high-volume human resources business partner or
generalist-level experience in a fast-paced work environment is required
Project management experience and proven record of building strategic HR systems and
programs is preferred
Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:
Strong knowledge of human resources practices and state and federal labor and employment laws
Dedicated, entrepreneurial self-starter with excellent project management skills and a drive to
succeed
Impeccable judgment, integrity, curiosity and professionalism; strong regard for confidentiality, and
the ability to employ sound reasoning to make quick determinations in challenging situations
Excellent critical thinking skills; ability to make sound decisions, and discern when a matter
should be escalated to the next level.
Motivated, energetic, critical-thinker and problem-solver who is highly organized
Comfortable with ambiguity and establishing a direction on one's own, with frequent support but
without requiring constant supervision
Ability to initiate, build, and manage cohesive partnerships and professional relationships at all levels
of the organization both internally and externally
Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to facilitate/present
information to audiences at all levels of the organization, gearing communication toward the target
audience; ability to communicate at a high level with an impeccable detail orientation and a focus on
customer service and relationships
Excellent active listening skills; capable of understanding nuance, and effectively interpreting
motivations/perceptions
Ability to analyze a problem/question, prioritize, and determine the level of intervention or
escalation necessary
Excellent time management skills; Highly organized and capable of keeping track of upcoming,
ongoing, and prior work products
Capable of quickly adapting to shifting priorities and deadlines, managing multiple varied projects
simultaneously in a high-volume, fast-paced environment
Ability to build and create data, analyze statistics, identify trends, and proactively make balanced,
objective recommendations and realistic action plans to achieve maximum results
Strong leadership presence and ability to influence and gain the confidence of others
Able to integrate feedback from others to achieve better results and departmental success
Conditions of Employment
As a condition of employment with the Chicago Public Schools (CPS), employees are required to:
Establish/Maintain Chicago Residency - Employees are required to live within the geographic
HUMAN RESOURCES BUSINESS PARTNER, CENTRAL OFFICE
boundaries of the City of Chicago within six months of their CPS hire date and maintain residency
throughout their employment with the district. The Chicago residency requirement does not apply
to temporary/part-time positions, however, all CPS employees must be residents of Illinois.

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