HR Manager

About the ABF

The American Bar Foundation (ABF) is an independent, not-for-profit, 501(c)(3) research institute that expands knowledge and advances justice through rigorous empirical research on law, legal processes, and legal institutions. The ABF's primary sources of funding are an annual grant from the American Bar Endowment (ABE) and contributions by the Fellows of the ABF – a global honorary society of attorneys, judges, faculty, and scholars whose careers have demonstrated outstanding dedication to the highest principles of the legal profession. The ABF offices are located on Northwestern University’s Chicago campus in Streeterville.

Position Overview

The Human Resources (HR) Manager will manage the people/human resources functions of the ABF. This position reports to the COO and can expect to take direction from the Executive Director/CEO. The HR Manager partners with other leaders on all aspects of the employee lifecycle. The ABF Community consists of approximately 55 hybrid employees (full- and part-time) across three states (IL, NY, AZ) and several affiliated researchers.

Key Responsibilities

People Operations (80%)

• Liaise with the American Bar Association (ABA) to ensure accurate and timely payroll and benefits administration.
• Monitor regulatory changes and maintain staff and faculty handbooks and policies, in partnership with the COO and external counsel.
• Oversee 403(b) retirement plan administration and compliance, including preparing for first audit and implementing Board-approved governance guide. Serve as staff liaison to the ABF Board Retirement Plan Oversight Committee.
• Coordinate with other departments to support staff performance, evaluation, training, compensation, and professional development opportunities.
• Lead staff recruitment, onboarding, retention, and offboarding efforts. Coordinate onboarding and offboarding for faculty and non-employee affiliates.
• Lead bimonthly administrative staff meetings.
• Serve as staff liaison to the ABF Board Executive Compensation Committee.
• Manage HR vendor relationships, invoices, and budget.

Organizational Culture (20%)

In addition to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in all areas above:

• Serve as staff chair of the Holistic Opportunities for Meaningful Engagement (HOME) Committee (3 faculty, 3 staff) to assess climate, improve operational policies, etc.
• Serve as a member of the Social Committee to plan events for the ABF community.
• Serve as staff liaison to the ABF Board Opportunity and Belonging Committee.
• Encourage employees to provide continuous feedback and improve interdepartmental collaboration.
• Stay abreast of trends and best practices in nonprofit people and change management.

Other duties not listed above may be required of this position.

Required Qualifications

• 3+ years of HR experience, including budget management.
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience.
• Proficient in Microsoft 365 (Word, Excel, Outlook, SharePoint, OneDrive, PowerPoint, Teams).
• Proven track record of advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion within organizations.
• Outstanding organizational ability, attention to detail, collaboration, accurate communication, initiative, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and discretion in all areas of ABF business.
• Basic quantitative data entry, reporting, analysis, and interpretation skills.
• Illinois residency and U.S. work authorization required throughout employment. Please note that the ABF does not have the institutional capacity to sponsor visas, and we are unable to advise on individual visa matters.

Preferred Qualifications

• SHRM, PHR, compensation, and/or benefits certification.
• Advanced degree in HR, nonprofit management, legal, or related field.
• Experience with Dayforce, TIAA, and/or BambooHR platforms.
• Experience working at a small- to mid-sized nonprofit and/or academic institution in Illinois.

Work Structure and Environment

This is a full-time (35 hours per week), exempt position. Close mental and visual attention are required, primarily for using a computer and/or extensive reading. ABF employees are expected to work at the ABF offices at least 40% of their workweek and to work within the state of Illinois during the other times. Standard work hours are Monday through Friday, 9:00 am to 5:00 pm CT, with a one-hour lunch period. Occasional work outside of these hours may be expected based on business needs. Out-of-state travel is not required for this position.

Full-time administrative staff benefits include:

• 35-hour work week, plus early-dismissal Summer Fridays
• Flexible work scheduling and/or compensatory time
• 403(b) retirement plan with automatic employer contribution AND employer match
• 16+ holidays, including a weeklong winter recess; 15 vacation days; 10 sick days; paid leave as needed (e.g., FMLA, short- and long-term disability)
• Medical and dental (BCBS-IL) and vision (UnitedHealthCare) insurance - beginning on the 1st of the month after 30 days of employment
• Flexible spending account (FSA) or health savings account (HSA)
• Transit and parking benefits, including discounted parking
• Life insurance
• Legal assistance plan
• Other perks offered by the ABF and Northwestern University

English - written and verbal fluency