Human Resources Business Partner

Job Description

Job Title: Human Resources Business Partner

Department: People & Culture

Reports To: SVP of People & Culture

Classification: Regular Full-Time

FLSA Status: Salary, Exempt

Work Location: Colchester, Vermont

Cellular Phone Reimbursement Eligible: Yes

Prepared Date: August 2024

Summary

The HR Business Partner is responsible for providing comprehensive HR support across the organization, including consultation on policies, compensation, benefits, and talent management. This role involves managing daily HR operations, facilitating recruitment, overseeing compensation and benefits administration, handling employee relations, and ensuring compliance with employment laws. The HR Business Partner will work closely with management and staff to foster a positive work environment, implement HR programs, and drive process improvements.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

HR Consultation & Support

• Provides effective advice and counsel to directors, managers, and staff on HR policies, procedures, and related state and federal laws.
• Acts as the primary HR support representative for assigned departments, providing guidance on complex issues.
• Communicates regularly with managers on critical HR matters and offers advice on compensation and performance management.
• Generates and analyzes HR reports to provide insights on key metrics such as turnover, demographics, performance and engagement.
• Manages routine HR tasks including compensation, benefits, leave administration, and employee relations.
• Identifies and implements process improvements to enhance HR operations and user experience.

Compensation, Benefits and Leave Administration

• Administers compensation programs, including base pay, incentives, and bonuses.
• Assists with the development and maintenance of salary structures, ensuring internal equity and market competitiveness.
• Evaluates job descriptions and conducts market analyses for proper job classification and salary grading.
• Supports employees with benefit enrollments and navigating leave of absence benefits including Workers' Compensation, Family Medical Leave Act, Long Term Disability, Americans with Disabilities Act, work restrictions, and accommodations.

Talent Acquisition

• Manages the recruitment process, participates in interviews, and collaborates with managers to understand the skills and competencies required for open positions.
• Oversees background checks, employee eligibility verifications, and employment documentation.
• Develops and maintains search plans, applicant flow log and other statistical data related to the FCC annual public file report.
• Partners with hiring managers to coordinate new hire onboarding, orientation, and benefits information sessions.
• Maintains organizational charts for assigned departments.

Employee Relations & Policy Implementation

• Handles sensitive employee relations issues requiring analysis, creative problem-solving, and confidentiality with union and non-union teams.
• Escalates complex matters to SVP of People & Culture.
• Partners with managers on disciplinary actions and terminations, and conducts investigations as needed.
• Assists with the development and execution of HR policies and collective bargaining agreements.

Performance Management

• Oversees performance management systems, including setting objectives, conducting evaluations, and managing Performance Improvement Plans (PIPs). Monitor progress and work with managers to adjust plans as needed to ensure success.
• Provides guidance to managers on setting performance objectives, conducting evaluations, and delivering feedback.

Development & Engagement

• Supports organizational change efforts and executes training programs for management and staff on various HR topics including benefits administration, change management, manager training, DEIB programming, performance reviews, and employee development.
• Tracks compliance with training programs.
• Fosters a positive organizational culture by promoting open communication, collaboration, and transparency across all levels of the organization.
• Assists in the development and implementation of employee recognition programs to celebrate achievements, milestones, and contributions.

Compliance

• Ensures accurate employee records and compliance with federal, state, and local employment laws.
• Assists with audits and compliance documentation, and develops standard procedures.

Professional Development

• Maintains knowledge of trends, best practices, regulatory changes, and new technologies in human resources, talent management, and employment law.
• Participates in professional development activities to stay informed on HR trends and best practices.
• Builds and maintains relationships within the Vermont HR community.
• Participates in station fundraising activities as needed.
• Other duties as assigned

Supervisory Responsibilities: May supervise HR intern(s)

Excellence in this Organization

• A high level of commitment and dedication to the mission of the organization and public media.
• Ability to cultivate and develop inclusive and equitable working relationships with co-workers and audience, supporting and enhancing a culture of belonging.
• Preserving confidentiality appropriately.
• Serving as an excellent ambassador for the organization, both formally and informally. Helping audience and potential audience members, donors, and potential donors connect with the organization.
• Facilitating excellent communications across departments, among employees, and with the public. Fostering open and candid relationships with Vermont Public audience and donors. Managing conflict constructively.
• Demonstrating a commitment to the continuous improvement of the organization's ability to fulfill its mission and vision.
• Demonstrating and encouraging creativity and enthusiasm for this work.
• Expressing consistent, high-performance expectations for themselves, their department, the leadership, and the organization itself.
• Developing a broad understanding of the organization's departments, programs, and services to assist donors, collaborate effectively with peers, ensure respectful communication and teamwork among departments

Position Requirements

Education and Experience

We seek an HR Business Partner who excels in delivering exceptional HR customer service and demonstrates strong collaboration, strategic thinking, and problem-solving skills. The ideal candidate will effectively engage with diverse constituents at all organizational levels, approach policies and procedures with a people-centric mindset, and thrive in a transformational environment.

• Minimum of 3 years of experience in Human Resources.
• Proven experience in position analysis and classification, employment, recruiting, compensation strategies, policy interpretation, and employee relations.
• Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, access, inclusion, and belonging.
• Demonstrated ability to maintain confidentiality, manage multiple priorities, and use sound judgment in complex situations.
• Strong business acumen with experience in staffing, financial metrics, and data analysis.
• SHRM PHR/SPHR, SHRM-CP/SCP, or equivalent certification (preferred or willingness to obtain within two years).

Skills:

• Exceptional interpersonal, organizational, and customer service skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to build and maintain successful cross-functional relationships.
• Proficient in Windows and Google environments, including Word, PowerPoint, Excel, SharePoint, Google Suite: Docs, Sheets, Slides, as well as Zoom and Slack.

There are a few other qualifications we would view as incredibly helpful in this role, to include:

• Strong familiarity with Human Resources Information Systems (HRIS), specifically ADP Workforce Now.
• Experience or background working in Public Media

Working Conditions

Work is normally performed in a climate-controlled office environment with moderate noise levels (computers, telephones, etc.). No known environmental hazards are encountered in the normal performance of job duties.

Physical Demands

Work involves standing and walking for brief periods, bending, and filing, but most duties are from a seated position. There is potential for eyestrain from reading detailed materials on a computer screen. Deadlines, workloads during peak periods, and changing priorities may cause increased stress levels. Work requires finger dexterity and eye-hand coordination to operate computer keyboards at a moderate skill level.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Please note: This is not an all-encompassing statement of this position's responsibilities. While it attempts to be comprehensive, new responsibilities may be assigned to this position at any time.

Vermont Public is a proud equal-opportunity employer. We work diligently to recruit a broad pool of candidates and to hire and promote qualified individuals whose personal experiences, characteristics, and talents reasonably reflect the diversity of the communities served by Vermont Public. Our equal employment opportunities apply to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training. We encourage applications from women, minority groups, veterans, and people with disabilities.

Application

For full consideration, please include a cover letter with your resume and application.

This position is based out of our Colchester, VT office and is eligible for hybrid (in-office 3 days/week) work contingent upon manager approval and successful performance.