HR Manager

About One Million Degrees:

One Million Degrees accelerates community college students’ progress on career pathways to economic mobility.

Over 60% of students who start community college do not complete a degree or successfully transfer to a four-year institution. However, 84% of jobs in the US require skills training beyond high school. OMD’s holistic support model is designed to support community college students as they work toward degrees and careers. From tutors and coaches to financial assistance and professional development, OMD helps community college students succeed in school, work, and life, transforming their futures and the futures of those around them for generations.

The OMD student support model is rooted in evaluation and evidence: A randomized controlled trial conducted with the University of Chicago Inclusive Economy Lab shows that OMD scholars are 70% more likely to enroll, 94% more likely to persist, 73% more likely to earn a degree.

Currently, OMD serves scholars in all 7 of the City Colleges of Chicago (CCC) and is scaling to reach over 3000 community college scholars by 2026 through our unique partnership with CCC. In addition to direct services, OMD partners with employers across industries to build on-ramps to in-demand jobs through internships and apprenticeships, and supports institutions nationwide to design and implement models of holistic student support.

Through this growing body of work, OMD continues to have a profound impact in Chicagoland while becoming a national model for sustainable, scalable, and systemic change.

OMD Values:

OMD is deeply committed to our core values, as demonstrated in the work we do, our approach to change and growth, and our commitment to our staff.

• Equity: We address historical and existing systemic inequities by taking a holistic approach to supporting students on their path to economic mobility.

• Excellence: We hold ourselves to a high bar and provide exceptional support so that students are empowered to achieve their ambitions.

• Community: We unite around putting students first, collaborating with partners, and celebrating our collective wins.

• Learning: We each adapt to a changing world and refine our approach to support students, community members, staff, and stakeholders along the way.

• Amplify: We advocate for our students and share what we've learned as leaders in the field.

Position Summary:

One Million Degrees (OMD) is seeking a hands-on, solutions-driven HR Manager to help strengthen and modernize our people operations. Reporting to the Director of Human Resources, this role is ideal for a builder—someone who thrives on creating order out of complexity, designing and implementing systems, and putting scalable processes in place. The HR Manager will take a proactive, customer service–oriented approach to supporting employees and leaders, balancing compliance with creativity to solve problems and improve the employee experience. Success in this role requires exceptional judgment, strong critical thinking, and a high comfort with ambiguity—knowing how to figure things out when no guidebook exists and then creating the guidebook and playbook for others to follow. The ideal candidate is resourceful, detail-oriented, and skilled at developing SOPs, while also maintaining an end-to-end perspective on how HR connects across the organization. We’re looking for someone with a “get it done” mentality who can roll up their sleeves, establish strong foundations, and elevate HR into a trusted, high-functioning partner for the organization. Specific duties and responsibilities are listed below.

Specific duties and responsibilities include but are not limited to:

Recruitment & Hiring

• Enhance OMD’s recruitment and hiring practices to attract and retain high-quality, diverse talent across all levels.

• Partner with managers to identify the skills, competencies, and qualifications needed for open roles.

• Facilitate a seamless and supportive hiring journey for managers and candidates, combining expertise with a customer-first approach.

• Standardize and document recruitment workflows, creating scalable SOPs for consistent practices across departments.

Employee Relations

• Handle employee concerns and complaints, conducting investigations as needed.

• Process FMLA paperwork and other employee leave requests in accordance with policy and law.

• Partner with managers to support performance improvement plans (PIPs) and address ongoing employee issues.

• Conduct exit interviews, analyze feedback, and recommend strategies to strengthen the employee experience.

Union Relations

• Support the implementation and administration of OMD’s collective bargaining agreement, providing ongoing guidance and interpretation.

• Provide supervisors of unionized employees with guidance on policies and practices to ensure contract compliance.

• Build and maintain strong, collaborative relationships with union representatives.

People Operations & Compliance

• Administer HR programs including compensation, benefits, leave, investigations, and disciplinary actions.

• Monitor, track, and document compliance with required and optional trainings, continuing education, and employee performance assessments.

• Ensure compliance with all labor and employment laws while maintaining required labor postings and accurate employee records.

Systems & Process Improvement

• Develop, document, and maintain standard operating procedures (SOPs) across all HR functions, ensuring clarity, consistency, and scalability.

• Serve as subject matter expert (SME) in with HRIS (Paycom), ensuring effective use and optimization.

• Analyze HR workflows and recommend system enhancements, ensuring requirements are identified, tested, and successfully implemented.

• Partner with leadership to plan and deliver new HR system functionality and enhancements on schedule.

• Conduct regular HRIS audits and system checks to ensure accuracy and functionality.

Culture & Employee Experience

• Bring a customer service mindset to HR, ensuring all employees receive timely, empathetic, and effective support.

• Champion creative problem-solving and continuous improvement in how HR supports OMD’s mission and people.

Qualifications and Requirements:

Education

• Bachelor’s degree required

• PHR/SPHR and/or SHRM-CP/SCP is a plus

Experience

• 5+ years of progressive human resources experience, preferably in fast-growing, mission-driven organizations where building HR programs and processes from the ground up is required.

• Proven track record of designing, implementing, and optimizing HR systems, policies, and SOPs.

• Hands-on experience managing employee relations, including investigations, leave administration, and partnering with managers on performance or conduct concerns.

• Deep knowledge of federal, state, and local labor and employment laws, with a history of ensuring compliance across diverse HR programs.

• Demonstrated ability to thrive in ambiguous environments, developing processes, workflows, and playbooks where none previously existed.

• Experience as a subject matter expert in HRIS systems and leveraging HR technology to streamline operations, reporting, and data analytics.

Skills & Competencies

• Collaborative: Builds trust and strong working relationships across teams, fostering cooperation and a culture of partnership rather than “us vs. them.”

• Critical thinking & judgment: Makes thoughtful, equitable decisions in complex situations with multiple stakeholders.

• Process and systems expertise: Ability to design, document, and optimize workflows and HR programs; highly comfortable creating SOPs and playbooks.

• Strong communicator: Able to clearly translate HR or compliance information for employees at all levels in a way that is understandable and actionable.

• Trustworthy and discreet: Handles sensitive information with the utmost professionalism, maintaining confidentiality at all times.

• Calm and professional demeanor: Maintains composure under pressure and navigates challenging situations with poise.

• Detail-oriented: Enjoys crossing I’s and dotting T’s, ensuring accuracy and completeness in all work.

• Comfort with ambiguity & problem-solving: Thrives in situations without clear precedents; resourceful and action-oriented in figuring out solutions.

• Customer service orientation: Delivers high-touch, white-glove support to managers and employees, balancing care with operational efficiency.

• Change management: Experienced in implementing new systems, processes, and programs, gaining buy-in across diverse stakeholders.

Compensation and Benefits:

• Salary : $63,500-$74,500*

• Full Health Benefits –Provided for all full-time employees, including medical, dental, and vision. OMD pays 100% of individual’s basic monthly health premium and 80% dependent coverage.

• Employee assistance program, which offers confidential emotional support, work-life solutions, legal guidance, financial resources, and more.

• Retirement Benefits – For full-time employees, OMD offers a 401(k) plan and matches retirement contributions up to 4% of total salary.

• Generous Paid Time Off Policy– OMD has 12 paid holidays and offers up to 15 days PTO in year one; in addition to two weeks paid time off for winter break.

• Compensatory time for designated duties performed outside of normal work hours**

• Monthly cell phone and internet reimbursement up to $50/month.

• 12 weeks of paid parental leave for birthing and non-birthing parents.

• Professional Learning Opportunities – OMD supports employee development in areas relevant to professional and organizational goals and will pay for training such as workshops and conferences as agreed upon by the employee and supervisor.

• Hybrid Work Schedule – One in-office day required a week; other days can be remote (in-person day set by you and your manager).

• To allow OMD to set salaries based on market data and internal equity, and to ensure fair and equal pay for every role, we offer our best offer first.

**All employees are expected to work a set number of Saturdays and evening hours per year due to organizational-wide events.

One Million Degrees is an equal opportunity employer. We encourage applications from all individuals regardless of age, gender, race, ethnicity, religion, or sexual orientation, and evaluate all candidates based on merit.

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