Regional Associate Director of Human Resources – West Region

About Kirkland & Ellis

At Kirkland & Ellis, we don’t just meet the standard for legal excellence — we set it. Our culture is built on teamwork, ingenuity and an unwavering commitment to continuous growth. We tackle the most sophisticated legal challenges with bold ideas and innovative solutions, powered by the exceptional experience and ambition of our 7,000+ people, including 4,000+ attorneys, across 23 offices worldwide. Our dedicated professionals share our lawyers’ commitment to excellence and show up each day to do meaningful work that helps drive global business, investment and innovation forward.

What You’ll Do

Are you a strategic HR leader who thrives at the intersection of people, business, and operational excellence? As the Regional Associate Director of Human Resources, you will lead HR strategy and operations across the Firm’s West Coast offices, including the Bay Area, Salt Lake City, and Los Angeles while serving as a trusted advisor to senior leadership.

In this role, you’ll oversee day-to-day HR operations in the Bay Area and Salt Lake City, guide a high-performing HR team, and bring a forward-looking perspective to regional talent trends, workforce planning, and organizational effectiveness. You’ll partner closely with the Senior Director of Administration and Firmwide Talent leaders to translate business priorities into impactful people strategies; ensuring consistency, quality, and alignment across offices while addressing local needs.

What You’ll Do

• Strategic HR Leadership: Serve as a trusted advisor to senior leadership, aligning talent strategies with business goals and driving workforce planning across the West Region
• Regional Insights & Talent Strategy: Analyze workforce data, identify trends and risks, and deliver proactive, data-driven solutions to support long-term organizational success
• HR Operations & Team Leadership: Lead and develop a regional HR team, ensuring consistent, high-quality service delivery and operational excellence across offices
• Employee Lifecycle Oversight: Partner with Centers of Expertise to manage all stages of the employee experience—from talent acquisition through development, performance, and offboarding
• Employee & Attorney Relations: Manage complex employee relations matters and serve as the primary HR contact for attorneys, advising on performance, engagement, and workplace concerns
• Talent Development & Change Management: Drive performance management, support career development, and lead change initiatives that enhance engagement and organizational effectiveness

What You’ll Bring

• Bachelor’s degree required; Professional in Human Resources (PHR) or Society for Human Resource Management Certified Professional (SHRM-CP) preferred
• 10+ years of progressive Human Resources experience, including at least 5 years leading teams in a professional services environment
• Deep knowledge of federal and local employment laws, employee relations, and HR compliance requirements
• Proven ability to use data and insights to inform decision-making and drive business outcomes
• Demonstrated success leading, mentoring, and developing HR professionals
• Strong ability to build trust, influence stakeholders, and collaborate across functions and leadership levels
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to navigate complex conversations with clarity and confidence
• Experience leading organizational change initiatives and driving adoption across teams
• Sound decision-making skills with a thoughtful, solutions-oriented approach
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite

If you’re passionate about shaping talent strategy, driving organizational impact, and building strong partnerships across a dynamic professional services environment, we’d love to hear from you!

Compensation

The base salary range below represents the low and high end of the salary range for this position in San Francisco. This range may differ based on your geographic location and cost of living considerations. At Kirkland & Ellis, we consider compensation more than just a base salary. We offer an exceptional range of flexible benefits including comprehensive healthcare, paid time off, and retirement. We also offer personal support and tailored learning and development opportunities all designed to help you realize your full potential both in life and at work.

Compensation Range:

San Francisco: $176,000 - $253,000

How to Apply

Thank you for your interest in Kirkland & Ellis LLP. To complete an application and submit your resume, please click "Apply Now."

Don't meet every job requirement? That's okay! If you're excited about this role but your experience doesn't perfectly fit every qualification, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right person for this role or others at Kirkland.

Equal Employment Opportunity

The Firm will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records and criminal histories consistent with local laws.

All employment decisions, including the recruiting, hiring, placement, training availability, promotion, compensation, evaluation, disciplinary actions, and termination of employment (if necessary) are made without regard to the employee's race, color, creed, religion, sex, pregnancy or childbirth, personal appearance, family responsibilities, sexual orientation or preference, gender identity, political affiliation, source of income, place of residence, national or ethnic origin, ancestry, age, marital status, military veteran status, unfavorable discharge from military service, physical or mental disability, or on any other basis prohibited by applicable law.