Who We Are

The Academy Group (AG) is a unique enterprise founded to realize the long-term potential of young people from underserved communities across the United States. Designed to tap into the deep wells of often overlooked talent that exists nationwide, the Academy Group empowers youth to thrive in school, work and life.

In 2017 we launched the Chicago Academy, with an enrollment to grow to 1,000. We expect to establish Academies in cities across the nation in the years ahead. Academy students develop the agency and belief to excel. They receive high dosage, individualized academic programming from elementary school through college; a case based business curriculum focused on building entrepreneurial, financial, and analytic expertise; college and career counseling; rigorous job preparation and internships and; personalized advising and executive mentoring. Students attend their home schools, colleges, and universities – with Academy programming occurring after school, on weekends, and throughout the summer. The core values of the Academy Group are excellence, determination, and justice. 

The Academy Group is built on a sustainable business model that aligns the commercial and social sectors. The Academy Group takes ownership stakes in a diverse portfolio of commercial companies. The earned revenue generated from the Academy Group Companies funds the education programs, provides apprenticeships for students through college, and creates employment opportunities for Academy Group graduates.

Ultimately, the Academy Group aims to generate a new class of innovators and leaders by delivering long-term opportunities for exceptional young people to own, operate and create successful companies across multiple sectors.

The Role

The Manager of Human Resources will oversee comprehensive human resources functions, leading every aspect of the employee life cycle. Reporting to the Chief of Organizational Effectiveness and Culture, the Manager of Human Resources will play a pivotal role in fostering positive employee relations and ensuring ongoing support throughout the organization.

This role involves managing the performance improvement processes and actively contributing to the growth in capacity of all Academy Group employees. In addition, this individual will develop and lead initiatives such as the Leadership Development Program, the AG Year 1 Mentorship program, and onboarding process, demonstrating a commitment to continuous employee development and engagement.

Principle Duties and Responsibilities:

Talent Acquisition and Employee Life Cycle Management

• Implement efficient talent acquisition strategies to ensure the timely acquisition of required talent, overseeing the development of comprehensive recruitment methodologies.

• Engage candidates at every phase of the recruitment process, maintaining meticulous records for all applicants.

• Take charge of the complete employee life cycle, from recruitment to offboarding, ensuring a seamless and positive experience for all employees.

• Provide dedicated support to Academy Group managers during the first year of the employee onboarding process, facilitating a smooth transition for new employees.

Metrics

• Develop and implement HR metrics and key performance indicators (KPIs) to assess the effectiveness of HR programs and initiatives.

• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to integrate HR metrics into broader business strategies and goals.

• Analyze workforce data to identify trends, turnover rates, and areas for improvement, providing insights to support strategic decision-making.

•  Implement surveys and feedback mechanisms to gather employee opinions and sentiments, contributing to a holistic view of HR effectiveness.

Benefits Management

• Responsible for managing benefit programs to ensure compliance with regulations, communicate benefits to employees, and work to enhance overall employee satisfaction.
• Analyze data to optimize benefit offerings, and stay informed about industry trends to recommend improvements.

Performance Management 

• Ensure the effective implementation of the performance management system. 

• Collaborate with the Chief of Organizational Effectiveness and Culture in the design and analysis of the performance management system.

• Ensure both organizational and departmental annual goals are monitored and tracked, and in alignment with the performance management system.

Academy Group Leadership Development Program 

• Lead the design and implementation of the Leadership Development Program.

• Collaborate with employees to create their Leadership Development Plans and conduct check-ins monthly at minimum to monitor progress.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion 

• Develop and manage the Academy Group DEI Strategy.

• Lead monthly observation of specific events and holidays, including an engaging team building activity and speaker series, exhibit visit, or other experiential opportunities for employees.

Employee Training and Compliance

• Ensure that both full and part time employees complete all annual required training and complete documentation of such in ADP. 

• Ensure all employees working directly with academy group students have completed the required pre-employment and annual compliance training.

• Identify training needs and coordinate the development and delivery of training programs.

• Support career development initiatives, including mentorship programs and succession planning.

• Implement strategies to enhance employee skills and promote a culture of continuous learning.

Employee Relations

• Serve as a primary point of contact for employee relations matters, providing guidance and resolution of issues.

• Foster a positive work environment through effective communication, conflict resolution, and employee engagement initiatives.

• Conduct investigations and address employee concerns in a fair and consistent manner.

Qualifications

Education & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in human resources or a related field; Master’s degree in business or human resources preferred.

• 5 years of Human Resource experience ; or any combination of education, training and experience that demonstrates the ability to perform the duties of the position

Personal Skills and Competencies

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.

• Considerable knowledge of principles and practices of human resource management, dynamics of employee development and professional growth, and training program design and presentation.

• Working knowledge of state and federal labor laws and regulations.

• Ability to compose and present comprehensive reports.

• Ability to plan, organize and present training activities to diverse employee groups.

• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.

• Excellent time management skills with a proven ability to meet deadlines.

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.

• Strategic vision and agile work ability

• Strong capacity for leading and managing personnel across an organization 

• Results proven track record of exceeding goals in a fiscally responsible manner

• Ability to learn and adapt quickly to a rapidly changing environment

• Proficient with HRIS and Microsoft Office, Google Suite or related software.

Location

This position is based in Chicago, IL

Compensation And Benefits

The Academy Group offers a competitive annual salary of up to $115,000 and comprehensive medical, vision, dental and 401K package with an employer match of up to 5%. In addition, our employees are awarded 80 hours of Wellness Days and can accrue up to 120 hours of vacation per year. We encourage all employees to use Paid Time Off to promote work life balance and support your mental and social well-being.

Equal Opportunity Employer

The Academy Group is committed to creating a diverse work environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. The Academy Group does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, gender identity, religion, sexual orientation, age, disability, parental status, veteran status, or any other protected status under applicable laws. We encourage individuals of all backgrounds to apply. If you are a qualified candidate with a disability, please email us at careers@theacademy.group if you require a reasonable accommodation to complete this application.