What are the responsibilities and job description for the Part-Time HR & Talent Consultant (Contract) (Based in MN) position at PeopleWise Consulting MN?
PeopleWise Consulting
PeopleWise is a growing HR consulting firm that partners with small businesses navigating growth, change, and people challenges. Our clients are primarily growing small businesses with 5-50 employees that have moved beyond the startup phase but have not yet built a dedicated HR function. Many are hiring rapidly, developing managers for the first time, navigating employee relations issues, implementing HR processes, and establishing the people infrastructure needed to scale successfully.
We're looking for an experienced HR professional who can confidently move between executive-level advising and hands-on HR administration, serving as a trusted extension of our clients' leadership teams.
This is an excellent opportunity for someone who has held an HR Manager, HR Director, Senior HR Business Partner, or similar leadership role and is seeking flexible consulting work with meaningful impact and growth potential.
About the Role
Our clients are primarily Stage 2 businesses with 5-50 employees that are growing quickly and often have limited or no internal HR support. You'll help assess where they are today, identify what's missing, and build practical people practices that support sustainable growth. This includes everything from HR strategy and compliance to recruiting, onboarding, employee relations, and leadership support.
The ideal candidate enjoys both strategy and execution. One day you may be conducting an HR assessment and advising a business owner on organizational challenges. The next day you may be sourcing candidates, screening applicants, updating an employee handbook, or helping resolve an employee relations issue.
What You'll Do
- Assess the overall health, effectiveness, and maturity of client HR functions, identifying risks, gaps, and opportunities for improvement
- Partner with business owners and leaders to align people practices with business goals
- Serve as a trusted HR advisor to growing organizations across a variety of industries
- Support clients ranging from 5-50 employees, many of whom have limited or no dedicated HR support
- Conduct HR audits and evaluate key areas including compliance, recruiting, onboarding, performance management, employee relations, compensation, benefits, policies, and organizational structure
- Develop practical HR roadmaps and solutions tailored to each client's stage of growth
- Lead and support full-cycle recruiting efforts, including intake meetings, job descriptions, sourcing, screening, interviewing, offer management, and onboarding
- Partner with hiring managers to identify talent needs and hiring strategies
- Advise leaders on employee relations matters, performance concerns, corrective action, investigations, and leadership challenges
- Create and update employee handbooks, policies, job descriptions, and other HR documentation
- Support onboarding, offboarding, benefits administration, leave management, and other day-to-day HR activities
- Manage client projects and ensure timely, high-quality deliverables
- Respond to client inquiries with practical, business-focused HR guidance
- Build strong relationships and become a valued extension of each client's team
What We're Looking For
- 5 years of progressive HR experience
- Previous experience in an HR Manager, HR Director, Senior HRBP, or similar leadership-level HR role
- Demonstrated recruiting experience, including sourcing, interviewing, and hiring across a variety of positions
- Strong knowledge of employment law, HR compliance, employee relations, and HR best practices
- Experience supporting small and mid-sized businesses
- Ability to work independently and manage multiple clients simultaneously
- Excellent communication, organization, and relationship-building skills
- A consultative mindset with a strong bias toward practical solutions
- Comfortable rolling up your sleeves and supporting both strategic and administrative HR needs
- SHRM-CP, SHRM-SCP, PHR, or SPHR certifications are a plus
Position Details
- Independent Contractor (1099)
- Consultants currently supporting our clients typically bill 24-30 hours per week, though hours may vary based on client needs and consultant availability
- Compensation is paid on billable client hours only
- Flexible schedule
- Primarily remote
- Opportunity for long-term growth and potential conversion to a full-time role as the firm continues to expand
Why PeopleWise?
At PeopleWise, we help growing businesses build strong workplaces and navigate complex people challenges without adding unnecessary bureaucracy. We value practical solutions, exceptional client service, and genuine partnership.
If you're looking for flexibility, variety, meaningful client relationships, and the opportunity to make a direct impact on growing organizations, we'd love to hear from you.
To Apply: Please submit your resume and a brief summary of your HR leadership, consulting, and recruiting experience.