Head of Human Resources (HR)

Portage Point Partners (Portage Point) is a business advisory, interim management and investment banking firm intensely focused on the middle market. Our blue chip team leverages bulge bracket experience in consulting, operations, finance, accounting, investment banking and investing to provide unmatched transactional, operational, financial and strategic perspectives to middle market stakeholders. The Portage Point cross-functional platform is uniquely architected to offer fully integrated capabilities and solutions that identify value capture, mitigate risk and positively impact outcomes at every stage of the ever-changing middle market business lifecycle. From ideation to monetization, Portage Point delivers excellence across transaction advisory services (TAS), transaction execution services (TES), office of the CFO (OCFO), performance improvement (PI), interim management (IM), investment banking (IB) and turnaround and restructuring (TRS).

Recognized for accelerated growth, Portage Point is backed by New Mountain Capital and consistently featured in rankings from Inc. 5000, The Financial Times and Consulting Magazine. This recognition is a testament to the focus on excellence, intensity and pace and ability to attract blue chip talent committed to delivering impactful solutions.

The Delivery Enablement (DE) team supports internal stakeholders by providing a robust operational backbone across TAS, TES, OCFO, PI, IM, IB and TRS. The team includes Talent Acquisition, Human Resources, Marketing, Data Analytics, Accounting & Finance and Delivery Excellence. As Portage Point continues to grow the DE team is laser focused on scalability, quality and automation.

The Head of HR at Portage Point represents a unique opportunity for a highly motivated professional to assume a wide range of responsibilities to make a significant impact in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment. This Head of HR is the function leader responsible for creating and executing human resources strategy, partnering with practice line leadership to create a highly engaging, motivated and skilled workforce, managing tactical HR and overseeing learning and development. The Head of HR will report directly to the Chief Operating Officer (COO) and manage junior human resources and learning and development team members. The Head of HR should be prepared to work within a small, collaborative team environment to manage discrete workstreams.

Responsibilities

• Designing and implementing human resources strategy including executing strategic initiatives such as creating cross-border talent development programs, launching inaugural culture and engagement survey and maturing headcount planning efforts
• Implementing and continuously improving firm wide performance management including but not limited to competency models, career pathing, performance management system management, review coordination and bi-annual performance calibration management
• Continuously improving firm wide learning and development programs in partnership with learning and development team members including but not limited to learning roadmap development and execution, learning design and facilitation, vendor coordination and learning management system management
• Administering total rewards programs including but not limited to managing benefits broker relationships, leading annual benefits review, administering benefits education programs and enrollment, supporting retirement savings program administration, conducting competitor analysis and ensuring Portage Point continues to deliver a market leading total rewards program
• Leading culture and engagement initiative design and implementation
• Developing and maintaining skills assessments and related database
• Supporting workforce planning and organizational design efforts
• Implementing and continuously improving firm wide onboarding and offboarding
• Supporting FINRA registered representative broker dealer compliance
• Responding to ad hoc human resources requests
• Conducting human resources compliance research, identifying areas of risk and implementing solutions
• Developing and maintaining talent engagement analytics
• Liaising with external employment counsel as needed
• Providing professional development coaching to junior team members
• Sharing and managing best practices as well as lead internal trainings where required
• Contributing to creating a high-performing and inclusive culture

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree from a top undergraduate program
• Located in or willing to relocate to Chicago, Dallas or New York
• Invested in a team-based culture motivated to collaborate in office four days per week
• 15 plus years of human resources experience in professional services or investment banking with at least 10 years’ experience in HR business partner or strategic HR role
• Knowledge of state and federal employment / labor laws and statutes, including but not limited to OSHA, FLSA, FMLA, ADA, Title VII and other DOL regulations preferred
• Proven ability to navigate employee relations with empathy, directness and sound judgement
• Ability to thrive in a lean, collaborative team environment
• High degree of maturity with a proven ability to interact with senior executives, private equity sponsors, lenders, lawyers, middle managers and line workers
• Effectively communicates analysis through Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook and PowerPoint including high-quality messaging, structure and formatting
• Eagerness to be responsive at all times
• Proven track-record of success in high pressure, time-constrained environments
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills including strong e-mail etiquette
• Top-tier organizational skills and attention to detail
• Self-starter and entrepreneurial spirit