Talent Manager

The Chicago Studio Talent Manager acts as a strategic partner and trusted advisor to studio leadership—championing the full employee lifecycle, aligning HR strategy with business goals, and fostering a culture of growth and development throughout the organization. 

In this dual strategic and hands-on role, the Talent Manager ensures that people programs and processes enhance the studio’s performance and culture. This includes translating firmwide HR and L&D strategies into local action, guiding leaders on organizational priorities, and supporting an inclusive, equitable, and high-performing environment. 

Key Responsibilities 

Strategic HR Partnership & Lifecycle Ownership 

• Serve as the primary HR business partner for the studio—owning all aspects of the employee lifecycle, from attraction and onboarding through development, retention, and offboarding. 

• Partner with studio and practice leadership to translate business objectives into actionable people strategies and workforce plans. 

• Advise on organization design, talent deployment, and succession planning to strengthen leadership pipelines and long-term capability. 

• Partner closely with the firmwide team to ensure local implementation aligns with firmwide strategy and standards. 

Learning & Development Execution (Firmwide Programs) 

• Act as the local executor of firmwide Learning & Development strategy—ensuring consistent delivery of training, professional development, and leadership programs created by the firmwide L&D team. 

• Coordinate the rollout of manager training, leadership pathways, mentorship programs, and onboarding experiences. 

• Promote participation and track outcomes to reinforce a culture of growth and development, linking learning efforts to performance and retention goals. 

Talent Operations & Employee Experience 

• Lead daily HR operations, including recruitment, onboarding, compensation guidance, benefits support, career pathing, performance management, recognition, and recordkeeping. 

• Serve as a trusted resource to employees and leaders—coaching on feedback, communication, and navigating complex or sensitive issues. 

• Champion fairness, consistency, and inclusivity across all people processes; actively support firmwide J.E.D.I. (Justice, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion) goals. 

• Ensure compliance with employment legislation and company policy; escalate issues to Corporate HR as appropriate. 

Talent Acquisition & Employer Branding 

• Manage the full recruitment cycle: define needs with leaders, source and interview candidates, negotiate offers, and onboard new hires effectively. 

• Partner with Communications and leadership to strengthen the studio’s employer brand, highlighting our people and culture to attract top talent. 

• Build diverse candidate pipelines and promote equitable hiring practices across disciplines and studios. 

Data, Systems & Policy 

• Maintain data accuracy within HRIS systems; generate and analyze reports on turnover, hiring, learning participation, and engagement. 

• Use insights to identify trends, opportunities, and solutions for leadership action. 

• Partner with firmwide HR to operationalize firmwide policies and ensure compliance across regions and offices.   

Core Competencies 

• Strategic mindset and business acumen 

• Full lifecycle ownership and integrated HR thinking 

• Growth mindset and commitment to continuous learning 

• Strong interpersonal, facilitation, and coaching skills 

• Excellent written and verbal communication 

• Comfort navigating ambiguity and complex issues 

• High emotional intelligence, discretion, and integrity 

Technical Skills & Tools 

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (including Teams) 

• Experience with UKG Pro or equivalent HRIS platforms 

• Familiarity with Deltek Vision and Cognos BI preferred 

• Experience using LMS platforms and analytics dashboards 

Education & Credentials 

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business, Organizational Psychology, or related field 

• SHRM-CP, SHRM-SCP, PHR, or SPHR credential strongly preferred 

• 10+ years of progressive HR or HRBP experience within professional services, architecture, design, or related creative industries 

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