Head of Human Resources

Department: Corporate/Administrative

Location: Rockford, IL

Compensation: $135,000 - $190,000 / year

Description

The Head of HR is a senior, forward-thinking leader responsible for the full talent lifecycle of a 250-person, growing organization. This role leads talent strategy, retention, and leadership development while modernizing HR operations and supporting integration of acquired companies. As a key member of the leadership team, the Head of HR reports to the President and partners closely with the Regional Chief People Officer.

What’s in it for you?
We offer an exciting and engaging work environment where every day brings new challenges and opportunities. At Fehr Graham, we don’t just manage projects – we bring them to life! This position will put you in the driver’s seat to steer our transportation projects to success. If you have a passion for transforming concepts into tangible achievements and hope to accelerate your career, we want you on our team.

Where you’ll work
The position is based in Rockford or Aurora, IL. At Fehr Graham, we pride ourselves on delivering personalized attention and building trust with our clients. We believe in the power of skilled professionals who provide exceptional service. We also believe in work-life balance, and that includes injecting a healthy dose of fun into everything we do. It’s even part of our Core Values! We celebrate milestones and enjoy friendly team-building activities and office outings after work. A happy and engaged work team is a successful one. Each of our offices brings an environment filled with positive energy and enthusiasm. We encourage our teams to connect on multiple levels and support each other’s personal and professional growth.

What you’ll get
You’ll have plenty of opportunities to grow professionally at our progressive firm, which started in 1973. Our people-first organization is focused on giving our employees the opportunity for growth. In addition to a competitive salary, we also offer:

• Medical/dental/vision
• Life insurance
• Disability insurance
• 401K Retirement Plan
• Profit-sharing bonus plan
• Paid time off
• An awesome work environment.

Learn more about Fehr Graham’s people, culture and projects on our website.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Fehr Graham provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.

Primary Responsibilities:

1. Talent Management:

• Assess and coach leaders on workforce planning, team capability, succession depth, and retention risk; hold leaders accountable for building high-performing, promotable teams.
• Build and maintain clear career paths and promotion criteria; use performance, skills, and capacity data to assess readiness and drive transparent, merit-based advancement decisions.
• Partner with Talent Acquisition to align hiring plans with strategic workforce needs; implement proactive sourcing, internal mobility, and retention strategies to ensure bench strength for key roles.
  

2. Core HR:

• Assess and evolve the HR operating model to support scale and integration—leveraging centralized parent-company capabilities, harmonizing talent and performance processes, and migrating to common systems across performance management, compensation, and employee relations.
• Design and implement a modern, flexible job architecture, including consistent role titles, role-based competencies, competitive pay bands, and clear, self-service career pathways.
• Manage a team that oversees HR Operations; providing clear, consistent guidance to leaders and staff on policies and compliance, employee relations, compensation, benefits, leave management, and HR systems.
  

3. M&A Integration:

• Partner closely with the Trilon HR Leadership team in preparation for a potential acquisition.
• Lead the HR integration efforts for acquisitions, collaborating with cross-functional teams to ensure a smooth transition.
• Manage change management processes during integration to minimize disruption and maintain employee morale.
  

3. Team Leadership:

• Lead and mentor the HR team, providing guidance, feedback, and support to enhance their capabilities.
• Foster a collaborative and high-performance work environment within the HR department.
• Delegate responsibilities effectively to maximize team productivity and deliver results.
• Enhance HR communication within the team, with key stakeholders, and throughout the organization.
  

4. Culture Stewardship:

• Champion and shape the organizational culture, drive behavior that results in a healthy and thriving culture.
• Implement culture-enhancing initiatives, such as employee engagement programs, recognition systems, and employee feedback mechanisms.
• Drive employee well-being and work-life balance initiatives to enhance the overall employee experience.
  

5. Strategic Partner:

• Collaborate with the executive leadership team to align HR strategy with overall business objectives.
• Serve as a strategic advisor by providing HR insights that inform executive decision-making, workforce planning, and organizational development.
• Monitor meaningful HR metrics and reporting to evaluate the impact and effectiveness of people initiatives.
• Partner closely with the CFO to develop, manage, and maintain the HR budget.

Qualifications:

• Proven experience in HR leadership roles, with a minimum of 9 years of experience.
• Demonstrated expertise in talent management, engagement and retention, and M&A integration.
• Connecting with others and building relationships comes easily.
• Demonstrated ability to effectively partner with executive leadership.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to effectively collaborate with stakeholders at all levels of the organization.
• Ability to think strategically and implement innovative HR solutions.
• Proven leadership experience, with the ability to mentor and motivate HR professionals.
• Strong knowledge of employment laws and regulations.
• Willing and able to periodically travel to different office locations.