People & Culture Employee Relations Manager

Summary of Position: The P&C Employee Relations Manager oversees day-to-day operations of the People and Culture Team and ensures the smooth implementation of benefits administration, learning and development, and employee onboarding processes and procedures. The Operations Manager supervises the P&C Operations Associates.  

Major Duties and Responsibilities: 

• Manage full lifecycle employee relations cases from investigation to resolution with confidentiality and consistency. 

• Administer employee leaves (FMLA/other statutory and company leaves): intake, eligibility, documentation, intermittent/return‑to‑work coordination, and leave tracking. 

• Oversee and manage the day-to-day administration of leaves for all employee populations. 

• Ensure HR policies and ER practices comply with employment laws and company standards; recommend policy updates as needed. 

• Maintain accurate case and leave records, prepare reports and metrics for leadership. 

• Manager workers compensation process. 

• Train and coach managers and employees on ER topics, leave processes, and conflict de‑escalation techniques. 

• Manage the full cycle recruitment process for regular full-time, part-time, intern and seasonal staff members. 

• Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local labor laws and regulations, maintaining up-to-date knowledge of any changes. 

• Providing training and guidance to managers and staff on policies and procedures to ensure consistency. 

• Review and update HR policies for legal compliance and organizational alignment. 

• Maintain up-to-date knowledge of employment law, regulatory changes, and best practices in HR management. 

• Ensure accurate reporting and documentation for audits, legal compliance, and organizational assessments. 

• Other duties as assigned 

Required Qualification, Skills, and Abilities: 

• Bachelor’s degree required; HR concentration or Master’s degree preferred 

• HR certification preferred (PHR, SPHR, SHRM-CP, or SHRM-SCP) 

• 3-5 years of experience as a Human Resources Generalist or related fields required. 

• 1-3 years of managerial experience preferred 

• Demonstrated knowledge of HR best practices, including business acumen, leave administration, employment law, and HR-related organizational risk management 

• Strong data-driven decision-making and problem-solving skills  

• Experience with HR technologies (HRIS, ATS, etc.) and data analysis with experience with ADP strongly preferred 

• Proficient with other Microsoft Office software, including Word, Outlook, PowerPoint, and Excel  

• Strong organization skills, while managing multiple high-volume projects with deadlines 

• Strong interpersonal skills to build relationships and facilitate difficult conversations, professional demeanor and verbal communication 

• Clear and precise writing skills for drafting policies and correspondence  
• Commitment to EEO principles, diversity, and inclusion required 

Compensation: $81,000


About Us: After School Matters is a Chicago-based nonprofit organization that annually offers after-school and summer programs to nearly 19,000 Chicago high school teens to explore and develop their talents while gaining critical skills that will set them up for success in college and beyond.

Thirty-five years later, now known as After School Matters, our program has engaged more than 450,000 Chicago teens and is the nation’s largest and most successful provider of after-school and summer programs for high school teens. No other organization offers programs to high school students at the scale and quality that we do.

We offer paid apprenticeships led by professionals in the fields of arts, communications and leadership, sports, and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math). Our nationally respected youth development model has been replicated in cities across the country and earned us the City Livability Award from the U.S. Conference of Mayors.

Programs take place at community locations throughout the city, including four ASM buildings: downtown at Gallery 37 Center for the Arts and Orleans, the Michael and Karyn Lutz Center in Belmont Cragin, and the Pullman community at Gately Park. Currently, After School Matters' annual operating budget is approximately $48M and employs approximately 500 staff across the organization. For more information, visit www.afterschoolmatters.org.

EEO:  After School Matters is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, ancestry, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, protected veteran status, military discharge status, age, marital status, parental status, or source of income.