Who is hiring an HR Manager in Chicago, Illinois?
Published on: Apr 9, 2026
A high-growth company in Chicago, Illinois, is hiring a hands-on HR Manager through Frontline Source Group for a full-time, direct hire role that leads every part of the human resources function, from full-cycle recruiting and employee relations to compliance, compensation, and building scalable HR processes from the ground up, with competitive compensation, benefits, and equity. The placement is backed by the 5-Year Placement Warranty and is recruited by Lindsey Davidson, CDR, Senior Lead Executive Recruiter. Frontline Source Group has completed 5,619 placements and holds a 5.0-star Trustpilot rating across 683 verified reviews.
What does the HR Manager job in Chicago involve?
The employer is seeking a dynamic, hands-on HR Manager to lead and execute all aspects of the human resources function during a critical phase of growth. The HR Manager serves as the primary HR leader for the organization, balancing day-to-day execution with building scalable processes to support future expansion. The ideal candidate is both strategic and highly operational: comfortable rolling up their sleeves while partnering with leadership to shape the company's people strategy.
HR leadership and strategy
- Partner closely with executive leadership to develop and implement HR strategies aligned with company growth objectives.
- Serve as a trusted advisor on organizational design, workforce planning, and employee engagement.
- Build and scale HR processes, policies, and infrastructure to support a growing organization.
Full-cycle HR operations and talent acquisition
- Own all core HR functions, including recruitment, onboarding, employee relations, performance management, and offboarding.
- Act as the primary point of contact for employee questions, concerns, and support, and maintain accurate employee records and HRIS data.
- Lead full-cycle recruiting across technical, operational, and corporate roles, partnering with hiring managers on job design, interview processes, and hiring decisions.
- Develop workforce plans to support rapid growth and evolving business needs.
Employee relations, culture, and development
- Manage and resolve employee relations issues with professionalism and sound judgment.
- Coach managers on performance management, feedback, and conflict resolution.
- Foster a positive, inclusive, high-performance culture aligned with company values.
- Implement performance management processes, identify training needs, and build scalable programs for employee growth and leadership development.
Compensation, benefits, compliance, and analytics
- Support and administer competitive compensation and benefits programs, partnering with leadership and external advisors on market alignment.
- Ensure compliance with all federal, state, and local employment laws and regulations, and maintain HR policies and procedures that mitigate risk.
- Track and report on key HR metrics such as headcount, turnover, and hiring progress, and use data to provide actionable insights to leadership.
- Support equity program administration and documentation, partner cross-functionally with finance, operations, and external counsel, and assist with special projects related to company growth and organizational development.
What background does the Chicago HR Manager need?
- Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field, or equivalent experience.
- 5 to 10 plus years of progressive HR experience; title is flexible based on experience level.
- Experience in a high-growth, startup, or small company environment strongly preferred; public company experience preferred.
- Strong knowledge of HR best practices, employee relations, and employment law.
- Demonstrated ability to operate both strategically and tactically, work independently, and build processes from the ground up.
- Excellent communication, interpersonal, and problem-solving skills, with a high level of discretion and professionalism.
Preferred: experience supporting a company through rapid growth or scaling, exposure to equity programs and compensation structures, and experience working closely with executive leadership.
What does success look like, and why join?
Success in the first stretch of this role means a strong, scalable HR foundation is in place to support company growth, employees feel supported, engaged, and aligned with company goals, hiring processes are efficient and attract high-quality talent, and compliance and HR operations run smoothly with minimal risk.
- Opportunity to build and shape the HR function from the ground up.
- High visibility and direct partnership with executive leadership.
- Fast-paced, collaborative, and mission-driven environment.
- Competitive compensation, benefits, and equity.
Where is the HR Manager job located?
The position is in Chicago, Illinois. Frontline Source Group serves the Chicago market from its Chicago office at 321 N Clark Street, Suite 500, Chicago, IL 60654, in the River North business district, and recruits HR professionals across the city and the Chicagoland suburbs. HR leaders with experience scaling a people function inside a Chicago startup, professional services firm, or technology company are encouraged to apply. See the Chicago human resources staffing page for more on the local HR market.
Who is the recruiter for this Chicago HR Manager job?
Lindsey Davidson, CDR, Senior Lead Executive Recruiter at Frontline Source Group, leads this search. Lindsey holds the Certified Diversity Recruiter credential and specializes in human resources, administrative, and health, safety, and environment placements, with a particular focus on diversity hiring strategy, which matters for a company building its people function and culture from the ground up. She personally screens every candidate for this role.
Why work with Frontline Source Group on this placement?
Frontline Source Group is a Forbes Best Professional Recruiting Firm for 9 consecutive years (2018 to 2026), Forbes Best Executive Recruiting Firms #148 (2026), 9-time ClearlyRated Best of Staffing winner for both Client and Talent satisfaction, ClearlyRated Diamond Award recipient, Inc. 5000 honoree, and Expertise.com Best Staffing Agency. The firm is a member of the American Staffing Association (ASA), has operated since 2004, runs 32 plus offices nationwide, and maintains a 98.94% executive placement retention rate against an industry average of 70 percent. Every direct hire, including this one, is backed by the 5-Year Placement Warranty, 20 times longer than the 90-day industry standard, with a pro-rated credit system based on active calendar days of service. Candidates pay nothing to work with Frontline and receive interview preparation and support through the Candidate Ambassador program. People. Process. Service.
How do you apply for the HR Manager job in Chicago?
Apply through the how to apply page. Lindsey Davidson reviews every submission for this search and contacts qualified candidates directly to discuss the role, the company, and next steps. Candidates can prepare with Frontline's interview instructions. HR professionals who know a strong people leader can also use the referral program. Browse other openings on the recent placements page or the human resources staffing page. Chicago employers with an HR hiring need of their own can start at the employer request form and review published pricing on the pricing page.
Frequently Asked Questions: HR Manager Job in Chicago, IL
Who is hiring an HR Manager in Chicago, Illinois?
A high-growth company in Chicago, Illinois, is hiring through Frontline Source Group. The employer name is shared with qualified candidates during the recruiting process led by Lindsey Davidson, CDR, Senior Lead Executive Recruiter.
Is the Chicago HR Manager job direct hire or contract?
It is a full-time, direct hire position with the hiring company, and it is backed by Frontline Source Group's 5-Year Placement Warranty, 20 times longer than the 90-day staffing industry standard.
What does the HR Manager do in this role?
The HR Manager is the primary HR leader for the organization, owning full-cycle recruiting, onboarding, employee relations, performance management, compensation and benefits administration, compliance with federal, state, and local employment law, HR analytics, and the design of scalable HR processes, while partnering with executive leadership on people strategy and organizational design.
Is this a hands-on HR role or a strategic one?
Both. The role balances day-to-day execution as the sole HR practitioner with building the policies, processes, and infrastructure a growing organization needs, and it partners directly with executive leadership on workforce planning and organizational design.
What experience does the Chicago HR Manager job require?
A bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field (or equivalent experience), 5 to 10 plus years of progressive HR experience, strong knowledge of HR best practices, employee relations, and employment law, and a demonstrated ability to operate both strategically and tactically. Title is flexible based on experience level.
Is startup or public company experience required?
Experience in a high-growth, startup, or small company environment is strongly preferred, and public company experience is preferred. Exposure to equity programs and compensation structures and experience working closely with executive leadership are also preferred.
Does the HR Manager role include equity?
Yes. The employer offers competitive compensation, benefits, and equity, and the role includes supporting equity program administration and documentation alongside finance, operations, and external counsel.
Where is the HR Manager job located?
The position is in Chicago, Illinois. Frontline Source Group serves the Chicago market from its office at 321 N Clark Street, Suite 500, Chicago, IL 60654, in the River North business district. Office details are at frontlinesourcegroup.com/chicago.html.
Who is the recruiter for this Chicago HR Manager job?
Lindsey Davidson, CDR, Senior Lead Executive Recruiter at Frontline Source Group, leads this search. She holds the Certified Diversity Recruiter credential and specializes in human resources, administrative, and HSE placements. Her bio is at frontlinesourcegroup.com/lindsey-davidson-professional-staffing-agency.html.
How do I apply for the HR Manager job in Chicago?
Apply through Frontline Source Group's how to apply page at frontlinesourcegroup.com/how-to-apply.html. Lindsey Davidson reviews every submission and contacts qualified candidates directly to schedule an initial conversation.
Do candidates pay a fee to work with Frontline Source Group?
No. Candidates never pay a fee to work with Frontline Source Group. The hiring company engages the firm, and every direct hire is backed by the 5-Year Placement Warranty. Terms are at frontlinesourcegroup.com/5year-placement-guarantee.html.
What other human resources jobs does Frontline Source Group fill in Chicago?
Frontline's human resources practice places CHROs, HR Directors, HR Managers, HR Business Partners, HR Generalists, Benefits Managers, Talent Acquisition Managers, and recruiters for Chicago employers on a contract, contract-to-hire, and direct hire basis. Details are at frontlinesourcegroup.com/human-resources.html, and current openings are listed at frontlinesourcegroup.com/recent-placements.html.
