McEwan Partners is an award-winning boutique litigation firm headed by a group of industry-recognized litigators. We practice civil litigation with a focus on securities, shareholder and corporate disputes. While we take our work and our clients very seriously, we pride ourselves on a workplace that is connected and down-to-earth: we work hard, laugh a lot, and support each other to do our best work every day. Our team consists of 12 lawyers and 11 legal and management and administrative staff. The work we do is challenging and rewarding, and we could not do it without the skill and dedication of every one of them.
The Opportunity
We are currently looking for a Manager, People & Culture to push forward our commitment to an exceptional employee experience for all members of our team. This position offers an exciting and unique opportunity to build our People & Culture function from the ground up, and to influence talent management initiatives for both lawyers and staff.
This is a great opportunity for a human resources professional who is values-driven, enjoys being hands-on, is looking to influence multiple areas of the business and who can see themself growing in our firm. This role will report directly to the partners and will receive mentorship by an external consultant who acts as a talent management coach and strategic advisor to the firm.
Responsibilities
Administration
- Manage administrative staff scheduling
- Monitor and oversee paid time off, including sending reminders to people about use of vacation, overtime etc.
- Review, oversee and implement all employee benefit programs and conduct research to ensure the firm maintains responsive and competitive offerings
- Coordinate the process for employee gifts and acknowledgements
- Coordinate and work with partners to execute recurring firm processes
(i.e., annual salary reviews) - Project manage and organize resources for various initiatives at the firm including acting as a chair on various committees (i.e., Policies, Professional Development, Social and Events committees)
Recruitment, onboarding and offboarding
- Oversee recruitment generally including updating job postings, the careers section of the website and various job boards, and liaising with external recruitment professionals
- Primary responsibility and decision-making for administrative staff hiring
- Coordinate the law student recruitment process including liaising with law schools and organizing interview teams
- Coordinate the lawyer recruitment process including initial review of applications and organizing interview teams
- Manage the onboarding process for all new hires including organizing training, assignment of mentors and ongoing processes that support the success of new hires
- Oversee all offboarding including conducting exit interviews and recommending solutions to address feedback
Talent development and employee relations
- Recommend and implement programming that supports career development and leverages the strengths of our team, at all levels within the firm (i.e., professional development, coaching and mentoring programs)
- Host regular team meetings for legal support staff, and with a view to creating best practices, workflow guidelines that enhance clarity and contribute to a “team” approach
- Primary responsibility for training, guidance, lawyer/staff teaming and employee relations issues
- Manage and resolve employee relations issues, including, where applicable, conducting effective, thorough and objective investigations
Culture, compliance, and strategic planning
- Support the partners in establishing an internal communications strategy to enhance clarity and promote a firm culture of teamwork and integration
- Recommend, maintain and update firm policies and procedures, and develop policies that do not yet exist but would support the firm’s overall culture and goals
- Plan and implement training and initiatives to support pro-active commitment to workplace excellence including in relation to respectful workplace conduct, belonging and inclusion, workplace safety, anti-harassment, etc.
Qualifications
- Degree or diploma in HR or a related field
- 5+ years experience in human resources generalist / manager capacity, preferably in a professional services (law firm) setting and with direct management experience
Skills
- Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills, with a proven ability to create strong professional relationships
- Personal commitment to inclusion and belonging, mindful leadership, and building a respectful and supportive workplace
- Ability to exercise tact and discretion and maintain calm, courteous approach to sensitive interpersonal situations
- Strong working knowledge of all relevant employment legislation
Apply by October 10, 2023
The more diverse our team, the stronger we are. We look for intelligence in all its forms, kindness, and hard work, and welcome those attributes in people from the full spectrum of experiences and perspectives. We encourage candidates from all backgrounds to apply.
Please send you cover letter and resume to [email protected]. We will be reviewing all resumes on October 11, 2023 and will connect with potential applicants then.