Associate Director, Human Resources

You are an employee advocate, a business partner, an HR champion. You can walk the fine line between trusted employee advocate and strategic business partner. You will be the onsite HR lead in our MRM West office. The ideal candidate will be a self starter, independent thinker, and thought leader. This key position will be a driver of culture for MRM providing strategic direction to senior management that builds on the organization’s success and accelerates the achievement of a more highly competent, diverse, well-trained, and effective workforce. You manage all aspects of human resources programs and processes, including employee relations, recruiting, performance management, training and development, diversity initiatives, organizational change, and ensuring legal compliance.

Responsibilities:

Business Partnership

• Ensure workforce is diverse and inclusive; establish and maintain and work environment that is fair and civil.
• Partner with Senior Management to establish strategic talent development programs to meet organizational objective.
• Provide input on Human Resources solutions to business problems and strategies and contribute to measurable results on time and within budget.
• Work closely with management to identify and suggest solutions on how to improve agency, departmental and team morale.
• Facilitate communications throughout the organization including employee engagement surveys and regular consistent communication methods to ensure transparency and “openness.”
• Identify organizational improvement needs, determine methods, and implement programs that are responsive to both individual and departmental needs.
• Collaborate as key member of senior management team to develop, reinforce and maintain key organizational programs.

Recruiting/On-Boarding

• Review financial implications of hires with management team.
• Partner with recruitment team to develop recruitment strategy and define procedures for interviewing and hiring.
• Communicate with department managers to clarify recruitment needs.
• Ensure adequate staffing of all positions.
• Provide reporting to senior and global management as requested.

Performance Management/Employee Development

• Develop processes and programs to improve organizational capability in areas of goal alignment, performance management & accountability, leadership & career development.
• Work with department leads to identify required competencies to meet expectations of any given position.
• Identify competency, knowledge, and talent gaps to develop and implement targeted programs that address these gaps.
• Coordinate learning and development initiatives.

Employee Relations

• Coach and counsel managers and employees to resolve employee relations issues.
• Participate in employee investigations as needed; document issues and consult with IPG Legal (as appropriate) to identify recommendations and avoid costly litigation.
• Work to maintain and expand positive employee relations with employees.
• Steward of the IPG employment policies; local and federal laws.
• Work with WG International HR and outside counsel on necessary work authorization to hire non-US candidates when applicable.
• Develop and implement retention/morale-building programs.

Qualifications

• 7+ years of experience in Human Resources
• Advertising Agency or Professional Services Experience Preferred
• Minimum of a BS or related degree preferably in Organizational Development and Human Resources
• Excellent communication skills both written and oral
• Strong problem-solving skills and detail oriented
• Self-motivator takes initiative to resolve situations and improve departmental processes.
• Well-developed interpersonal and negotiating skills, especially in dealing with sensitive and/or controversial issues.
• Team builder
• Management of team
• Knowledge of Microsoft suite of programs and HRIS systems

About MRM

MRM is a modern relationship marketing agency that delivers transformative creative solutions at the intersection of business, culture, and technology. MRM operates in a borderless, integrated way, to allow for greater collaboration and velocity—all to the service of helping businesses grow meaningful relationships with people. MRM is part of McCann Worldgroup and the Interpublic Group of companies (NYSE: IPG), and spans 35 offices across North America, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia Pacific. For more information, please visit www.mrm.com.

We love our diverse workplace! MRM is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, religion, age, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, disability, marital status, veteran status or any other occupationally irrelevant criteria.

#LI-Hybrid
#LI-MG1