HR Business Partner 2

About the role

This role partners with senior and executive leaders in Ann Arbor to advance people strategies and organizational effectiveness. The focus is on driving culture, supporting change, and building scalable HR practices. Success is measured by improved team performance and a stronger employee experience.

People teams handle hiring, development, and employee experience. Recruiters find and screen candidates. HR partners advise managers on policy and performance. People operations run payroll, benefits, and compliance. The work requires discretion, fairness, and clear communication. People teams support employees through every stage, from hiring to exit. Most companies run structured processes for reviews, compensation, and policy changes.

Key facts

What you'll do

Strategic planning for people needs is conducted with management to anticipate and address workforce requirements. Partnerships are formed across business functions, leadership, and employees to enable collaboration and influence. HR policies, labor laws, and company values are interpreted and applied for managers and employees. The talent management cycle is guided for leaders and employees to support growth and movement. Employee complaints are investigated, with findings, outcomes, and recommendations documented and reviewed with legal or compliance teams. Exit interviews are conducted for key roles and sensitive departures to identify turnover causes and cultural issues, with insights shared to guide policy and strategy. Organization design, planning, and restructuring are supported through consultation with managers. Talent needs are forecasted with business leaders, and workforce plans are defined and executed with leadership, Finance, and Talent Acquisition. Competitive and equitable compensation practices are ensured through partnership with Total Rewards.

Requirements

A Bachelor's degree is required with 6+ years' HR experience, or a Master's degree with 3+ years of HR experience. Prior experience as an HR Business Partner, HR Consultant, or HR Manager is expected. Demonstrated experience in organizational development, succession planning, talent reviews, leadership coaching, compensation programs, and employee engagement is required. Analytical, communication, and decision-making skills must be excellent. Organizational and time management skills need to be strong. The ability to build trusted relationships with team members, executives, and employees at all levels is required. Comfort with ambiguity and the ability to drive clarity in complex, fast-paced environments is necessary. Proficiency with HRIS systems is needed, with Workday experience preferred. Change management practices must be understood and applied. Experience managing employee relations, investigations, conflict resolution, and performance management is required. Current, in-depth knowledge of legal requirements for human resources and employee management, including workers' compensation and federal and state employment laws, is required. Understanding of federal, state, and local legal and regulatory environments for HR practitioners is required. Experience with HR metrics and analytics to inform decisions is required. Discretion with confidential information must be maintained.

Practical notes

The role operates within US pay ranges and may involve travel. Typical interview steps

People team interviews usually include a case scenario, a policy question, and behavioral rounds. Candidates may be asked to design an interview process or handle a sensitive employee situation. Confidentiality and judgment are tested throughout. Structured answers with empathy land best. Interviewers often test how you handle sensitive information and disagreement. Framing answers around policy, fairness, and company values works well.

Good to know

Career growth

People careers grow from coordinator to generalist, manager, and director levels. Recruiters can move into talent leadership. HR partners can move into people operations leadership. Business acumen becomes more important at each level. People careers reward breadth across recruitment, development, and operations. Experience with tools such as HRIS and ATS systems helps at every level.