Human Resources Consultant

# HR Consultant **Company:** Ghard HR **Position:** HR Consultant **Employment Type:** Full-Time **Department:** Human Resources Consulting **Reports To:** Director of HR Consulting / Managing Partner ## Position Overview Ghard HR is seeking an experienced, practical, and client-focused **HR Consultant** to provide outsourced human resources support and strategic guidance to businesses across a range of industries. The HR Consultant serves as a trusted HR resource for assigned clients, helping business owners and leadership teams manage the full employee lifecycle while building compliant, scalable, and effective people practices. This position combines **hands-on HR administration with advisory-level consulting**. Responsibilities may include employee relations, onboarding and offboarding, handbook and policy development, performance management, compliance, recruiting support, compensation, benefits coordination, HR systems, training, and organizational development. The ideal candidate understands that effective HR consulting requires more than explaining regulations or providing templates. Ghard HR consultants are expected to understand each client's business, identify practical solutions, communicate clearly with management, and help clients make sound employment decisions while appropriately managing risk. ## Key Responsibilities ### Client HR Consulting * Serve as a primary HR contact and trusted advisor for assigned clients. * Develop an understanding of each client's business model, workforce, organizational structure, culture, and HR needs. * Provide practical guidance to owners, executives, managers, and employees regarding workplace matters. * Assess existing HR practices and recommend improvements. * Help clients develop HR infrastructure appropriate for their size, industry, and stage of growth. * Balance business objectives, employee considerations, compliance requirements, and organizational risk when developing recommendations. * Maintain consistent communication with clients and proactively identify emerging HR needs. ### Employee Relations * Advise clients on employee relations matters, including attendance, conduct, workplace conflicts, performance issues, complaints, and disciplinary actions. * Assist management with difficult employee conversations and corrective-action processes. * Conduct or support workplace investigations when appropriate. * Prepare documentation related to counseling, written warnings, performance improvement plans, and other employment actions. * Provide guidance regarding employee separations and termination procedures. * Identify sensitive or high-risk matters requiring escalation to senior HR leadership or employment counsel. * Maintain appropriate confidentiality throughout employee relations matters. ### HR Compliance * Help clients maintain compliance with applicable federal, state, and local employment requirements. * Monitor developments in employment regulations and communicate relevant changes to clients. * Review HR practices and documentation for potential compliance gaps. * Assist clients with requirements involving areas such as: * Wage and hour practices * Employee classification * Leave administration * Workplace accommodations * Anti-harassment and discrimination requirements * Required workplace notices * Personnel records * Hiring and termination practices * Sick leave and other mandated benefits * Coordinate with employment counsel or other specialists when legal interpretation is required. ### Employee Handbooks & HR Policies * Draft, review, and update employee handbooks. * Develop HR policies, procedures, and internal guidelines. * Customize policies based on client size, workforce structure, jurisdiction, and operational needs. * Assist clients with communicating and implementing new policies. * Maintain organized records of policy revisions and employee acknowledgments. ### Onboarding & Offboarding * Design and improve employee onboarding processes. * Prepare onboarding documentation and employee communications. * Coordinate completion of required employment documentation. * Help clients establish structured new-hire orientation programs. * Support employee separation and offboarding processes. * Prepare termination and separation documentation as appropriate. * Coordinate final HR administrative requirements and ensure company property, system access, and other offboarding matters are addressed. ### Performance Management * Help clients establish effective performance-management processes. * Develop performance review templates, evaluation criteria, and review cycles. * Coach managers on providing effective feedback. * Assist with performance improvement plans and corrective-action documentation. * Help organizations establish clear job expectations, responsibilities, and accountability. * Support clients in developing career paths, goals, and employee development plans. ### Recruiting & Talent Management * Assist clients with workforce planning and hiring strategies. * Develop and revise job descriptions. * Support recruiting and candidate-screening processes as needed. * Assist with interview structures, candidate evaluation, and selection practices. * Provide guidance regarding offer letters, compensation discussions, and onboarding. * Help clients establish consistent and defensible hiring practices. ### Compensation & Benefits Support * Assist clients with compensation benchmarking and job-level evaluations. * Support the development of salary ranges and compensation structures. * Help clients evaluate employee compensation and internal equity considerations. * Coordinate with payroll, benefits brokers, and other external service providers as necessary. * Assist clients with employee benefit communications and administrative processes. * Support annual benefits enrollment and related employee communications when applicable. ### HR Systems & Administration * Assist clients with implementing and maintaining HRIS, payroll, benefits, applicant tracking, and other HR systems. * Maintain organized and accurate employee documentation. * Develop standardized HR forms, templates, checklists, and workflows. * Help clients improve HR processes through technology and automation. * Ensure confidential employee information is handled appropriately. ### Training & Manager Development * Develop and deliver HR-related training for managers and employees. * Coach supervisors on effective employee management. * Provide training on topics such as: * Harassment prevention * Performance management * Documentation * Employee relations * Interviewing and hiring * Workplace communication * Leadership fundamentals * Help managers understand their responsibilities in implementing company policies consistently. ## Qualifications * **3+ years of professional Human Resources experience** preferred. * Prior HR consulting, HR Business Partner, HR Generalist, or HR Manager experience strongly preferred. * Working knowledge of employment practices and HR compliance. * Experience handling employee relations and performance-management matters. * Experience developing HR policies, employee handbooks, and employment documentation. * Strong written and verbal communication skills. * Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities. * Excellent organizational and project-management skills. * Ability to manage multiple client relationships and competing priorities. * Ability to handle sensitive and confidential information with discretion. * Strong professional judgment and ability to recognize when issues should be escalated. * Proficiency with common HR technology, HRIS platforms, payroll systems, and Microsoft Office or Google Workspace. ## Preferred Qualifications * Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Organizational Development, or a related field. * **SHRM-CP, SHRM-SCP, PHR, SPHR**, or similar professional certification. * Previous experience working for an HR consulting or outsourced HR organization. * Experience supporting small and mid-sized businesses. * Experience supporting clients across multiple industries. * Experience with multi-state employers. * Experience conducting workplace investigations. * Experience with compensation analysis and organizational design. * Experience implementing HRIS and other HR technology platforms. ## Core Competencies ### Business Judgment Ghard HR consultants must understand that HR decisions occur within the context of a business. Consultants should be capable of evaluating operational needs, employee considerations, organizational culture, compliance requirements, and potential risk before making recommendations. ### Client Service Clients rely on Ghard HR for timely and practical guidance. Consultants are expected to be responsive, professional, prepared, and capable of communicating complex HR matters in straightforward business terms. ### Employee Relations Consultants must be comfortable addressing sensitive workplace matters and helping managers navigate difficult situations professionally and consistently. ### Communication The ability to communicate clearly is essential. Consultants must be able to translate HR requirements and best practices into recommendations that executives, managers, and employees can understand and implement. ### Judgment & Discretion HR consultants routinely have access to sensitive business and employee information. Strong professional judgment, confidentiality, and discretion are essential. ### Problem Solving Every client is different. Consultants must be able to evaluate a situation, identify the underlying issue, develop practical alternatives, and recommend an appropriate course of action. ### Ownership Consultants are expected to manage their client responsibilities proactively. This includes tracking open items, meeting deadlines, following through on commitments, and anticipating client needs rather than waiting for problems to arise. ## Performance Expectations Success in this position will be measured by: * Client satisfaction and retention. * Responsiveness to client needs. * Quality and practicality of HR recommendations. * Accuracy and professionalism of HR documentation. * Effective management of employee relations matters. * Timely completion of client projects and deliverables. * Identification and mitigation of HR and employment-related risks. * Ability to independently manage multiple client relationships. * Quality of communication with client leadership and employees. * Consistency and accuracy of client records and documentation. * Ability to develop scalable HR processes that improve client operations. ## What We Look For Ghard HR is looking for professionals who can function as both an **HR practitioner and a business advisor**. The right consultant understands HR fundamentals but does not approach every client challenge with a rigid, one-size-fits-all solution. Instead, they evaluate the client's business, workforce, culture, objectives, and risk profile before recommending a practical path forward. We value people who are **knowledgeable, organized, responsive, confident, pragmatic, discreet, and accountable**. Our consultants should be comfortable advising business owners and executives while also being willing to handle the detailed work necessary to implement those recommendations. The objective is straightforward: **help clients build better workplaces, make better people decisions, and develop HR practices that support the business as it grows.** ## About Ghard HR **Ghard HR** is a human resources consulting firm providing businesses with practical, responsive, and scalable HR support. We partner with organizations that need experienced HR guidance without necessarily maintaining every HR capability internally. Our services support clients throughout the employee lifecycle, from hiring and onboarding through employee relations, compliance, performance management, organizational development, and separation. Ghard HR combines hands-on HR execution with strategic advisory support, helping business leaders develop stronger teams, reduce employment-related risk, and build the HR infrastructure necessary for sustainable growth. **Ghard HR is an equal opportunity employer.** We consider qualified applicants without regard to legally protected characteristics and are committed to maintaining a professional and inclusive workplace.