HR Business Partner

Human Resources Business Partner – Sales & Distribution

Location: Jersey City, NJ

At Oakleaf Partnership, we are a premier global search firm specializing exclusively in Human Capital and People leadership hires. We partner with some of the most respected and sophisticated organizations across Financial Services, Professional Services, and Technology, supporting critical hires that directly shape business performance.

We are proud to be partnering with a highly regarded, investment-led financial services firm to appoint an experienced Human Resources Business Partner to support a core Sales & Distribution population. This is a highly visible role sitting at the intersection of people strategy, commercial execution, and leadership advisory.

This HR Business Partner role is aligned to a front-office, revenue-generating organization, supporting senior Sales and Distribution leaders within a fast-paced, performance-driven environment.

Operating as a trusted advisor, you will partner closely with business leadership, Talent Partners, and HR Centers of Excellence to ensure people strategy directly supports commercial objectives, advisor engagement, and long-term growth.

The role offers meaningful autonomy, strong stakeholder exposure, and the opportunity to influence decisions that directly impact business outcomes.

In this role, you will:

• Act as the primary HR advisor to senior Sales and Distribution leaders, providing strategic guidance across organizational design, workforce planning, succession, and talent development.

• Build trusted, consultative relationships with leadership, serving as a thought partner on people initiatives that enhance sales productivity and retention.

• Partner closely with Talent Acquisition to support hiring strategies across sales and relationship management roles, including role scoping and market alignment.

• Advise on sales compensation structures, incentives, and role architecture in collaboration with Compensation and Benefits teams.

• Lead performance management processes including goal alignment, calibration, development planning, and annual review cycles.

• Provide expert employee relations support, managing performance issues, conflict resolution, and sensitive matters with discretion and sound judgment.

• Support internal mobility, promotions, and leadership transitions within the distribution organization.

• Drive people-related change initiatives tied to business transformation, territory realignments, and evolving go-to-market models.

• Analyze workforce and performance data to deliver actionable insights related to headcount, engagement, structure, and retention.

• Ensure adherence to employment laws, internal policies, and regulatory standards, particularly within incentive-based populations.

• Contribute to the ongoing evolution of HR processes, systems, and practices with a focus on scalability and business impact.

The ideal candidate will bring:

• A Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field (advanced degree or HR certification preferred).

• 7-10+ years of progressive HR experience, with meaningful exposure to Sales, Distribution, or revenue-aligned client groups.

• Strong commercial acumen with the ability to operate as a true strategic partner to senior leaders.

• Experience advising on sales compensation, incentive plans, and performance frameworks.

• Excellent communication and influencing skills with confidence operating at executive level.

• Strong analytical capabilities with experience using people data to inform business decisions.

• Proven ability to manage complex employee relations matters with discretion and emotional intelligence.

• Comfort operating in a fast-paced, high-accountability environment with competing priorities.

• Partner directly with senior commercial leadership in a revenue-driving environment.

• High-impact HRBP role with genuine strategic influence.

• Exposure to complex sales structures, incentive models, and business transformation initiatives.

• Opportunity to join a respected, stable, and investment-led organization with a strong people culture.