Human Resources Manager

At Kirkland & Ellis, we don’t just meet the standard for legal excellence — we set it. Our culture is built on teamwork, ingenuity and an unwavering commitment to continuous growth. We tackle the most sophisticated legal challenges with bold ideas and innovative solutions, powered by the exceptional experience and ambition of our 7,000+ people, including 4,000+ attorneys, across 22 offices worldwide.

Our dedicated professionals share our lawyers’ commitment to excellence and show up each day to do meaningful work that helps drive global business, investment and innovation forward.

Are you an experienced Human Resources leader who thrives as a strategic partner while staying closely connected to day-to-day people operations? As a Human Resources Manager
, you’ll play a critical role in supporting our Washington, D.C. and Philadelphia offices by delivering both strategic leadership and hands‑on support aligned with the Firm’s business objectives.

In this role, you’ll serve as a trusted advisor to office leadership, including the Senior Director of Administration, while partnering closely with firmwide Talent leaders and Centers of Expertise. You’ll bring a deep understanding of the employee lifecycle, strong business acumen, and a collaborative mindset to help attract, develop, and retain exceptional talent in a fast‑paced, professional services environment.

• Strategic HR Leadership: Provide strategic and hands‑on HR leadership for the Washington, D.C. and Philadelphia offices, ensuring local initiatives align with firmwide business and talent strategies.
• Trusted Business Partnership: Serve as a trusted advisor to office leadership and senior Talent partners, proactively supporting organizational effectiveness, change management, and people‑related business needs.
• End‑to‑End Employee Lifecycle Support: Partner with firmwide Talent leaders and Centers of Expertise to support all phases of the employee lifecycle, including recruiting, onboarding, performance management, compensation administration, engagement, development, and separations.
• Onboarding, Offboarding & Transitions: Lead onboarding and offboarding processes for all local staff, including coordination related to leaves of absence and employee transitions.
• Employee Relations & Performance Management: Act as the primary HR contact for local staff, addressing employee relations matters with sound judgment and partnering on performance improvement plans, review processes, and other sensitive issues.
• Talent Strategy & Continuous Support: Collaborate with Talent Acquisition on recruiting strategies, support talent management and development planning, and contribute to broader HR initiatives that support evolving business needs.

• Bachelor’s degree required;
  Professional in Human Resources (PHR) or Society for Human Resource Management Certified Professional (SHRM‑CP) certification preferred.
• Minimum of 7 years of progressive human resources experience, including at least 5 years of people management experience within a professional services environment.
• Demonstrated success across the full employee lifecycle, with strong employee relations, talent management, and change management capabilities.
• Proven ability to manage multiple competing priorities with strong attention to detail, organization, and follow‑through.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to build trust and collaborate effectively at all levels of the organization.
• Resilience and professionalism in fast‑paced environments, including comfort handling sensitive or urgent situations.
• Proactive, solutions‑oriented approach with sound judgment and critical thinking skills.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and familiarity with legal or professional services technology tools.
• Availability to work outside standard business hours as needed.

The base salary range below represents the low and high end of the salary range for this position in Washington, D.C. This range may differ based on your geographic location and cost of living considerations. At Kirkland & Ellis, we consider compensation more than just a base salary. We offer…