Manager Talent Management

Michael Best is seeking a Talent Management Manager to manage the day-to-day Talent Management Advisor function and supporting firm leaders on employee relations, leadership support, performance management, succession planning, and workforce-related talent matters.

Reporting to the Director of Human Resources & Talent, this role leads a team of Talent Management Advisors supporting attorneys and business professionals across the firm and helps translate employee, leader, and workforce data into actionable insights that strengthen the employee experience, support leadership decision-making, and advance firm priorities.

What You'll Be Doing

Team leadership: Lead, coach, and develop the Talent Management Advisor team, including work allocation, prioritization, performance management, development planning, and consistent service delivery across the firm.

Employee relations: Manage employee relations matters across the firm, including intake, assessment, investigation planning, documentation, resolution recommendations, and follow-through.

Partner with the Director of Human Resources & Talent, internal General Counsel, and other stakeholders on matters involving legal risk, policy interpretation, investigations, separations, accommodations, performance concerns, and other sensitive employment issues.

Leadership support: Advise partners, practice group leaders, administrative leaders, and managers on employee-related matters, leadership effectiveness, team dynamics, organizational changes, performance concerns, and talent risks. Build trusted stakeholder relationships while balancing business needs, employee experience, consistency, and defensibility.

Performance management: Support and help administer the firm’s performance management approach, including coaching leaders on expectations, documentation, feedback, corrective action, performance improvement plans, and year-end or periodic performance processes. Identify trends and recommend proactive interventions to improve accountability and consistency.

Succession planning: Coordinate and support succession planning practices across the firm in partnership with the Director of Human Resources & Talent, Talent leadership, firm leadership, practice leaders, and administrative leaders. Support identification of critical roles, readiness gaps, development needs, retention risks, and future leadership pipelines.

Data and insights: Use workforce data, employee relations themes, performance trends, engagement feedback, turnover information, and other talent metrics to tell the employee story, identify risks, support decision-making, and recommend practical solutions. Partner with HRIS and Talent colleagues to strengthen reporting, dashboards, and data-informed planning.

Talent leadership: Participate in Talent Senior Leadership Team discussions, contributing to Talent strategy, operating model improvements, process discipline, policy development, change management, and cross-functional execution across HR, Recruiting, Professional Development, and related talent functions.

Process discipline and continuous improvement: Establish consistent practices, tools, documentation standards, escalation protocols, and advisor workflows that create a scalable, defensible, and high-quality Talent Management function.

Job Requirements

• Education:
• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Organizational Development, or a related field required
• Advanced degree, HR certification, or relevant professional certification preferred
• Experience:10+ years of progressive human resources, talent management, employee relations, or HR business partner experience
• Demonstrated experience advising senior leaders on complex employee relations, performance management, workforce planning, organizational change, and leadership matters
• Experience leading HR or Talent team members, including coaching, prioritization, workflow management, performance management, and team development
• Experience conducting or overseeing employee relations reviews, investigations, documentation, corrective action, accommodations, separations, and risk-sensitive employment matters
• Experience building or improving scalable HR processes, tools, reporting, and operating rhythms across a multi-office or matrixed environment
• Law firm, professional services, or partnership-based organization experience preferred
• Ability to communicate effectively and influence stakeholders at multiple levels, including partners, senior leaders, managers, attorneys, and business professionals
• Skills &

Competencies

• Strong business judgment and ability to balance employee experience, leadership needs, consistency, confidentiality, and employment risk
• High credibility with senior leaders, partners, managers, attorneys, and business professionals
• Strong employee relations judgment, including knowing when to decide, escalate, involve legal counsel, or recommend additional review
• Ability to use data, trends, and qualitative feedback to identify workforce risks and tell a clear employee story
• Strong coaching, consultation, conflict resolution, and change management skills
• Process discipline and attention to documentation, consistency, confidentiality, and follow-through
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and sensitive matters in a fast-paced, professional services environment
• Collaborative approach and ability to work across HR, Talent, Recruiting, Professional Development, internal General Counsel, Finance, and firm leadership
• Required: Use approved AI-enabled tools responsibly and effectively to improve quality, efficiency, and decision-making, consistent with organizational policies, confidentiality, and applicable laws.

The Company

This is an opportunity to work with the Best. We are Michael Best & Friedrich, LLP. We are a full-service law firm with more than 350 lawyers and technical professionals who work in collaborative, interdisciplinary practices to serve clients around the world.

We work with companies in all kinds of industries, as well as trade associations, nonprofits, educational institutions, governments, family trusts, and high-net-worth individuals. Since our firm’s founding in 1848, we’ve continuously evolved to meet our clients’ changing needs and expectations.

One thing remains the same: For generations, clients have relied on Michael Best for exceptional legal service and business acumen.

The LocationWe have offices in Wisconsin (Green Bay, Madison, Milwaukee, Waukesha); Illinois (Chicago); Utah (Salt Lake City); Colorado (Denver, Broomfield); Texas (Austin); North Carolina (Charlotte, Durham, Raleigh, Wilmington); California (Los Angeles); Nebraska (Lincoln); and Washington DC. Our contemporary office spaces are ideal for concentration and collaboration; supporting our culture of working together to make great things happen for our Clients.

This position can be based in our Milwaukee, Waukesha, or Raleigh office. Why You Should ApplyAt Michael Best, we are proud to offer a comprehensive and competitive Total Rewards package that provides a variety of resources designed to enhance its employees’ overall well-being, both at work and at home.

Competitive base pay, outstanding benefits, opportunities for learning and growth, programs designed to help you plan for the future, and perks that inspire your downtime are all part of our total compensation package.

• Learning and Growth
• Challenging and Dynamic Role
• Career Development Planning
• Professional Growth Opportunities
• Performance Management and Coaching
• Specialized Training Programs Health & Wellness
• Medical
• Dental
• Vision Care
• Health Savings Accounts
• Flexible Spending Accounts
• Wellness Program
• Employee and Family Assistance Program Total

Compensation

Competitive Base PayAnnual Merit Review/Incentive PayOutstanding

Benefits

• Generous PTO Plus 10 Paid Holidays Planning for the Future401(k) with Company Contribution
• Short Term Disability Plan
• Long Term Disability Plan
• Life Insurance
• Critical Illness Insurance
• Parental/Family Leave
• Culture and Workplace
• Respected organization with Collaborative Culture
• Growing Firm with an Exciting Future
• Contemporary

Work Environment

Positive and Respectful Work ClimatePerformance RecognitionTo be considered for this position, please submit an application via our online portal. Recruitment Agencies: Michael Best is not accepting unsolicited agency resumes for this position. Please do not forward resumes to our careers email address or any Firm employees. Michael Best is not responsible for any fees related to unsolicited resumes.

Michael Best & Friedrich LLP and Michael Best Strategies LLC (collectively known as "Michael Best") are steadfastly committed to providing equal employment opportunity and maintaining a workplace for employees and applicants for employment that is free from discrimination based upon age, race, religion, color, disability, marital status, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, ancestry, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, veteran or military status, or any other status protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

If, because of a medical condition or disability, you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application process, please contact our Recruiting team at 414.225.4999 or careers@michaelbest.com to let us know the nature of your request and your contact information.