About Us

The Robert R. McCormick Foundation is dedicated to fostering communities of educated, informed, and engaged citizens. Through philanthropic grant-making and Cantigny Park, the Foundation works to make life better in Chicagoland. The McCormick Foundation, among the nation's largest foundations with more than $1.5 billion in assets, was established in 1955 upon the death of Col. Robert R. McCormick, the longtime editor and publisher of the Chicago Tribune. The Foundation awards about $55 million a year across five grantmaking program areas.

Cantigny Park, part of the Robert R. McCormick Foundation, is the 500-acre Wheaton estate of Robert R. McCormick. It is home to the McCormick House, First Division Museum, formal gardens, picnic grounds, walking trails and a Visitors Center with banquet and dining facilities.

Find out more at mccormickfoundation.org

Out Values

Integrity and Humility

Trust and respect are essential in relationships. We aspire to the highest standards of professional behavior and ethics.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

We seek communities in which all individuals have equitable access to the resources, opportunities, and power they need to flourish, and where race and ethnicity are not predictive of life outcomes.

Individual Rights and Responsibilities

We promote an understanding of both our Constitutional rights, as well as our obligations to others as members of our community.

Commitment to Service and Effective Stewardship

We support people and communities through our service to them. To sustain our mission for years to come, we respect the resources entrusted to us and the intent of our benefactor, Robert R. McCormick. 

Greater Impact and Collaboration

We work with communities to help solve their most pressing challenges. We look to maximize our impact through partnerships and teamwork.

Innovation and a Commitment to Learning

Continuous learning will improve our performance and each person’s ability to contribute.

Opportunity

The Robert R. McCormick Foundation is offering an exciting, challenging, and rewarding career opportunity for an experienced human resources professional with expertise in talent acquisition and training and development. This position is responsible for attracting, onboarding, and developing talent at all levels across the Foundation and Cantigny Park. Responsibilities include planning and implementing cost-effective strategies to ensure staffing needs are fulfilled efficiently; focusing on attracting a high performing and diverse workforce; redefining career roadmapping and professional development; and occasional support to the HR Department with other needs in compensation, benefits, and employee relations. The role will develop strong partnerships and serve as a consultant to hiring managers and department leads on all recruiting-related activities. This role requires knowledge across all functions to successfully operate as a back up to the current HR Generalist.

The ideal candidate brings at least five years in an HR Generalist role with experience managing or supporting 1) the full lifecycle of talent acquisition, and 2) training and staff development. We are looking for someone who is flexible, process-oriented, has strong project management skills, and will enjoy lending their expertise across operations, people, and culture to support the HR Department. This is a full-time position that reports to the Director of Human Resources and will require travel between the downtown Chicago office and Cantigny Park in Wheaton, Illinois.

Responsibilities

Talent Acquisition:

• Create and maintain collaborative relationships with leadership and hiring managers to attract and retain talented and diverse professionals
• Manage the Foundation’s internship program and cultivate relationships with colleges, universities, and professional associations
• Facilitate or coordinate training with leadership and staff on best practices in screening, interviewing, and other HR-related topics of interest/need
• Develop and implement best-in-class practices and strategies for the end-to-end candidate experience, including sourcing, screening, interviewing, selection, and onboarding
  • Create, implement, and track cost-effective and innovative recruiting strategies to recruit and attract top talent, including social media
  • Manage the Foundation’s applicant tracking system and career site to ensure efficient workflows and a positive candidate experience
  • Prepare, extend, and negotiate job offers in accordance with budget guidelines and established approval procedures
  • Coordinate background check and drug screening processes with candidates and vendors
  • Coordinate new employee orientation/onboarding and ensure all required new hire paperwork is completed
  • Update the recruitment dashboard with KPIs (such as number of positions filled, time to fill, and the underutilization report)
  • Conduct exit interviews with departing staff and share trends with leadership
  • Represent the Foundation and Cantigny Park at career fairs, conferences, and other recruiting events valuable to the recruiting strategy

Training and Development:

• Collaborate with the Director of HR on career roadmapping, professional development processes and policies, and talent development strategies
• Co-manage the Foundation’s succession strategy and implement activities to align with succession plans and talent gaps
• Analyze compensation as it relates to market conditions, candidate expectations, and equity
• Assist with the Foundation’s semi-annual performance review process
• Partner with supervisors to maintain job descriptions for all positions and organizational charts for all departments

General HR Support:

• Assist with the Foundation’s benefits program, including tracking all eligible employees and ensuring they are given an opportunity to obtain benefits information and to enroll in plans in a timely manner
• Interpret and educate employees on HR policies and ensure consistent application of Foundation policies, federal and state laws, and regulations
• Proactively seek out industry information and best practices to continue to improve processes
• Backup to the HR Generalist on the following but not limited to worker’s compensation, benefits administration, employee and labor relations, and payroll processing.

Qualifications

• A minimum of five years of experience in Human Resources with full-cycle talent acquisition experience; knowledge of state and federal employment laws; staffing agency/executive search experience is a plus; both nonprofit and corporate experience preferred
• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources or related field; master’s degree preferred
• Experience developing strategies that support an inclusive culture while hiring, developing, and retaining diverse talent as a top priority
• Must be a committed advocate for the advancement of diversity, equity, and inclusion
• Demonstrated passion for the Foundation’s values with commitment to deliver results measured against the Foundation’s mission
• Possess strong consultative skills and must be able to work with minimal supervision
• Adaptability and flexibility in a fast-paced, team-oriented environment
• Superior customer service, negotiation, and closing skills
• Outstanding project management skills and attention to detail
• Outstanding verbal and written communication skills and exceptional skills making presentations to staff and leadership
• High level of interpersonal skills and discretion to handle confidential situations, as well as tact and diplomacy in establishing and maintaining strong relationships
• Must be proficient with Microsoft Office applications (Outlook, PowerPoint, Word, Excel), HRIS and talent management software
• All offers are contingent upon successful completion of a criminal background check and drug screening

To apply:

Submit a resume and cover letter online HERE.

The Robert R. McCormick Foundation and Cantigny Park provide equal employment opportunity (EEO) to all persons regardless of age, color, national origin, citizenship status, individuals with disabilities, race, religion, creed, gender, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, genetic information, marital and housing status.