Associate HR Consultant in GREATER CHICAGO AREA

At Work Friendly, we help businesses of all sizes and stages build and retain their most valuable asset: their people. We're a Chicago-based, female-founded and female-run HR and Talent Acquisition consulting firm. We act as a fractional extension of our clients’ People functions—whether as a Head of People, HR Business Partner, HR Generalist, Talent Lead, or Recruiter.

Our work is hands-on, high-impact, and relationship-driven. We specialize in supporting early-stage startups through strategic growth, but our clients span industries and sizes. No matter the client, our focus remains the same: providing thoughtful, practical, and people-first HR solutions.

About the Role

Work Friendly is seeking an Associate People Consultant to join our team and collaborate closely with our People Consultants in delivering exceptional people-focused support to our clients. This role is perfect for someone who is energized by people operations, enjoys working in a collaborative and fast-paced environment, and brings a natural curiosity to their work.

The ideal candidate is passionate about building strong, lasting relationships and is eager to contribute to strategic HR advisory initiatives. As an Associate People Consultant, you’ll provide critical support to our Consultants and help drive impactful outcomes for our clients.

This position reports directly to Work Friendly’s Founder and CEO and plays a key role in supporting the continued growth and success of our organization.

This is a full-time position. The salary range for this role is $70-90k, inclusive of base and bonus.

While this is a remote position, we are currently only considering candidates who are located in Illinois, Wisconsin, or Michigan.

Each day brings something new, but here’s a general idea of what you can expect from the role:

• Serve as a fractional HR resource for multiple clients, offering support across HR functions such as onboarding, performance, benefits, employee relations, and compliance.
• Partner with client leadership to assess current HR programs, identify gaps, and implement effective solutions that align with business goals.
• Provide guidance and hands-on support in navigating employment law, HR compliance, and internal policy development.
• Deliver high-touch client service and serve as a secondary point of contact for ongoing HR support.
• Support the selection, implementation, and optimization of HRIS platforms (e.g., Workday, ADP, Rippling, Paycom, Paycor, Paylocity).
• Manage or support payroll processing, including setup of schedules, tax codes, deductions, and adjustments.
• Support broader HR initiatives such as:
• Performance management program design
• Culture and engagement strategies (e.g., surveys, workshops)
• Talent strategy and workforce planning
• Full-cycle recruiting and onboarding for key roles

Required Skills/Experience

• At least three years of generalist HR experience, ideally with a background in consulting
• Strong knowledge of HR operations, including payroll, benefits, compliance, performance management, and recruiting
• Excellent project management and organizational skills
• Confident communicator with the ability to engage executive stakeholders
• Collaborative team player who can also work independently
• Proactive problem-solver who loves building from scratch
• Deeply client-focused and service-minded

Benefits

• Fully remote role (with optional access to our Chicago West Loop office)
• Quarterly in-person offsites to build connection and collaboration
• Health, Dental and Vision Insurance with competitive company contribution
• Paid parental leave
• 401(k) with competitive employer match
• Performance-based bonus
• $500 annual learning and development stipend
• Flexible and unlimited PTO
• Company laptop provided

If you’re passionate about all things HR and love combining strategic advising with hands-on problem-solving, we’d love to meet you.

Compensation