People Services Business Partner

Art and Wellness Enterprises (AWE) is a professional services organization supporting non-profits founded by Alice Walton, including the Alice L. Walton Foundation, Alice L. Walton School of Medicine, Art Bridges Foundation, Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, the Momentary, and Heartland Whole Health Institute.

Job Description:

Job Title: People Services Business Partner
Reports to: People Services Director
FLSA Classification: Exempt

Location: Bentonville, Arkansas (On-site)

Art and Wellness Enterprises (AWE) supports operating non-profits founded by Alice Walton, including the Alice L. Walton Foundation, Alice L. Walton School of Medicine, Art Bridges, Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, the Momentary, and Heartland Whole Health Institute.

About The Position

The People Services Business Partner is responsible for providing comprehensive support across a broad range of human resource functions throughout Art and Wellness Enterprises (AWE) and its supported organizations. This role will primarily support the Alice L. Walton School of Medicine and includes responsibilities related to onboarding, offboarding, organizational changes, compliance, HR operations, and team member support. Building relationships with institutional leaders and team members, providing strategic partnership, and serving as a trusted People Services resource are key roles this position plays.

This role is essential in supporting the team member experience, promoting consistent application of organizational policies and practices, and helping leaders navigate team member and organizational matters. The People Services Business Partner works closely with leaders and team members across the ecosystem to support organizational and team member changes, maintain HRIS data and records, support People Services programs and processes, and help ensure compliance with employment and labor laws and organizational policies.

Success in this role requires strong relationship-building skills, sound judgment, and the ability to navigate complex and sensitive situations with professionalism and discretion. The ability to balance strategic partnership with operational execution, effectively manage multiple priorities, and provide practical recommendations in a fast-paced, evolving higher education environment is essential.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Team Member Lifecycle

• Manage full-cycle onboarding process to include processing new hires in HRIS system(s).
• Help develop, facilitate and oversee new hire orientation and onboarding.
• Support organizational and workforce changes, including promotions, transfers, position changes, reorganizations, and related personnel transactions and documentation.
• Manage employee offboarding process, including exit interviews, data collection, reporting, and employee termination process.
• Partner with Learning and Development to support employee development initiatives and programs.
• Support team member initiatives, e.g., wellness initiatives, open enrollment events, and other campus-wide activities.
• Support workforce planning initiatives through organizational structure analysis, position management, and maintenance of job profiles, positions, and reporting structures.
• Create, review, and maintain job descriptions, including classification analysis and job leveling.

Operations and Compliance

• Track and maintain accurate employee records, including personnel, employee relations files, and other human resource-related documentation through HRIS system(s).
• Ensure data integrity within HRIS. Accurately process team member changes in HRIS including changes to position, hours, compensation, cost center, company, reporting structure, etc.
• Participate in root-cause testing and quality assurance processes for HRIS system updates, enhancements, and integrations.
• Collect, organize, interpret, and analyze data, develop and run reports, and verify data accuracy.
• Manage, respond to, and resolve assigned requests for support submitted through the Jira ticketing system and/or shared email inbox.
• Maintain current knowledge of federal, state, and local employment and labor laws, regulations, organizational policies, and human resource best practices.
• Provide guidance and support to managers and team members regarding compliance with employment and labor laws, regulations, and organizational policies and procedures.
• Guide management teams in maintaining the confidentiality and appropriate handling of sensitive information and documentation.
• Assist in the development and implementation of human resource policies, procedures, and programs.
• Contribute to the development of playbooks with standardized approaches (e.g., standard operating procedures) for use throughout the ecosystem to drive efficiency and ensure consistent positive experiences for team members.
• Perform other duties and responsibilities as assigned to support evolving organizational needs.

Workplace Support

• Collaborate with management and People Services leadership to anticipate problems, advise on risks associated with current business practices, and recommend improvements.
• Respond to human resources related questions and issues from managers and team members (e.g., performance, discipline, termination, etc.) and provide guidance regarding the application of employment and labor laws, organizational policies, and procedures.
• Manage the administration of performance management processes, including goal setting and performance reviews
• Partner with leaders to address performance concerns and support corrective action processes.
• Counsel, coach, and mediate issues or concerns with team members and/or supervisors to obtain a reasonable resolution.
• Conduct employee relations investigations, gather evidence, conduct interviews, analyze findings, prepare investigation summary reports, and provide recommendations to People Services leadership.
• Escalate and involve senior management and/or legal regarding critical issues as appropriate.
• Partner with Benefits and Payroll to support reasonable accommodations (ADA), leaves of absence (FMLA), workers' compensation, paid time off (PTO), timekeeping, and related processes, and facilitate interactive processes as appropriate.

Additional Job Duties

• Analyze internal wage and salary reports and data to determine a competitive compensation plan.

Qualifications and Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in human resources, business administration, management, or a related field required; Master's degree preferred.
• Professional human resource certification such as SHRM-CP, SHRM-SCP, PHR, SPHR, or equivalent credential preferred.
• 5–7+ years of progressively responsible human resources experience across multiple functional areas, including employee relations, performance management, workforce planning, HR operations, compliance, and policy administration.
• Experience supporting complex organizations or multi-entity environments within healthcare, nonprofit organizations, museums/cultural institutions, philanthropy, or similarly complex environments is preferred. Experience in higher education is required.
• Strong knowledge of human resources practices, employee relations, performance management, employment and labor laws, and human resource compliance requirements.
• Experience conducting employee relations investigations and advising managers on performance, discipline, policy interpretation, and workplace concerns.
• Demonstrated decision-making and risk assessment skills with the ability to evaluate complex situations and provide practical recommendations.
• Familiarity with reasonable accommodations (ADA), leaves of absence (FMLA), workers' compensation, timekeeping, payroll processes, and related employment practices.
• Experience supporting workforce planning initiatives, organizational structure reviews, position management, job descriptions, job classification, and job leveling activities preferred.
• Experience working with HRIS systems and maintaining employee data. Prior Workday experience is strongly preferred.
• Ability to collect, analyze, interpret, and present workforce and operational data to support decision-making.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office applications, including Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams, and SharePoint.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to build relationships and effectively collaborate with team members, managers, leaders, and cross-functional stakeholders.
• Demonstrated critical thinking, problem-solving, organizational, and time management skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities and meet deadlines.
• High level of integrity and discretion in handling confidential and sensitive information.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, ever-changing environment while remaining adaptable and resilient.

Physical Demands and Work Environment

The physical demands and work environment characteristics described here are representative of those required by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform these functions.

Physical Demands: In the work environment described, this position requires utilizing a computer and a telephone for prolonged periods of time, good hand-eye coordination, bending and stretching, and the physical stamina to lift and transport a minimum of 10 pounds. Visual acuity to review written materials is required for this job.

Work Environment: Work is performed on-site (Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.) in a professional, climate-controlled office environment with standard office equipment, including computers, printers, and telephones. This role requires working in an open setting near colleagues. The noise level is typically low to moderate. The role also requires regular interaction with both the public and internal team members in a professional and courteous manner. Some travel will be required, including overnight trips on occasion. A flexible schedule may be necessary to accommodate business needs, including occasional evening and weekend work hours.

Art and Wellness Enterprises, LLC is an equal opportunity employer committed to building and maintaining a workplace that is free of discrimination and harassment of any kind. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, veteran status, or any other status protected by the laws or regulations in the locations where we operate. 

All offers of employment are contingent on your successful completion (where permitted by state law) of a confidentiality agreement and a background check. In addition, you will need to provide proper identification verifying your eligibility to work in the United States.