Chief of Staff - HR (Fractional) - Chicago IL

Our story

At Alight, we believe a company’s success starts with its people. At our core, we Champion People, help our colleagues Grow with Purpose and true to our name we encourage colleagues to “Be Alight.”

Our Values:

Champion People – be empathetic and help create a place where everyone belongs.

Grow with purpose – Be inspired by our higher calling of improving lives.

Be Alight – act with integrity, be real and empower others.

It’s why we’re so driven to connect passion with purpose. Alight helps clients gain a benefits advantage while building a healthy and financially secure workforce by unifying the benefits ecosystem across health, wealth, wellbeing, absence management and navigation.

With a comprehensive total rewards package, continuing education and training, and tremendous potential with a growing global organization, Alight is the perfect place to put your passion to work.

Join our team if you Champion People, want to Grow with Purpose through acting with integrity and if you embody the meaning of Be Alight.

Learn more at careers.alight.com. 

The Chief of Staff serves as a strategic partner and advisor to the CHRO and HR Leadership Team, helping to drive alignment, operational excellence, and execution of key priorities. This part-time role (up to 30 hours per week) is ideal for a collaborative, organized, and emotionally intelligent professional who thrives in dynamic environments and enjoys enabling leadership teams to focus on strategic goals.

This position supports people strategy development, decision-making, project execution, change management, and communication. The Chief of Staff will help foster a culture of trust, inclusion, and accountability across the HR function.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Planning & Execution

• Collaborate with HR leaders to define and prioritize organizational goals.
• Drive cross-functional initiatives and ensure alignment with strategic objectives.
• Monitor progress on key projects and proactively address risks or roadblocks.

Operational Efficiency

• Identify and implement process improvements to enhance decision-making and execution.
• Lead or support special projects, ensuring timely and high-quality outcomes.
• Develop dashboards and metrics to track performance against goals.

Executive Support

• Serve as a thought partner to the CHRO and HR Leadership Team.
• Prepare briefing materials, presentations, and reports for internal and external audiences.
• Partner with the Executive Assistant to manage calendars, priorities, and communications.

Stakeholder Engagement

• Build strong relationships across teams to promote collaboration and transparency.
• Act as a liaison between the executive office and internal/external stakeholders.
• Represent the HR Leadership Team in meetings and initiatives as needed.

Culture & Team Leadership

• Promote a culture of inclusion, innovation, and continuous improvement.
• Support team development and goal achievement through mentorship and guidance.
• Model the organization’s values and mission in all interactions.

Qualifications

Education & Skills

• Bachelor’s degree required; MBA or advanced degree preferred.
• Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication abilities.
• High emotional intelligence with the ability to build trust and influence outcomes.
• Proficiency in project management tools and business analytics platforms.

Experience

• 10+ years of experience in HR, management consulting, strategic planning, or senior-level operations.
• Demonstrated success leading cross-functional initiatives and driving business impact.

Work Environment & Schedule

• This is a part-time role, up to 30 hours per week.
• Hybrid work model with 1–3 days per week in the downtown Chicago office.
• Occasional participation in off-site meetings or training sessions.
• Flexibility to adjust hours based on business needs.

Flexible Wo