ZS · 1 day ago
Director - Regional Human Resources Lead
Chicago, IL
Full-time
Hybrid
Director/Executive
15+ years expZS is a management consulting and technology firm focused on improving life through data, science, and technology. The Director - Regional Human Resources Lead will oversee talent strategy and organizational effectiveness for approximately 4,000 employees across the Americas, acting as a trusted advisor to senior leaders and driving a high-performance culture.
ConsultingManagement ConsultingMarketing
Responsibilities
Act as a thought partner to Principals, Associate Principals, and Managers in the Americas, providing clear, data-driven guidance on talent, performance, organizational design, and culture
Translate ZS strategy, growth objectives, and market realities into a clear people and talent agenda that supports sustained competitive advantage through client impact
Confidently challenge and push back on business leaders when requests are misaligned with core people practices, performance standards, or long-term talent strategy
Drive a high-performance culture by strengthening personal development, performance management, real-time and actionable feedback, and accountability
Partner with consulting leaders to pro-actively identify and resolve any ongoing underperformance, while ensuring that individuals and leaders receive clear, candid feedback to drive improvement and development
Lead and drive a high-performance culture appropriate for a consulting business, including rigorous performance management, promotion, and rewards processes
Reinforce a culture of accountability, feedback, and continuous development while maintaining high expectations for client impact and commercial results
Model ZS values, ensuring they are embedded in leadership behaviors, talent decisions, and employee experiences
Lead workforce planning and forecasting for the Americas to ensure that ZS has the right skills and capabilities for the future. With the business, identify work that can be delivered through AI vs. FTEs. Facilitate skill identification and revise job structures for success in an AI-enabled world
Partner with recruiting leadership to ensure that ZS attracts, assesses, and hires top-tier talent aligned with performance expectations and ZS culture hiring. Ensure both full time and contingent hiring goals are met and that quality of hire remains pristine
Advise on organizational design, leverage models, role clarity and team structures to support growth, profitability, and client delivery excellence. Ensure that talent strategy and workforce models take AI into account
Apply sound judgment to complex employee relations, performance, and leadership situations
Ensure compliance with employment laws and firm policies while maintaining a pragmatic, performance-oriented approach
Elevate issues appropriately and provide clear recommendations to senior leadership
Lead, coach, and develop a high-performing HR team, including other HR Leads (aka Business Partners), HR generalists, recruiters, and staffers
Collaborate with other Regional HR Leaders to share and adopt leading practices, and to create a consistent employee experience across the globe
Set a high bar for analytical rigor, business acumen, and impact—moving the team beyond transactional HR to true advisory partnership
Ensure consistency and quality of people decisions across practices, regions, and client-facing roles
Qualification
Required
15+ years of progressive HR experience, including senior-level HR Business Partner leadership roles in consulting, professional services, or similarly performance-driven environments
Proven experience advising and influencing executive-level leaders in complex, fast-paced environments
Demonstrated experience leading and scaling large, multi-layered HR teams, including direct management of Managers
Deep expertise in performance management, talent development, organizational design, and change management
Strong commercial and financial acumen; understands consulting economics, leverage models, and client delivery pressures
Must have professional Excel, PowerPoint, and HRIS skills
Fluency in English
Client-first mentality
Intense work ethic
Collaborative spirit and problem-solving approach
Confident, direct, and thoughtful communicator who can push back with clarity and respect
Highly credible with leaders at all levels; able to earn trust and demonstrate influence quickly
Results-oriented, pragmatic, and comfortable making hard calls
Committed to building a culture of accountability, excellence, and continuous improvement. High judgment, low tolerance for mediocrity, and comfort making difficult calls
Direct, intellectually rigorous communicator who can stand firm under pressure
Trusted by senior leaders for discretion, clarity, and courage
Able to energize, motivate, and upskill a diverse team
Relentlessly focused on outcomes, not activity
Preferred
MBA and/or previous consulting experience preferred
Benefits
Health and well-being
Financial planning
Annual leave
Personal growth and professional development
Robust skills development programs
Multiple career progression options
Internal mobility paths
Collaborative culture
Company
ZS is a management consulting and technology firm that partners with companies to improve life and how we live it.
10001+ employees
H1B Sponsorship
ZS has a track record of offering H1B sponsorships. Please note that this does not
guarantee sponsorship for this specific role. Below presents additional info for your
reference. (Data Powered by US Department of Labor)
Distribution of Different Job Fields Receiving Sponsorship
Represents job field similar to this job
Trends of Total Sponsorships
2025 (351)
2024 (297)
2023 (251)
2022 (440)
2021 (292)
2020 (164)
Funding
Current Stage
Late StageLeadership Team
Arun Shastri
Principal
Victoria L Summers
Principal
Recent News
2025-12-30
2025-12-11
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