Human Resources Generalist

Northbrook Public Library seeks a Human Resources Generalist.

Schedule: Full-time (35 hours/week); primarily on site Monday through Friday 9:00 am - 5:00 pm with flexibility on exact hours; occasional evening or weekend hours

About the Position 

The Northbrook Public Library is hiring a Human Resources Generalist to join our Administration Department. This is a hands-on, relationship-centered role for someone who does their best work supporting the people who do the work and who finds satisfaction in paying attention to details. Under the direction of the Human Resources Director, you will serve as the primary day-to-day HR contact for library staff. Your responsibilities will include responding to staff inquiries, implementing the employment lifecycle from recruitment to separation, administering benefits and wages, and facilitating employee relations.

The ideal candidate embraces our core values of innovation, inclusion, customer service, lifelong learning, equity, and collaboration, viewing them as a framework for decision-making in their day-to-day work. Following the completion of a comprehensive Equity, Diversity & Inclusion assessment in 2025, the library has embedded key recommendations directly into our HR practices. This role is vital for helping sustain and advance this work at the operational level. We are looking for someone with hands-on experience applying EDI principles to everyday HR functions: refining how we recruit and onboard, navigating conflict, and ensuring our policies work equitably for a staff with varied identities and experiences.

Click on links to read the job description, the library's Service Standards and learn more about our award-winning library.

We want to hear from you if you:

• Have worked in HR for a unit of local government and/or hold a SHRM or HRCI certification.
• Build relationships with warmth, empathy, and professionalism while maintaining the highest levels of integrity and discretion.
• Demonstrate solid technical knowledge in MS Office, Google Workspace, and HRIS/payroll technology.
• Are fluent in HR compliance across the full employment lifecycle: hiring, onboarding, performance management, leaves, separations, and compliance with federal, state, and local employment laws.
• Hold a track record of handling difficult HR situations—such as performance improvement or conflict resolution—with fairness and compassion.
• Bring demonstrated experience applying EDI best practices to organizational processes.
• Manage your own work with discipline: you set timelines, track details, and follow through.
• Can develop training and communicate procedures clearly for staff with different learning styles and levels of HR familiarity.
• Communicate proactively with staff and leadership, adjusting your approach for the audience.
• Commit to continuous improvement, using holistic thinking to ensure a consistent experience across the library.

We are seeking a wide array of candidates that encompass varied identities and abilities and encourage those who have gained skills outside of traditional education to apply. The Northbrook Public Library is dedicated to building an inclusive, diverse, equitable, and accessible workplace that fosters a sense of belonging - so if you’re excited about this position but not sure if you meet all the criteria, we encourage you to still consider applying. You may have other experiences or skills that would still make you a great candidate.

About the Library and Community  

We seek candidates who share our passion for serving the people of Northbrook. The Northbrook Public Library is an Equal Opportunity Employer who values every community member and works to be welcoming and respectful of people's different identities including race, ethnicity, gender identity, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, religion, ability, language, age, size, and more.  

The Village of Northbrook, IL has a resident population of 35,222. This highly regarded, civic-minded and well-resourced community is just 25 miles north of downtown Chicago. With excellent access to transportation, Northbrook has a vibrant business community and is headquarters to several Fortune 500 companies. Residents are attracted to the top-rated schools, access to many recreational opportunities, and its small-town charm. This Library Journal Five Star library is a cornerstone of the community with strong public support and an operating budget of $8,600,000.  The collection includes over 250,000 physical items, with an annual circulation of over 900,000.

Benefits

Quality benefits play a vital role in promoting the health and well-being of our staff and their families, and this is why we offer a comprehensive benefit package including medical, dental, vision, and life insurance coverage to eligible employees. We also have generous paid time off and retirement plans for eligible employees.  

Applying

Apply by clicking on the blue tab "Apply for This Job" located at the top right corner on the jobs page. When using a Mac to apply, use a browser other than Safari. Communication with applicants is made via email through BambooHR, our Applicant Tracking System. Please add BambooHR to your list of acceptable addresses in your email to ensure you receive emails during the application process.

Remember to attach cover letter and resume. Both documents are required for candidate consideration.

If accommodations are needed during the selection process, please let us know.

Deadline to apply: June 22, 2026