Location: Lisle, IL
Full Time Job Title People and Communications Director (Strategic Business Partner), US West & Canada
Role Overview This role acts as the enterprise-level architect for high performance culture, leadership capability, organizational effectiveness, and transformation across KONE's frontline operations in the United States & Canada, This role serves as the principal strategic partner to Senior Vice President who oversee a portfolio exceeding $1.5B USD in P&L, 3,000+ employees, wide-scale unionized field operations, and complex, regionally distributed service organizations.
Acting one level below the CHRO, this leader accelerates transformation by shaping organizational design, simplifying structures and decision paths, elevating leadership capability, mobilizing talent with courage, and embedding execution discipline while reinforcing our corporate culture. They lead with courage, speed, and simplicity - driving cultural and operational shifts required to enable business growth, digital transformation, modernization, and outstanding customer and employee experience.
This role leads and directs a team of 2 senior leaders to deliver and execute and leads/participates on critical committees that drive organizational policy and decision-making requiring strong influencing and business partnering.
Key Responsibilities - Strategic Business Partnering
- Leadership Effectiveness & Capability
- Team Leadership & Development
- Organizational Development & Workforce Planning
- Change & Transformation Leadership
- Culture, Engagement, DEI, & Belonging
- Data, Insights, & Operating Rhythm
- Governance, Compliance, & Risk Management
Role Requirements You will bring 10+ years of progressive and successful Human Resources experience, preferably with a multinational company, to KONE. You will use the knowledge gained through your bachelor's degree in a relevant field (HR, Labor Relations, Business, etc.), or 12+ years of equivalent experience.
Skills & Knowledge Desired - Advanced influencing, facilitation, storytelling, and communication skills, including the ability to translate complex strategy into simple, repeatable narratives for frontline audiences.
- Demonstrated capability in coaching leaders to lead others-strengthening clarity, accountability, empowerment, and performance through trust-based leadership.
- Strong organization design capability to drive a high-performance culture and operational excellence.
- Ability to operate with multidimensional leadership expectations-balancing transformation, performance, results, and people leadership.
- Strong business and financial acumen; ability to partner on incentives, pricing, fixed costs, and other business levers impacting delivery and profitability.
- Strong analytical and insight capabilities-able to synthesize workforce, engagement, performance, and business data (e.g., Workday, engagement tools, BI) into actionable leadership insights.
- Strong organization design, workforce planning, and capability development skills, including designing and driving multi-district change programs end-to-end.
- Demonstrated knowledge and experience working within Federal and State Employment Laws.
- Proven success in coaching and developing talent and teams.
- Excellent verbal, presentation, facilitation, and written communication skills.
- Demonstrated ability to lead projects across business units, ensuring effective change management and the ability to lead others through change.
- Ability to work collaboratively in a matrix organization.
- Demonstrated ability to set priorities to ensure timely completion of deadlines.
- Ability to navigate ambiguity, provide solutions to problems, and make informed decisions.
Leadership Competencies - Inspiring Purpose - Leading change and ability to motivate and engage
- Agile Mind - Business Sense
- Focus on Momentum - Drive for results, decisiveness, and composure
- Steady Presence - Resilience and courage
- Authentic Connection - Concern for others and integrity
- Empowering Approach - Delegating and empowering, and Coach and development
Other Responsibilities - Geographies: U.S., Canada - Travel up to 20%
- Business Model: Multi-country, unionized, field-intensive service operations (Service, New Installations, Modernization)
- P&L Exposure: Supports 1 SVP leading a combined business exceeding $3B USD with ~3,000+ employees
- Leadership Influence: Senior-P&C leader for frontline operations; leads multi-country HR/P&C team
- Environment: High operational complexity, high customer impact, heavy regulatory and labor exposure, accelerating digital transformation
Just some of our many benefits include: - United States
- Competitive salary
- Flexible work schedule
- Opportunities to learn and grow
- 401K Employer Match
- 401k Employer Non-elective Contribution
- Well-being Program
- Medical, Prescription, Dental and Vision Insurance
- Digital Health Solutions & Telehealth
- Health Savings Account (HSA)
- Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs)
- Employee Family Assistance Program (EFAP)
- Family & Medical Leave
- Parental Leave
- Leave to Care for a Domestic Partner
- Paid Time Off & Holidays
- Company Paid Life and AD&D Insurance
- Supplemental Life and AD&D Insurance
- Company Paid Short-term and Long-term Disability
- Buy-Up Long-term Disability
- Critical Illness Insurance
- Hospital Indemnity & Accident Insurance
- Identity Theft Protection
- Legal Insurance
- KONE Credit Union
- Tuition Reimbursement
- Commuter Benefits
Annual Base Pay Range:The national hiring range for this role is $215,800 - $283,290. The compensation package offered will depend on candidate's ability to meet the requirements of the role, needs for the business strategy, and a range of factors unique to each candidate, including their skill set, years and depth of experience, certifications, and location.
Variable CompensationKONE Annual Bonus plan at 25% Target Incentive (70/30) based on achievement of company goals and individual goals.
Come share your passion and energy to make a positive impact at KONE for our customers and your career!
*Beware of Recruitment Scams!* 
