Strategic HR Business Partner

Strategic HR Business Partner — Temporary / Fixed-Term Contract

Location: Somerset, NJ
Job Type: Temporary / Fixed-Term W-2 Contract
Schedule: Full-time preferred; part-time or fractional arrangements may be considered for highly qualified candidates. In-office presence required.
Contract Duration: Anticipated duration of approximately five months, subject to business needs and performance.
Compensation: $40 – $50 per hour
Start Date: Immediate availability strongly preferred.

About Us

CARIAN is a purpose-driven, woman-owned consulting and advisory firm dedicated exclusively to the power sector. We partner with leading electric and gas utilities to provide strategic advisory and disciplined execution across program management, business intelligence, and field execution oversight. Guided by integrity, trust, excellence, and accountability, our team helps deliver complex capital programs and build the resilient energy infrastructure that communities depend on.

Position Overview

CARIAN is seeking a hands-on Strategic HR Business Partner to provide temporary support during a maternity leave coverage period. This role will support day-to-day HR operations while also providing practical strategic HR guidance to leadership and managers.

The ideal candidate is experienced, mature, and comfortable operating in a fast-moving professional services environment. This is not a purely administrative HR role. The person in this position must be able to support employee relations, performance management, policy interpretation, onboarding/offboarding, compliance coordination, HR process improvement, and leadership support.

This role will work closely with executive leadership, operations, and department leaders to maintain continuity and strengthen HR support during the coverage period.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide HR business partner support to managers, employees, and leadership.

• Support employee relations matters with professionalism, discretion, and sound judgment.

• Assist with performance management, documentation, coaching, and manager guidance.

• Support onboarding, offboarding, internal transitions, and employee lifecycle activities.

• Help interpret and apply company policies, handbook provisions, and HR processes.

• Support HR compliance activities and ensure appropriate documentation and follow-through.

• Assist with benefits, leave, immigration, and employee support matters as needed.

• Partner with leadership and operations to identify issues, risks, and process gaps.

• Help maintain HR responsiveness, consistency, and professionalism during the coverage period.

• Support day-to-day HR execution while also bringing practical strategic perspective.

• Maintain confidentiality and handle sensitive employee matters appropriately.

Qualifications

• 8-10+ years of progressive HR experience, preferably including HR business partner responsibilities.

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Organizational Development, or a related field preferred; equivalent experience will be considered.

• Experience supporting employee relations, performance management, HR operations, and manager guidance.

• Strong understanding of HR compliance, documentation, and employment practices.

• Experience working with leadership and managers in a professional services, consulting, utility, engineering, construction, or technical environment preferred.

• Ability to operate independently while maintaining alignment with HR and leadership.

• Strong judgment, discretion, follow-through, and communication skills.

• Comfortable working in-office and supporting a fast-moving business environment.

• SHRM-CP, SHRM-SCP, PHR, or SPHR preferred but not required.

Why CARIAN

Purpose-driven work – Help deliver infrastructure that powers communities

Industry reputation – Trusted by leading utilities for our reliability and results

Career growth – Opportunities to lead major programs and mentor high-performing teams

Collaborative culture – Join a team that values delivery excellence and long-term relationships

Competitive total rewards – Strong compensation, full benefits, 401(k) match, and meaningful work

Equal Employment Opportunity

CARIAN is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We hire and develop talent based on qualifications, performance, and business needs. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic. As a woman-owned firm dedicated to the power sector, we are committed to building a team that reflects professionalism, expertise, and integrity at every level.

Compensation

The hourly rate range for this temporary / fixed-term W-2 contract role is $40 – $50 per hour.