Manager, Human Resources

HR Business Partner

In this role, you'll partner with department leaders to strengthen team effectiveness and the associate experience. You'll translate business priorities into clear, practical people plans—owning core talent processes (performance reviews, promotions, and merit planning), coaching leaders on performance and development, and using data and listening inputs to drive improvement. You'll collaborate across HR (Recruiting, Benefits, Payroll, Training & Education) while keeping a consistent focus on enabling Cambridge teams to deliver exceptional service to our financial professionals and their clients. As a leader, you will oversee a team of HR Business Partners and provide consultation to leaders on change management, organizational design, engagement, and team effectiveness. You'll set a high standard for responsiveness, follow-through, and partnership—modeling Cambridge values of integrity, commitment, flexibility, and kindness.

Key Deliverables and Responsibilities

What you'll be doing

• Partner with department leadership to identify organizational priorities and translate them into practical people plans (talent planning, development, engagement, and change initiatives).
• Build trusted relationships with leaders and associates by staying close to the work, asking good questions, and bringing clear recommendations.
• Lead core talent processes (talent reviews, promotions, and merit cycles) and serve as a thoughtful partner on compensation conversations—balancing external competitiveness with internal consistency and fairness.
• Coach leaders on people strategy: hiring and selection, performance management, recognition, development, and accountability—using a consultative, service-first approach.
• Strengthen manager capability through clear expectations, practical toolkits, and targeted learning—partnering with Training & Education as needed.
• Use data and listening inputs (engagement feedback, turnover insights, performance trends) to diagnose development needs and recommend solutions.
• Support leaders and associates through employee relations and team effectiveness work—improving clarity, morale, productivity, and retention while reinforcing Cambridge values.

What We Are Looking For

The ideal candidate will have:

• A consultative communication style: you listen first, ask great questions, and can deliver clear, candid guidance with respect.
• A service mindset and genuine care for people—grounded in Cambridge values of integrity, commitment, flexibility, and kindness.
• Strong relationship-building and influence skills across all levels (from individual contributors to senior leaders), with the ability to navigate complexity and earn trust.
• Sound judgment and ability to move work forward: you can frame problems, weigh options, and recommend the path that best supports the business and the associate experience.
• Strong business acumen and ownership mentality—able to connect people decisions to business outcomes and follow through on commitments.
• 8+ years progressive HR experience, with strong HRBP background (supporting leaders, org effectiveness, ER, talent processes)
• 3+ years people leadership experience (leading HRBPs or a multi-function HR team)

Certifications:

• SHRM-CP or PHR
• Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) Series 7 required within 12 months of hire.

Why Cambridge? Our comprehensive benefits package is designed to support your health, well-being, and work-life balance. We offer paid time off, paid holidays and floating holidays, medical, dental, and vision coverage, short- and long-term disability, and company-paid life insurance. Associates also enjoy volunteer time off, wellness incentives, and additional benefits that support you both personally and professionally.

Company Overview: At Cambridge, our purpose is simple: to make a difference in the lives of our financial advisors, their clients, and our associates. Founded in 1981, we have nearly 45 years of experience supporting independent financial advisors with industry-leading tools, compliance, and transition services. Guided by our core values—integrity, commitment, flexibility, and kindness—we put financial advisors first in every decision we make.

Cambridge is an internally controlled, growth-focused independent broker-dealer with $254 billion in assets under advisement and $1.97 billion in annual revenues. We rank among the largest and fastest-growing firms in the industry, providing financial advisors with the flexibility, resources, and support to thrive. With home offices in Fairfield, Iowa, and Phoenix, Arizona, and a nationwide reach, our 900 associates maintain a 4:1 advisor-to-associate ratio to ensure personalized service.

Our community of over 4,000 producing financial advisors includes diverse business models—RIA, corporate RIA, hybrid, fee-only, and brokerage—and offers a broad selection of investment solutions with no proprietary products. At Cambridge, we are committed to building a diverse, inclusive, and empowering workplace, where 60% of our associates and 18% of our financial advisors are women, and 17% of our advisors are under 40.

Join us to help financial advisors succeed, make an impact, and discover your Something Wonderful. For further information about Cambridge, please visit https://www.joincambridge.com/

Work Environments

This role offers a hybrid schedule, requiring three days weekly in the office. Applicants should be located near one of our hubs (Fairfield, IA or Phoenix, AZ) and must be willing to work this schedule. Cambridge is not considering remote candidates at this time.

Recruiting Agencies: This position is being managed directly by Cambridge's Talent Acquisition team. We will reach out to our preferred agency partners in the rare instance we require additional talent options. Fees will not be paid for unsolicited submissions. Your respect for this process is appreciated.