HR Consulting Senior Associate

Workforce Transformation Senior Associate

Grant Thornton is seeking a Senior Associate to help clients drive workforce transformation through strong governance, program leadership, process optimization, and change management across payroll, HR, and organizational transformation initiatives.

You will partner across service lines to support complex engagements, advise stakeholders, and support business development efforts which will shape the future of Workforce Transformation at Grant Thornton, ultimately helping organizations align people, processes, and technology to achieve sustainable outcomes.

Your day-to-day may include:

• Apply Grant Thornton methodologies and best practices across workforce transformation engagements, supporting initiatives related to organizational change, HR, payroll, and workforce operations.
• Support the development and execution of scalable approaches to manage workforce and operational change, including assessing impacts, readiness, and capability needs across stakeholders.
• Develop a strong understanding of client workforce operations, risks, governance structures, and business drivers, adapting delivery approaches to align with client culture and ways of working.
• Collaborate with engagement teams to design and execute integrated communication strategies that keep stakeholders informed, aligned, and engaged through clear messaging, appropriate channels, and feedback mechanisms.
• Prepare and deliver clear, concise presentations and facilitate a variety of forums, including project meetings, client workshops, requirements gathering sessions, and workforce transformation working sessions.
• Analyze qualitative and quantitative data related to workforce operations, HR, payroll, and organizational readiness to identify risks, opportunities, and insights, and communicate findings effectively to client and engagement leadership.
• Identify opportunities and constraints impacting readiness, capacity, and execution across workforce transformation initiatives; translate insights into actionable plans, roadmaps.
• Proactively manage assigned workstreams and tasks, address challenges, escalating risks as appropriate, and contributing to the successful, timely delivery of engagements in dynamic, fast‑paced environments.
• Support the management, coaching, and development of engagement team members, contributing to performance feedback for project and year‑end review processes.
• Support business development efforts by helping draft proposals, responding to client information requests, and participating in meetings with current and prospective clients.
• Contribute to practice and talent development initiatives across the Workforce Transformation service line, including internal initiatives, knowledge sharing, and team enablement efforts.
• Meet or exceed targeted utilization expectations.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

You have the following technical skills and qualifications:

• Bachelors degree in communications, Human Resources, Organizational Development, Industrial/Organizational Psychology, Business Administration, or other relevant degree required.
• 3+ years of related work experience required, in a similar consulting practice preferred.
• Change management, program management, financial, accounting, process improvement or other relevant certifications preferred (Prosci, CCMP, La Marsh, PMP, Lean, Six Sigma, CPP, etc.).
• Ability to work effectively in a collaborative and dynamic environment.
• Experience in one or more areas of program/project management and/or organizational change management.
• Experience in culture awareness, communications planning and/or execution, stakeholder engagement, job role design, training planning and/or execution, or other related areas.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite (PowerPoint, Visio, Word, Excel, and Project).
• Demonstrated ability to leverage productivity tools (e.g., Microsoft 365 Copilot or other AI tools) appropriately to accelerate work, improve quality, and support effective analysis and communication.
• Preferred skills within communication technologies and tools (Camtasia, Canva, Poll Everywhere, etc.).
• Travel: typically, 40-50% but occasionally up to 80%.
• Have excellent verbal and written communication skills.

The base salary range for this position in Chicago, IL only is between $96,000 and $144,000. The base salary range for this position in New York, NY only is between $103,000 and $155,000.

#LI-SW1

At Grant Thornton, we believe in making business more personal and building trust into every result - for our clients and you. Here, we go beyond your expectations of a career in professional services by offering a career path with more: more opportunity, more flexibility, and more support. Its what makes us different, and we think being different makes us better.

In the U.S., Grant Thornton delivers professional services through two specialized entities: Grant Thornton LLP, a licensed, certified public accounting (CPA) firm that provides audit and assurance services ― and Grant Thornton Advisors LLC (not a licensed CPA firm), which exclusively provides non-attest offerings, including tax and advisory services.

In 2025, Grant Thornton formed a multinational, multidisciplinary platform with Grant Thornton Ireland. The platform offers a premier Trans-Atlantic advisory and tax practice, as well as independent American and Irish audit practices. With $2.7 billion in revenues and more than 50 offices spanning the U.S., Ireland and other territories, the platform delivers a singular client experience that includes enhanced solutions and capabilities, backed by powerful technologies and a roster of 12,000 quality-driven professionals enjoying exceptional career-growth opportunities and a distinctive cross-border culture.

Grant Thornton is part of the Grant Thornton International Limited network, which provides access to its member firms in more than 150 global markets.