Contract Mergers & Acquisitions Leader in Illinois City, Illinois at Envision Unlimited

Position: Mergers & Acquisitions Leader (Contract)

Department: Human Resources

Reports To: Chief Human Resources Officer

FLSA Status: Non-exempt (hourly, temporary contract through December 31, 2026)

Union Status: Non-union

Human Resources Review: 10/2026

Summary:

The Mergers & Acquisitions Leader is an experienced human resources leader who guides the people side of an organizational merger or acquisition. Reporting to the Chief Human Resources Officer, this temporary contract position (through December 31, 2026 or extended as needed) leads HR due diligence, compliance, retention strategy, workforce integration, and change management. The Leader advises the Chief Human Resources Officer and executive team, works across Finance, Operations, IT, Compliance, and program leadership, and ensures staff transitions protect services to the individuals Envision Unlimited supports. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Essential Responsibilities, include but are not limited to:

• Due Diligence
• Lead HR due diligence on the partner organization, including headcount, job titles, compensation, benefits, policies, and open positions.
• Assess employee licenses, certifications, and required trainings for gaps or expirations.
• Identify HR liabilities and risks, such as pay disparities, policy conflicts, or pending claims, and present findings and recommendations to leadership.
• Oversee a secure data room for HR documents and protect confidential employee information.

• Compliance
• Ensure integration activities comply with federal and state employment law and with funder and licensing requirements.
• Track and meet notice, consultation, and filing deadlines related to the transaction.
• Ensure personnel files, background checks, and credentials are complete and audit-ready.
• Partner with legal counsel and Compliance on employment-related risks.

• Retention Strategy
• Design and lead a retention strategy for key leaders and direct-care staff through the transition.
• Identify critical roles and flight risks and recommend retention incentives.
• Monitor turnover and staffing coverage in direct-care programs to prevent service gaps.

• Integration
• Develop and lead the HR integration plan, timeline, and milestones.
• Align positions, job descriptions, pay ranges, and policies across organizations.
• Direct benefits, payroll, and HRIS transitions, including data migration and validation.
• Oversee onboarding of transitioning staff.
• Facilitate integration working groups and report status, risks, and decisions to the Chief Human Resources Officer.

• Change Management
• Develop and execute a change management and employee communication plan.
• Prepare leaders and managers to guide their teams through the transition.
• Lead employee town halls and FAQs and respond to employee concerns.
• Assess culture differences and recommend actions to build one cohesive organization.

• Prepare a close-out report documenting completed work, open items, and handoff owners before the contract ends.
• Position may be required to work evenings and weekends around key milestones and employee meetings.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES

No supervisory responsibilities.

OTHER EXPECTATIONS

Employees shall respect the diversity of all individuals (e.g., clients, co-workers, stakeholders) and refrain from any form of discrimination and/or based upon a person’s legally protected characteristics or conduct, including but not limited to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, and gender identity or expression.

Employees share the responsibility of creating and maintaining a welcoming, supportive, and inclusive work environment.

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by employees assigned to this classification. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and/or skills required of all employees so classified.

QUALIFICATIONS

To perform this job successfully an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill and/or ability required.

EDUCATION, SKILLS, and/or EXPERIENCE

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Healthcare Administration, or a related field required; master's degree preferred.

• Minimum of 7 years of progressive HR experience, including at least 3 years in an HR leadership role.

• Demonstrated experience leading HR workstreams for at least one merger, acquisition, or affiliation.

• Experience conducting HR due diligence and assessing employment-related risk.

• Strong knowledge of federal and state employment law and HR compliance.

• Experience designing and implementing employee retention strategies.

• Experience leading workforce integration, including compensation, benefits, payroll, and HRIS transitions.

• Proven change management experience, including communication planning and leader coaching.

• Ability to advise executives and present clear recommendations.

• Ability to handle highly confidential information with discretion.

• Experience in nonprofit, healthcare, or human services, especially intellectual/developmental disability or behavioral health services, preferred.

• SPHR, SHRM-SCP, Prosci, or PMP certification preferred.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, physical requirements may include standing, walking, and sitting; seeing; hearing and listening; clear speech; dexterity and use of hands and fingers.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

The work environment described here is representative of that an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job.

The noise level in the work environment is usually low to moderate. The work environment may include any or all of the following: working alone; working with others, verbal contact with others and face-to-face contact. Occasional local travel to Envision Unlimited program sites may be required.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

Envision Unlimited is an equal opportunity employer. We welcome applicants of all backgrounds and do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic. Reasonable accommodations are available upon request during the hiring process.