HR People Business Partner in St. Paul, Minnesota at Bethel University

Bethel University is a leader in Christ-centered higher education with approximately 4,700 students from 50 states and 32 countries enrolled in undergraduate, graduate, seminary, and adult education programs. Based in St. Paul, Minnesota, Bethel offers bachelor's and advanced degrees in nearly 100 fields. Educationally excellent classroom-based and online programs equip graduates to make exceptional contributions in life-long service to God and the world.

Bethel University’s Christ-centered mission includes a commitment to equal educational opportunity and equal employment opportunity. Bethel does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, national origin, sex, marital status, disability, status with regard to public assistance, familial status, or age in its admissions, educational programs, or employment practices.

About the role

Imagine an HR role where your highest KPI is a flourishing, Christ-centered culture.

At Bethel, our employee community plays a central role in developing our students as whole and holy persons. To do that well, our employees need a People & Culture HR partner who walks alongside them with wisdom, discernment, and professional excellence. If you find your professional joy in coaching managers, navigating complex relational dynamics with biblical grace, and championing a healthy workplace, this role offers a rare opportunity to align your deep HR expertise with your Christian faith.

If you are an HR professional who cares deeply about organizational health, spiritual maturity, and the relational well-being of faculty, staff, and students, Bethel University welcomes you. As an HR Business Partner, you will actively shape an employee experience where people feel seen, valued, and spiritually equipped. Using tools like the Best Christian Workplace survey data, you will walk alongside campus leaders to transform insights into real community growth.

If you are passionate about developing people, strengthening teams, and nurturing a flourishing community grounded in faith, we’d love to meet you.

This is an in-person role in Arden Hills, MN, with a starting salary range of $83,000 to $88,000 based on experience.

What you'll do

Support Department Leaders – 50%

Work closely with supervisors and employees to improve work relationships.Responsible for talent acquisition process within designated departments, including recruiting, screening applicants, guiding hiring manager interview process, and making job offers.Partners closely with department managers to help them with candidate selection.Provides recommendation for compensation adjustments.Partners with supervisors to build morale and increase team effectiveness.Establishes regular touchpoints with managers to drive efforts to build upon our culture, values, and overall employee experience.

Performance Management Process - 25%

Oversees the performance management process.Manages and resolves complex employee relations and performance issues.Supports supervisors with employee offboarding.Ensures compliance with employment laws and best practices.Maintains professional working knowledge of the application of FMLA, ADA, disability, workers’ compensation, and other related laws to ensure compliance.

Employment Policies - 10%

Partners with Director and AVP of People and Culture to create and maintain employment policies.Coordinates with internal and external partners to ensure organization stays compliant with state and federal laws.

Organizational Development -15%

Provides insight on organizational development needs. Uses Best Christian Workplace (BCW) data to help managers focus on key culture drivers.Partners with colleagues in OPC (Human Resources) to create training and development opportunities to meet those needs.Regular facilitator in manager and employee training and development offerings.

Qualifications

Must be able to handle multiple tasks and work well in pressure situations.Must be proficient in Google and/or Microsoft Office products.Experience using an HRIS system.Ability to handle confidential information in a mature and professional manner.Proven coaching skills.Knowledge of mediation techniques.Must have excellent integrity.Must have excellent interpersonal skills, excellent verbal and written communication skills, and be detail-oriented.

Experience

3+ years of experience in a business partner role or HR generalist role with a focus on employee relations.

Education

Bachelor’s degree in human resources, business or a related field.

Travel: This position requires some local and regional travel.

Additional Responsibilities:

Bethel’s mission is to educate and equip students to lead lives of impact through transformative academics in a Christ-centered community. Bethel’s employee community plays a central role in developing our students as whole and holy persons. To carry out this mission, Bethel uses the foundation of our guiding documents, the Affirmation of Faith, Community Covenant, and Key Policies. Bethel expects all employees to actively participate in creating our Christ-centered community by agreeing with and abiding by our core beliefs in the Affirmation of Faith and supporting all other beliefs as Biblical, responsible, and thoughtful approaches while avoiding dissension and divisiveness. Employees teach and mentor students and help one another uphold our Community Covenant commitments. As a result of these expectations, all University employees act as ministers of the gospel of Jesus Christ by actively partnering with the University to carry out its mission and foster Bethel’s Christ-centered covenant community.

Other Duties: The essential functions, tasks and responsibilities of this position may change from time to time. Bethel University reserves the right to add or omit duties and responsibilities at the discretion of the University or its leadership. Additional tasks or duties required of the position, will be communicated to the incumbent with specificity to ensure the employee may perform their role with complete understanding. This job description is intended to describe the general level of work being performed; it is not intended to be all-inclusive.

Sponsorship Restrictions:

Applicants must be authorized to work for ANY employer in the U.S. We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment Visa at this time.

Work Environment:

This job operates in a professional office environment. This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as desktop and/or laptop computers, photocopiers and smartphones.

The work environment involves working for a suburban, Christian university in which all employees are expected to have a demonstrated commitment and personal relationship with Jesus Christ, a commitment to the mission and values of the University, and an agreement to abide by all University policies.

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. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk and hear. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision and ability to adjust focus. The job requires traversing the Bethel Campus on a regular basis and use a laptop daily.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to ensure people are able to perform the essential functions.

The mental and physical requirements described here are representative of those that must be met by an individual to successfully perform the essential functions of this position.

Expected Hours of Work:

Typical days and hours vary throughout the week (Sunday – Saturday) during the school year. The expectation is to work specific schedules and hours as identified and communicated by management and to meet the needs of the students. Evening and weekend work may be required most weeks. This is a 40-hour-per-week, 12-month-per-year position.

Benefits

Bethel is committed to offering meaningful benefits to our employees including health insurance, retirement plans, and a generous time off package. Learn more about these offerings here.

Learn more about our commitment to diversity in hiring .

Applicants must be authorized to work in the U.S. We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment Visa at this time

The pay range for this role is:83,000 - 88,000 USD per year(Bethel University)