Hi, I’m Jillian Harrington.
HR consultant based in Portland, Oregon. I've run HR departments, served as Chief of Staff for HR at Nike's Jordan Brand, and spent 14 years building the people infrastructure that lets organizations scale.
What I Do — And How I Got Here
Everywhere I've worked, I've been the person who sees what's missing and builds it. That's been true at a global brand inside Nike, a software company going through a full HR transformation, and early-stage startups figuring out how to grow without losing what makes them work.
Over 14 years in HR I've built compensation systems and job architecture from the ground up, led full people function rebuilds, run HR operations and data systems at scale, and helped founders go from their first hire to a team with real infrastructure behind it. I've done the hands-on work — not just the strategy.
When people started reaching out to me directly for help building out their HR function, consulting was a natural next step. I work with a small number of clients at a time — which means when I take on your engagement, it gets my full attention.
My Approach
I've worked inside enough organizations to know that good HR work isn't just technically sound — it has to fit how the organization actually operates and where it's going.
The full picture
I'm a deep generalist who has worked across HR operations, data and analytics, job architecture, compensation, and people strategy. That means I can see how the pieces connect — not just the piece you've asked me to look at.
Done the work
I don't advise from a distance. Every system I design, I've built before. Every process I recommend, I've run. That experience changes the quality of the work — and how quickly it gets done.
Where I've Worked
Jama Software — Director, People
Nike / Jordan Brand — HR Delivery Operations Director & Chief of Staff
Puppet — Manager of People Operations & Senior HRIS Analyst
Washington State Bar Association — HR Project Lead
What I’m doing now:
I currently serve as Fractional Director of HR for a growing education organization in Portland — the kind of work I find quite meaningful. I’m also working with early-stage founders who are ready to bring on their first employee and want to do it right.
Education & Credentials:
BA Psychology — University of Washington
Strategic HR Leadership Certificate — AIHR
People Analytics Strategy Certificate — AIHR
HR Systems: Gusto · BambooHR · ADP · UltiPro/UKG · Lattice · Greenhouse · Tableau · and more
Beyond the Work
I’m a Portland native — which, for anyone who knows Portland, is genuinely rare. After years away, I moved back home from Seattle in 2016, but not before biking the entire 204-mile Seattle-to-Portland route. When I turned in my notice shortly after, my boss asked what exactly happened on that bike ride?!
I love traveling, but I prefer staying long enough to actually know a place — two months in Peru, six months in Ireland, and hopefully more to come. I like taking the time to understand a culture and the people in it, not just to take photos.
I care about sustainability and lean toward zero-waste solutions wherever I can.
Fun fact: I started college as an acting major at Boston University — which probably explains a few things once you get to know me.