Senior Employee Relations Manager

The Senior Manager Employee Relations is a hybrid strategic and hands-on role responsible for shaping how employee relations are delivered across the enterprise. The priority objective is to continue to build an employee relations framework that minimizes workforce risk strengthens governance and sustains employee trust.

This program leader builds on the strategy governance tools and capability needed to create a consistent fair and trust-centered employee experience while also directly leading and advising on complex investigations labor relations matters and sensitive employee issues. The role serves as a key connector between our people our culture and the business-ensuring employee relations practices reinforce our values strengthen manager effectiveness support a positive employer brand and help employees and leaders navigate issues with clarity care and confidence.

Specific Responsibilities:

• Leads the enterprise Employee Relations Center of Excellence developing and executing the roadmap standards governance and operating model for how employee relations matters are managed across the organization. Partners closely with senior leaders HR Business Partners Legal Communications and operational leaders to ensure consistent scalable and business-aligned employee relations practices.

• Provides or secures expert guidance on complex high-risk and sensitive employee relations matters including workplace investigations harassment and discrimination concerns retaliation claims performance and conduct issues terminations conflict resolution and matters with potential legal reputational or employee experience impact through deep partnerships with appropriate legal counsel.

• Lead the global governance and coordination of HR reporting requirements maintaining enterprise reporting calendars ensuring timely regional compliance and providing executive visibility and assurance on regulatory board and audit-related deliverables.

• Provides labor relations support across the enterprise including advising on union-related matters grievance management collective bargaining preparation on various workplace actions. Ensures labor relations practices are proactive well-governed compliant and aligned with business needs and employee trust.

• Owns the execution governance and continuous improvement of employee relations policies practices playbooks case management routines investigation protocols under the supervision of legal and leader resources. Ensures tools and processes are clear accessible compliant and employee-centered while enabling consistent decision-making across geographies and business units.

• Uses employee relations data investigation themes labor relations trends and employee feedback to identify systemic risks and opportunities to improve engagement retention leadership effectiveness policy clarity and the overall employee experience. Translates insights into practical actions that strengthen culture and protect the employer brand.

• Builds enterprise capability by developing training coaching and practical guidance for HR teams and leaders on respectful workplace expectations investigations labor relations fundamentals policy application documentation and effective issue partnership with legal counsel applies judgment empathy and consistency to create a workplace experience that reflects our values.

• Operationalizes legal requirements guidance and recommendations developed by internal and external counsel into practical employee relations processes tools and leader guidance; deploys and embeds these requirements across the organization and ensures consistent compliant application in day-to-day decision-making.

Requirements:

• Bachelors degree in human resources business industrial relations organizational development or a related field required; advanced degree and/or HR certification such as PHR SPHR SHRM-CP or SHRM-SCP preferred.

• 10 years of progressive experience in employee relations labor relations workplace investigations HR policy or HR business partner leadership preferably within a large global multi-site organization.

• Experience operating in or building an Employee Relations Center of Excellence strongly preferred.

• Prior experience in a manufacturing union represented workforce experience is highly valued.

• Demonstrated ability to set enterprise strategy while remaining hands-on with sensitive issues influence senior leaders navigate ambiguity manage legal and reputational risk and connect employee relations work to culture engagement employee experience employer brand and business outcomes.

Applicants must be authorized to work in the US without requiring sponsorship now or in the future.