AVP, HRBP

Core Responsibilities

• Lead, manage, and hold the four HRBPs accountable for timely, high-quality execution of employee relations, investigations, and performance management.
• Establish and enforce standard operating expectations, including case documentation standards, investigation protocols, escalation thresholds, and manager communication practices.
• Conduct regular case reviews, quality audits, and performance feedback for HRBPs.
• Identify capability gaps and drive targeted coaching, training, or corrective action within the HRBP team.
• Serve as the senior review and approval authority for organizational-wide suspensions, Last Chance Agreements, Performance Improvement Plans, high-risk disciplinary actions and terminations.
• Partner with Program and other functional leadership to resolve complex ER issues while managing organizational risk.
• Provide guidance on Collective Bargaining Agreement interpretation and enforcement.
• Identify grievance trends, recurring manager issues and systemic risks; recommend corrective strategies.
• Determine the investigation framework, standards, and decision criteria across the organization.
• Personally lead or intervene in high-risk, high-visibility, or legally sensitive investigations, as needed.
• Ensure investigations are timely, well-documented, legally sound, and consistently applied.
• Partner closely with General Counsel on investigations involving litigation risk, regulatory exposure, or executive leadership.
• Own the organization’s performance management corrective action process.
• Ensure consistent application of Performance Improvement Plans, progressive discipline, and termination decision-making.
• Identify managers with elevated turnover, repeated ER issues, or weak performance management practices for coaching and further development.
• Work with HRBPs to design targeted interventions for high-risk sites and managers.
• Establish expectations for monthly HRBP reporting turnover drivers, high-risk sites and managers, investigation volume and outcomes, in addition to corrective action effectiveness.
• Translate data into actionable insight to guide leadership decisions.
• Use data to prioritize HRBP workload, leadership attention and organizational interventions.
• Ensure consistent application of employment laws, internal policies and Fair Chance Act requirements.
• Review DCJS, OCFS and background findings to recommend appropriate action.
• Partner with Talent Acquisition to embed compliance and risk awareness into hiring processes.
• Support audits, agency inquiries and regulatory requests in partnership with Legal and Compliance.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree SHRM-CP required; SHRM-SCP strongly preferred
• 8+ years of progressive HR experience with significant employee relations and investigations work
• 4+ years leading HRBPs or senior HR practitioners
• Experience in unionized, high-volume, complex organizations
• Proficiency in understanding labor and employment and HR related laws and regulations, including Title VII, ADA, FMLA, ADEA, FLSA
• Demonstrated experience leading and influencing at all levels within the organization, keeping leaders informed of any decisions made
• Excel in strategic decision making, problem solving, critical thinking and emotional intelligence
• Ability to handle highly sensitive and confidential matters with compassion while exhibiting exceptional professionalism and tact
• Excellent verbal, written communication and presentation skills
• Demonstrated ability to work efficiently, independently and collaboratively to prioritize work and meet deadlines
• Skilled in balancing organizational needs while serving as an employee advocate
• Must possess credibility and absolute commitment to confidentiality and professional integrity
• Strongly Preferred: Experience in social services, nonprofit sectors or similarly regulated environments
• Comfort operating with ambiguity, urgency, and incomplete information
• Success Profile: Decisive and comfortable making hard calls
• Strong judgment and escalation discipline
• Willing to challenge leaders respectfully but firmly
• Analytical and data-driven
• Effective and accountable team
• Calm under pressure, direct in communication and operationally grounded