Employee Relations Manager

If you’re looking for a special place to build or grow your career, IDEX offers opportunities in engineering, marketing, sales, supply chain, operations, HR, finance, and more across more than 40 diverse businesses around the globe. At IDEX, we build trusted solutions that improve lives through mission-critical technologies used in everyday applications, from firefighting and rescue to scientific research and industrial innovation. Our operating structure combines the stability of a large corporation with the agility and entrepreneurial spirit of smaller teams.

About the role

The Employee Relations Manager supports the Labor & Employment and Human Resources teams to investigate and resolve employee relations concerns and allegations of misconduct or policy violations. This role identifies issues, develops investigation strategies, conducts witness interviews, and proposes practical resolutions. Additionally, the position assists in enterprise-wide HR policy development, updates, and training initiatives. The role is hybrid, with remote work on Mondays and Fridays and in-office work Tuesday through Thursday at IDEX’s corporate headquarters in Northbrook, Illinois. Periodic travel to IDEX business units is required.

Responsibilities

• Conduct prompt, thorough, and objective investigations into employee relations complaints, allegations of misconduct, and suspected policy violations from intake to completion, including:
  • Developing investigation plans for concerns raised through various channels.
  • Independently conducting witness interviews.
  • Partnering with business units and departments to gather and review relevant facts and evidence.
  • Preparing comprehensive investigative reports for internal stakeholders.
  • Performing investigative responsibilities in accordance with Company procedures.
• Identify patterns and root causes contributing to concerns or obstacles to a positive employee experience.
• Collaborate with Legal and HR stakeholders to proactively respond to legal and employee relations developments and implement solutions.
• Develop and maintain effective case management resources and processes to identify and report internal trends.
• Advise key stakeholders and leaders on complex scenarios involving policy and misconduct violations, partnering on recommended outcomes and resolutions.
• Build productive working relationships across functions, levels, and teams to achieve shared objectives.
• Ensure policies and programs are consistently administered in compliance with Company policies and applicable laws.
• Track and understand legal and HR developments, emerging risks, and best practices with the Labor & Employment team.
• Develop templates, resources, and toolkits to assist HR in managing legal developments.
• Partner with Labor & Employment and HR to develop and facilitate relevant training and resources.
• Collaborate to implement and modify applicable policies.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources or a related field.
• 4+ years of Employee Relations, Human Resources, Labor Relations, corporate law, or investigative experience.
• Demonstrated ability to manage and resolve complex workplace conflicts through sound judgment and problem-solving.
• Effective collaboration and interpersonal skills to build relationships and influence across all organizational levels.
• Proven decision-making capabilities, including assessing risk and balancing business objectives with HR/legal considerations.
• Excellent issue-spotting skills to identify employee relations, HR, and legal risks.
• Strong organizational skills with attention to detail and ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Highly developed analytical thinking to assess facts, weigh credibility, interpret data, and develop practical solutions.
• Sound professional judgment and discretion in handling sensitive, confidential information.
• Effective written and verbal communication, including drafting investigation reports, recommendations, policies, and presentations.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience supporting employee relations in a large, matrixed, or multi-location global organization.
• Familiarity with case management systems, HRIS platforms, and data analysis tools for tracking investigations and trends.
• Experience identifying systemic issues, root causes, and organizational trends, and recommending solutions.
• Experience developing, revising, and implementing workplace policies, procedures, toolkits, and resources.
• Proven ability to design and facilitate training programs on employee relations and HR issues.
• Experience supporting labor relations, including unionized environments or collective bargaining agreements.
• Professional certification such as SHRM-CP, SHRM-SCP, PHR, or SPHR.

Pay

The compensation range for this position is $99,800.00 - $149,600.00, depending on experience. This position may be eligible for a performance-based bonus plan.

Benefits

Our comprehensive U.S. benefit offerings include:

• Health benefits.
• 401(k) retirement savings program with company match.
• Paid time off (PTO).
• Additional benefits and rewards detailed on our career page.

Schedule

This position is hybrid, with remote work on Mondays and Fridays and in-office work Tuesday through Thursday at IDEX’s corporate headquarters in Northbrook, Illinois.