Employee Relations Team Leader

Location: 726 Exchange Street, Buffalo, New York

About the role

The Employee Relations Team Leader (ERTL) is a management position reporting to the Senior Employee Relations Manager. The role is approximately equally divided between team leadership and case management responsibilities. The ERTL leads assigned Senior Lead ER Consultants (SLERC) while also individually managing complex Employee Relations matters that often require specialized ER leader involvement due to risk, sensitivity, stakeholder complexity, enterprise impact, capacity constraints, or escalation. The ERTL serves as a primary point of escalation, case calibration, and quality oversight for assigned SLERCs, supporting consistent investigation practices, documentation quality, risk assessment, recommendation standards, workload prioritization, and execution of complex ER processes across all lines of business and levels of the organization.

Responsibilities

• Leads assigned SLERCs, including coaching, feedback, development support, performance input, and accountability for team effectiveness. Partners with the Senior Employee Relations Manager on formal performance management, capacity planning, development planning, and team priorities.
• Balances SLERC workload and assignment decisions based on case complexity, risk, capacity, geography, enterprise priorities, and development needs. Determines whether matters should be assigned to SLERCs, retained for direct handling by the ERTL, or escalated to senior ER leadership.
• Personally manages assigned complex or escalated ER matters when direct ER leader involvement is warranted due to heightened risk, sensitivity, stakeholder complexity, enterprise impact, capacity needs, or escalation requirements. Provides support for SLERC-handled investigations.
• Maintains high-quality investigation and documentation practices aligned with ER standards and applicable legal, regulatory, and audit expectations. Reviews SLERC investigation documentation for quality, consistency, timeliness, and completeness; provides feedback and coaching to elevate standards.
• Serves as a primary escalation point for assigned SLERCs, providing guidance on investigation strategy, stakeholder alignment, documentation approach, risk assessment, recommendation quality, and appropriate next steps. Drives consistency in how investigations are conducted, documented, assessed, escalated, and resolved.
• Identifies, assesses, and escalates critical issues, patterns, and trends; provides recommendations to mitigate risk, support compliant decision-making, and strengthen manager effectiveness while aligning with business objectives.
• Interprets and applies Key’s policies, HR practices, and applicable employment laws and regulations to provide sound guidance and recommendations to internal clients and partners.
• Builds and maintains effective working relationships with HR Business Partners, Key Legal, Internal Fraud Investigations, Clinical Consultant, Corporate Information Security, Physical Security, Background Investigations Unit, ER Solutions Team, and other subject matter experts to support timely and appropriate case resolution.
• Coordinates the assignment of complex, sensitive, escalated, or high-risk ER matters, including Ethics Helpline complaints, partnership requests from internal partners, Open Door Disputes, and other assigned ER cases. Determines appropriate routing based on risk, complexity, workload, capacity, development needs, enterprise priorities, and required investigation expertise.
• Utilizes ER case management data, reporting tools, and process insights to monitor workload, identify trends, support risk-informed decision-making, and manage operational responsibilities related to Ethics cases, Sales Practice escalations, GRC testing, internal audits, governmental compliance reviews, and external agency matters.
• Supports Legal and senior ER leadership with information gathering, documentation review, or case analysis related to external agency matters, internal audits, and compliance reviews, as assigned.
• Maintains awareness of current projects, business priorities, and HR functional issues by participating in staff meetings, conference calls, ER trending discussions, and quarterly business reviews. Communicates relevant trends and escalated issues to HR leadership, when applicable.
• Provides timely and effective communication to team members; coordinates activities related to interviewing, hiring, onboarding, and training new team members; conducts or facilitates presentations and training, as needed.
• Contributes ideas and supports implementation of process enhancements that improve investigation quality, documentation standards, reporting, knowledge management, responsible use of digital tools, service delivery, risk mitigation, consistency, client satisfaction, and operational effectiveness.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Human Resources, Communications, Psychology, Sociology, or a related field, or equivalent experience.
• 5+ years of experience as a human resources generalist, employee relations specialist, investigator, or related HR professional.
• Experience directly managing complex, high-risk, sensitive, or escalated ER matters or workplace investigations, combined with experience leading, coaching, mentoring, or providing work direction to HR, Employee Relations, investigation, or related professionals.
• Strong knowledge of employment laws, HR policies, Employee Relations practices, investigation principles, and risk mitigation strategies.
• Demonstrated ability to analyze complex issues, exercise sound judgment, evaluate risk, and recommend appropriate courses of action that support business objectives and comply with applicable policies, laws, and regulations.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to organize information clearly, develop recommendations, and communicate effectively with employees, managers, HR partners, Legal, and senior leaders.
• Demonstrated ability to handle highly confidential and sensitive information with discretion, sound judgment, and professionalism.
• Experience conducting or overseeing workplace investigations, including complex, sensitive, escalated, or high-risk matters.
• Proficiency using HR systems, ER case management platforms, reporting tools, and Microsoft Office applications to manage workload, analyze trends, and support decision-making.
• Proven relationship-building, consultation, influencing, mediation, and conflict resolution skills, with the ability to advise and challenge clients appropriately while maintaining professionalism and trust.
• Ability to succeed in a high-volume, fast-paced environment; manage competing priorities; adapt to changing business needs; and use relevant data, metrics, and case management tools to support risk-informed decision-making.
• Solid understanding of business priorities and the ability to apply business acumen when evaluating ER matters, advising stakeholders, and supporting effective outcomes.
• Strong presentation and facilitation skills, including the ability to develop and deliver clear, practical training or guidance for HR partners, managers, and team members.
• All KeyBank employees are expected to demonstrate Key’s Values and sustain proficiency in identified Leadership Competencies.

Preferred Qualifications

• HR certification such as PHR, SPHR, SHRM-CP, SHRM-SCP, or equivalent.

Physical Requirements

• General office environment, including prolonged sitting.
• Ability to communicate face-to-face, in person, or by phone with teammates and clients.
• Frequent use of PC/laptop.
• Occasional lifting, pushing, or pulling of backpacks or computer bags up to 10 lbs.

Travel

Occasional travel to include overnight stay.

Schedule

Hybrid (3+ days in-office).

Pay

This position is eligible to earn a base salary in the range of $80,000.00 - $150,000.00 annually. Placement within the pay range may differ based upon various factors, including but not limited to skills, experience, and geographic location. Compensation for this role also includes eligibility for incentive compensation which may include production, commission, and/or discretionary incentives.

Benefits

Please click here for a list of benefits for which this position is eligible.