Senior Employee Relations Partner

Job Description

Lead end-to-end investigations into complex employee relations matters (e.g., misconduct, discrimination, retaliation, policy violations)

Conduct structured interviews, assess credibility, synthesize evidence, and produce clear, legally defensible findings and recommendations

Partner closely with Legal to manage risk, escalation thresholds, and compliance requirements

Ensure consistent application of policies globally, accounting for regional legal and cultural differences

Advise on high-risk performance cases, including PIPs, coaching plans, and involuntary separations

Support differentiation between performance vs. capability vs. organizational/system issues in partnership with HRBPs

Drive consistency in disciplinary actions and ensure fairness across managers and teams

Risk Mitigation, Compliance & Governance

• Act as a subject matter expert in employment law (multi-state and global) and internal policy frameworks
• Ensure rigorous documentation standards and audit readiness across all ER and performance cases
• Identify and mitigate legal, reputational, and employee experience risks before escalation
• Own ER case governance, including escalation pathways and decision frameworks

Manager & HRBP Advisory

• Coach managers on: Feedback delivery and documentation, Navigating difficult conversations, When and how to escalate ER matters
• Partner with Sr. HRBPs to align ER decisions with broader talent, calibration, and organizational outcomes
• Provide real-time case consultation for ambiguous or sensitive situations

Insights, Trends & Systemic Improvement

• Analyze ER case data to identify patterns by manager, function, or region
• Repeat manager risk patterns, Policy gaps, Organizational friction points
• Drive improvements to ER playbooks, templates, and workflows

Capability Building & Enablement

• Design and deliver manager education on: Performance management rigor, Documentation standards, Bias mitigation and fair process
• Build scalable tools (templates, guides, intake frameworks) that improve quality and consistency of ER handling
• Partner with HRBPs to elevate overall organizational capability in managing performance and ER proactively

Qualifications

• 5+ years of progressive HR experience with at least 3 years in a dedicated Employee Relations or HR compliance role
• Demonstrated experience leading workplace investigations independently from intake through resolution
• Working knowledge of multi-state employment law and regulatory compliance requirements
• Proven ability to manage sensitive, high-risk cases with discretion and sound judgment
• Strong written communication skills — able to produce clear, legally-defensible documentation

Preferred Experience

• In a global SaaS/technology, or pre-IPO company environment
• Experience partnering with HRBPs in a global, matrixed org
• PHIR, SPHR, SHRM-CP, or SHRM-SCP certification
• Experience using HRIS platforms (Workday, Rippling, or similar) and case management tools

Required Skills

• Employee Relations, HR Business, HR Strategy, Human Resources Consulting, Leadership Training and Development, Organizational Development (OD), Recruiting, Succession Planning, Talent Management, Workforce Planning