Senior Manager - Employee Relations

About the role

Based in San Mateo (HQ), this Senior Manager, Employee Relations role is a key member of our global ER leadership team, owning the employee relations agenda across the United States and Europe. You will co-create ER strategy alongside our global ER leadership, bringing a unique lens and deep cross-cultural fluency to how we build a high-trust, high-performance culture. We are re-imagining Employee Relations for today’s world — how we handle workplace conflicts, how we take a more proactive, data-driven approach to organisational health, and how we teach employees to share diverse points of view with respect.

Responsibilities

• Co-create ER strategy with the global ER leadership team, ensuring alignment and consistency across the US and other regions.
• Own the day-to-day ER agenda for Europe and the United States — from complex case management to coaching managers and HR Business Partners on handling workplace issues with confidence and consistency.
• Build capability across the broader People organization on conflict resolution, mediation, restorative justice, and bias-aware decision-making.
• Partner with the global ER team to re-imagine how we address performance concerns, involuntary exits, and organisational changes — grounded in principle, designed for people, and executed with operational excellence.
• Serve as a trusted expert on organizational health issues: gaps in belonging and trust, manager-employee conflicts, and behaviours that do not align to Freshworks’ values or DEI commitments.
• Ensure governance and compliance with employment policies and practices across the US and Europe, including interpretation and application of relevant laws, regulations, and corporate policy.
• Work closely with HR Business Partners, Talent Development, Total Rewards, and Legal to deliver coordinated, seamless support on ER matters.
• Drive accountability through strong case management practices, meaningful metrics, and a continuous improvement mindset.
• Partner with Legal to navigate works councils, trade unions, and local consultation requirements in European markets.

Requirements

• BS/BA degree required; JD or advanced HR qualification a plus.
• 7+ years of relevant experience in employee relations, workplace conflict, and performance management, with meaningful exposure to both European and US employment environments.
• Proven experience operating as an ER practitioner at a senior level, with the ability to execute independently while contributing to broader global strategy.
• Demonstrated ability to attract, develop, and inspire talent; experience managing or mentoring ER team members or HR colleagues.
• Fresh, innovative, and data-driven thinking applied to complex, long-standing ER challenges — with a growth mindset and a track record of high-impact outcomes.
• Strong business and people acumen, with excellent consulting, conflict resolution, and facilitation skills across diverse cultural contexts.
• In-depth understanding of diversity, equity, and inclusion issues and their application to employee relations practice.
• Knowledge of UK and European employment law (including but not limited to GDPR, works council obligations, and country-specific labour laws across the EU) highly desired.
• Proficient in US employment law (ADA, ADEA, FMLA). Knowledge of additional markets (Canada, India, Israel, Australia) is an advantage.
• Collaborative, influential, and decisive — able to lead and partner at all levels of the organisation while keeping stakeholders informed.
• Comfort with HR technology and case management tools (e.g. Salesforce, ServiceNow, Smartsheet); operational rigour in everything you do.

Qualifications

• Education & Experience: Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business, or related field required; JD, Master’s in HR/Labor Relations, or advanced HR certifications (e.g., SPHR, SHRM-SCP) desired.
• Relevant Experience: 8+ years of progressive, direct experience in Employee Relations, Workplace Investigations, and Performance Management, including at least 3+ years in a senior/lead capacity within a fast-paced, matrixed tech company or enterprise software environment.
• Cross-Border Expertise: Hands-on operational experience managing ER matters across both US and European jurisdictions (specifically UK, Germany, France, or Netherlands).
• Legal & Compliance Mastery:
  • US Employment Law: Deep expertise in US federal, state, and local employment laws and regulations (including FMLA, ADA/ADAAA, ADEA, Title VII, FLSA, FEHA, and state-specific leave/separation mandates).
  • European Labor Relations: Working knowledge of European employment legislation, GDPR compliance as applied to workplace investigations, and practical experience navigating European Works Councils (EWCs), trade unions, and local statutory consultation processes.
• Execution & Strategic Leadership:
  • Investigation Expertise: Proven track record of independently conducting, managing, and documenting complex, high-risk workplace investigations (e.g., harassment, discrimination, executive-level misconduct, retaliation) with discretion and objectivity.
  • Data & HR Tech Literacy: Comfortable leveraging HR technology and ER case management platforms. Demonstrated ability to analyze ER trends, case metrics, and workplace data to proactively identify root causes and recommend systemic solutions.
  • People Leadership & Capability Building: Strong track record of coaching HR Business Partners (HRBPs) and managers on conflict resolution, mediation, restorative justice, and bias-aware decision-making.
  • Stakeholder Influence & Business Acumen: Outstanding consulting, negotiation, and conflict management skills with a proven ability to challenge, advise, and partner effectively with cross-functional partners (Legal, DEI, Total Rewards, Business Leaders) at all levels of the organization.

Pay

The annual base salary range for this position is $203,490 - $251,370. This role is also eligible for bonus compensation. Compensation is based on a variety of factors including but not limited to location, experience, job-related skills, and level. Bonus/equity may be available.