Sr. Mgr., Employee and Labor Relations

Basic Function

The primary purpose of this role is to serve as the subject matter expert in all employee and labor relations matters across the organization, including, but not limited to, EEOC and Ethics Line complaints, company policy interpretation and investigations related to alleged violations, investigation processes, audits, collective bargaining agreement interpretation and contract negotiation strategies.  This role will work closely with People & Culture executive leadership and be the primary contact to support and lead labor negotiations and establish and refine a comprehensive labor strategy for the company. In addition, this role will help provide coaching and training on investigations for HRBP, managers, and other stakeholders. This could include providing advice, consultation, and guidance to create sustainable solutions to individual employees and organizational challenges enterprise wide. This role must apply extensive knowledge of employment and labor laws, government regulations, and agency rules to make informed investigations and case decisions and guide LYB management.

Roles & Responsibilities

• Serves as the Subject Matter Expert (SME) and reviewer and/or auditor of HR work to support the development, leadership, and operation of the labor relations strategy globally, including its compliance with processes and regulations.
• Collaborates directly with People & Culture, Legal, and business leaders to resolve and complete complicated and sensitive labor and employee relations inquiries, concerns, and investigations in a timely manner.
• Makes recommendations to the ELR team, Legal, HR, and management regarding disciplinary actions, up to and including termination to mitigate risk and litigation. 
• Leads complex investigations, assumes ownership of case assignments, monitors progress and status of escalated matters in the case management system, and documents findings with best practices.
• Provides day-to-day advice to HRBPs and Business leaders related to insights on labor relations activities to achieve innovative and preventative practices.
• Influences leaders by presenting recommendations and findings, working to reach common ground on case findings and future approach, with guidance and feedback from leadership when necessary.
• Develops and delivers training and coaching for leaders and HR partners on employee relations practices, grievance handling, protocols when conducting investigations, and best practices in labor strategies.
  Partners with business leaders and HR teams, including HR Business Partners, Centers of Excellence and ELR, to create positive employee relations programs and best practices.
• Analyzes feedback, diagnoses, designs, and revises policies and people programs to reach company objectives and sustain a culture of positive employee and labor relations.
  Responsible for analyzing and identifying trends through benchmark reports, litigations, etc., provides creative solutions to improve employee engagement.
• Works to reduce the total number of complaints received internally and externally, taking a proactive approach by creating litigation maps, training, and examining historical cases.
  Takes on stretch assignments and more difficult litigious projects that impact the entire enterprise on employee and labor relations matters.

Min. Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in human resources, Labor Relations, Industrial Relations, Business.
• This position requires an individual who has significant employee and labor relations experience, deep subject matter knowledge, and strong communication and interpersonal skills that enables the individual to work successfully on a broad spectrum of employee relations issues and projects.
• The person must have experience managing and negotiating labor contracts with unions such as IUE-CWA, USW, IUOE OPS, etc.
• 15+ years’ experience in HR Generalist, Employee Relations, or a related role with a background in workplace investigations and labor/employment law.
• Includes 4+ years of experience conducting complex employee relations case/complaint investigations and labor relations issues related to federal, state, local employment and labor laws, union avoidance, employee advocacy, and EEO compliance.
• Direct experience gathering, researching, analyzing and resolving complex employee and labor relations issues (including conduct, performance, and policy violations).
• Able to handle confidential information in a mature and professional manner.
• Team player with strong written and oral communication skills.
• Strong interpersonal and persuasion skills, enabling individual to establish partnerships working with senior leaders and across organizational lines.
• Proven attention to detail; extremely organized.
• Highly analytical thinker and problem solver.
• High-quality judgment and sound decision-making.
• Strong project and time management skills with ability to multi-task and manage multiple projects to closure.
• Knowledge of union avoidance strategies and campaigns.

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Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s Degree in MBA, Human Resources, or Labor Relations
• Advanced employment law and/or labor law training
• Experience with unions in Latin America and/or Europe Works Councils

Competencies