[Hiring] Director of Employee Relations @HMH

Role Description

The Director, Employee Relations is responsible for leading employee relations strategy, consultation, and case management across the organization. This individual contributor role provides expert guidance to Employee Relations Consultants, HR Business Partners, people leaders, and employees on complex employee relations matters, including:

• Performance management
• Workplace concerns
• Policy interpretation
• Employee complaints
• Harassment or discrimination allegations
• Interpersonal conflicts
• Investigations

This role serves as a trusted advisor and subject matter expert on employee relations practices in the U.S. and supports international employee relations matters in partnership with local HR, Legal, and business leaders in countries such as India, Ireland, and Canada. The Director, Employee Relations will help ensure consistent, fair, legally compliant, and values-based approaches to employee relations while identifying trends, mitigating risk, and improving processes that support a positive employee experience.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business, Management, Psychology, Employee Relations, or a related field; equivalent experience may be considered.
• SHRM-CP, SHRM-SCP, PHR, SPHR, or similar HR certification preferred.
• Minimum of 8–10 years of progressive Human Resources experience, with significant experience in employee relations, workplace investigations, performance management, and employment policy interpretation.
• Strong U.S. employee relations experience, including working knowledge of federal, state, and local employment laws and regulations.
• Experience supporting international employee relations matters, ideally including partnership with HR and Legal teams in India, Ireland, Canada, or similar global environments.
• Demonstrated experience conducting complex investigations and providing clear, balanced, and well-documented recommendations.
• Ability to assess risk, exercise sound judgment, and provide practical guidance on complex and sensitive employment matters.
• Strong consultation, coaching, conflict resolution, and influencing skills with the ability to build trust across all levels of the organization.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to prepare clear documentation, investigation summaries, recommendations, and leadership updates.
• Ability to work effectively in a matrixed, fast-paced, and highly collaborative environment.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to identify employee relations trends, themes, and opportunities for proactive intervention.
• Ability to maintain strict confidentiality and handle sensitive information with professionalism and discretion.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications and HR systems; experience with SuccessFactors Employee Central and/or case management tools preferred.

Requirements

• Lead and provide hands-on support for complex employee relations matters, including performance concerns, employee complaints, harassment or discrimination allegations, workplace conflicts, policy violations, and investigations.
• Serve as an employee relations subject matter expert and trusted advisor to HR Business Partners, people leaders, employees, and cross-functional partners.
• Conduct and/or support timely, thorough, and objective workplace investigations, including intake, documentation, interviews, findings, recommendations, and follow-up actions.
• Provide guidance to employee relations consultants, managers, and HR partners on performance management, corrective action, employee conduct, accommodations, separations, and other sensitive employment matters.
• Partner closely with Legal on high-risk employee relations issues, investigations, policy interpretation, employment-related claims, and risk mitigation.
• Support employee relations matters across U.S. populations and provide guidance on international employee relations issues in partnership with local HR and Legal teams, including matters involving India, Ireland, and Canada.
• Ensure employee relations practices align with applicable employment laws, company policies, local regulations, and organizational values.
• Identify, track, and analyze employee relations trends, themes, and metrics to inform proactive recommendations, risk mitigation strategies, and leadership insights.
• Partner with HR leadership, HR Business Partners, Talent Management, Total Rewards, Compliance, and other stakeholders to ensure consistent and aligned approaches to employee relations.
• Develop, update, and support implementation of employee relations processes, tools, templates, documentation standards, and manager guidance.
• Support policy review, communication, and interpretation to promote consistent application across the organization.
• Contribute to HR process improvement, automation, and special projects that improve employee relations service delivery, consistency, compliance, and documentation.
• Maintain confidentiality and exercise sound judgment when handling sensitive employee matters and highly confidential information.

Benefits

• Salary: $115,000 - $125,000
• Application Deadline: The application window for this position is anticipated to close on August 24, 2026. We encourage you to apply as soon as possible. The posting may be available past this date but is not guaranteed.