Manager, Employee Relations

Position Description:

Leads the Employee Relations (ER) Team in providing guidance, support, and recommendations focusing on employee relations matters for Goodwill of Central and Northern Arizona (GCNA) and its affiliated entities. Ensures that each ER Team Member works to minimizes risk and negative exposure while increasing productivity and retention by ensuring efficient and timely resolution of all employee relations complaints and investigations, and Team Member conflict resolution. This role possesses a strategic mindset and is comfortable thinking a few steps ahead of where the team is now. This role achieves goals through leadership, creativity, planning, compliance, collaboration, and communication. This is a working leader role that leads the ER Team, but also works directly with assigned client groups as needed.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Develops and implements operational plans (including clear goals and success metrics) for ER Team.
• Partners with Sr. Director, Talent Management to develop strategies that enable business goal achievement.
• Analyzes Team Member trends and metrics to identify, propose, and lead initiatives to close gaps or take advantage of opportunities.
• Reduces risk and ensures compliance with all Federal, State and local regulations relating to employment such as Fair Labor Standards Act, National Labor Relations Act, Family and Medical Leave Act, Americans with Disabilities Act, and Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (FLSA, NLRA, FMLA, ADA, EEOC), etc.
• Works with the ER Team to proactively review analytics regarding ER matters; ensures the ER Team provides appropriate intervention and/or corrective action such as training opportunities, and develops and executes proactive training and tools to support business strategy.
• Evaluates key emerging employment trends and uses a creative entrepreneurial approach to solutions building in addressing those trends.
• Promotes and maintains corporate compliance and ethics standards under federal, state, and local regulations as well as the organization's policies.
• Conducts routine policy and employee handbook updates; identifies and drafts new policies, as needed.
• Partners with the Legal Department in response to agency requests, investigations, and employment litigation matters.
• Ensures budget adherence oversight & development for assigned area of responsibility.
• Ensures ER investigations provide consistent and appropriate recommendation(s) to leadership at the conclusion of an investigation.
• Interprets and applies understanding of corporate policies and practices, employment law, and other regulations to provide advice, guidance, or clarification for ER inquiries.
• Collaborates with leadership in problem solving, in pursuit of organization and team goals.
• Builds relationships across the organization to ensure trust, confidence and credibility remain intact.
• Demonstrates best in class customer service; builds relationships internally and collaborates effectively on cross-functional teams.
• Manages relationships with external vendors, as assigned.
• Ensures ER investigations are conducted within required timeframes, and to company expectations, including gathering and analyzing facts, proper documentation, and applying relevant policies and past practice.
• Serves as escalation point of contact for leadership and Team Members regarding ER-related concerns.
• Serves as HR Ambassador by managing multiple HR initiatives designed to ensure a positive, productive, and fast-paced work environment.
• Develops and conducts trainings related to policies and procedures, and employment law.
• Maintains employment law knowledge, including keeping up to date on emerging issues and provides recommendations to leadership as needed for process improvement, retention, and/or compliance.
• Maintains strict confidentiality, and business logic.
• Identifies and drives process improvement initiatives within the team/department to foster an environment of continuous improvement.
• Travels to company locations as needed.
• May perform duties after hours, if needed.
• Builds a high-performing team through developing and implementing operational plans including clear goals and success metrics.
• Partners with other HR areas, Legal, Safety and Risk and business area leaders to reduce risk and ensure compliance with all federal, state and local laws and regulations relating to employment (such as FLSA, FMLA, ADA, EEOC).
• Responsible for performance management (coaching, discipline, performance improvement plans, and annual reviews), staffing, compensation, and development of Team Members.
• Plays critical role in driving company culture change efforts and change management processes.
• Models Goodwill Core Values - Trust, Collaboration, Engagement, Ownership, and Innovation.
• Maintains regular and consistent in-person attendance.
• Performs other related duties, as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications (Education, Experience, Skills):

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent work experience in Human Resources, Business, Finance, or another related field, preferred. High School degree or GED required.
• Previous management experience preferred.
• 5+ years of employee relations experience preferably within a services or retail environment.
• 3+ years of general Human Resources experience.
• Customer-focused orientation with strong communication skills and the ability to function as an effective and respected partner to internal clients.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills with the proven ability to drive communication across a broader group.
• Ability to speak and read English proficiently.
• Proven ability to be analytical and handle confidential and sensitive data effectively.
• Attention to detail and well organized.
• Ability to juggle multiple tasks while still delivering high quality results in a fast-paced environment, working well under pressure.
• Proven ability to lead process improvement for human capital and/or operational issues.
• Thorough working knowledge of current state and federal rules and regulations regarding employment law.
• Demonstrated ability to manage and prioritize multiple processes with minimal supervision.
• Demonstrated ability to explain difficult issues and information clearly, ensuring communication is understood.
• Demonstrated ability to lead, coach, train, and motivate others.
• Must have the ability to multi-task, solve problems, and meet deadlines as well as strong organizational skills and the ability to work in a fast-paced environment.
• Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite.
• Valid drivers' license and clean MVR.
• Ability to pass a background check and drug screen, where applicable for position.

You will be eligible for a comprehensive Total Rewards package, 1st of the month following 60 days of employment that includes the following:

• 5 Medical Plans
• Employer Funded Health Reimbursement Account (HRA)
• 3 Dental Plans
• Vision Plan
• 401K
• Employer Paid Life Insurance
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Paid Time Off; Sick and Vacation
• Paid Holidays
• These are just a few highlights of our key benefit offerings!

Become a valued member of an organization where good work meets community impact. Our mission is: Empowering Individuals, Strengthening Families, and Building Stronger Communities. Goodwill provides no-cost career development, training, and education services to help individuals build a better life for themselves and their families. Our core values are Trust, Collaboration, Engagement, Ownership, and Innovation. Everything we accomplish as a team is centered around these core values. Together, we create an inclusive and welcoming environment for each other. With stores conveniently located near you, you can work for a company where team strength and success are valued and encouraged. Join our team and gain opportunities for job growth at Goodwill and beyond.

Goodwill of Central and Northern Arizona is an equal opportunity employer. Qualified individuals seeking employment are considered without regard to race (including traits associated with race, e.g., hairstyles), color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and related conditions, sexual orientation, or gender identity), national origin, disability, military status, age, genetic information, or any other category protected by applicable federal, state and local fair employment practice laws.

Individuals with a disability may be entitled to a reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act and/or state or local laws. Please contact Goodwill of Central and Northern Arizona at 1-833-624-0920 option 6 or leaves@goodwillaz.org if you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act.

For questions about your application or employment with Goodwill of Central and Northern Arizona, please contact our Candidate Support Line at 1-833-624-0920, option 5.

PHISHING SCAM WARNING: Goodwill of Central and Northern Arizona/Goodwill Industries of Monocacy Valley, Inc. ("GCNA/GIMV") are among several companies recently made aware of a phishing scam involving con artists posing as hiring managers recruiting via email, text and social media. The imposters are creating misleading email accounts, conducting remote "interviews," and making artificial job offers in order to collect personal and financial information from unsuspecting individuals. Please note that GCNA/GIMV only use company email addresses, which contain "@goodwillaz.org" or @gimv.org", to communicate with candidates via email. The company also uses secure tools on our website to receive data from applicants and would never ask them to submit their personal banking information to apply for an open job. If you are contacted by someone about an open job at GCNA/GIMV, please verify the domain of the sender's email address and that they are asking you to apply on this website. If you believe you have been a victim of a phishing scam, please visit the Department of Homeland Security's Cyber Smart website (https://www.cisa.gov/be-cyber-smart/campaign) to learn how to report it.