Employee Relations Manager
13 days ago
Allendale
Job DescriptionJob Title: Employee Relations Manager Location: Bergen County, NJ (On-site) Salary Range: $80,000-$90,000 base + benefits Employment Type: Full-Time, Exempt We're seeking an experienced HR Manager to lead Employee Relations strategy and execution across an assigned region. This role serves as a trusted strategic partner to Area Directors, Managers, and Employees-providing practical, consistent, and proactive guidance that strengthens culture, mitigates risk, and ensures legal compliance. The ideal candidate brings deep ER expertise, sound judgment, and the ability to operate confidently in a fast-paced, frontline environment. This is a fully on-site role in Bergen County, NJ with travel to site locations in NJ and NY What You'll Do Employee Relations & Investigations • Own and manage all Employee Relations matters for the assigned region, including complex, high-risk investigations stemming from internal and external complaints, • Lead or direct investigations, assess credibility and risk, determine escalation thresholds, and partner with Legal or senior HR leadership when appropriate, • Draft clear, defensible investigation summaries and recommendations aligned with company precedent, • Serve as owner for all regional EthicsPoint cases, ensuring timely resolution, documentation, and follow-throughStrategic HR Partnership, • Partner closely with Operations, Management, and HR colleagues to support day-to-day HR needs in alignment with company policies and applicable laws, • Coach and influence leaders through difficult employee decisions while maintaining credibility and consistency, • Collaborate with the Director of HR to design and execute strategies focused on employee engagement, recognition, retention, and cultureRisk, Compliance & Data Insights, • Analyze Employee Relations trends, EthicsPoint data, and repeat risk indicators to proactively reduce ER volume and compliance exposure, • Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local employment laws, including high-complexity jurisdictions, • Maintain and coordinate legal documentation related to claims, suits, and regulatory matters, • Represent the company, as needed, during DOL investigations or legal proceedingsTraining, Development & Culture, • Deliver training to managers on employee relations, fair employment practices, and policy application, • Partner with Learning & Development to support performance management, growth planning, and leadership capability building, • Support company culture initiatives, events, and engagement activitiesCollaboration & Coverage, • Provide coverage for other HR regions as needed during PTO or high-volume periods, • Partner with Benefits to manage accommodations, fitness-for-duty matters, and return-to-work processesWhat We're Looking For Experience & Expertise • Proven success managing high-volume Employee Relations caseloads with multiple concurrent investigations, minimum of 3 years of experience, • Strong working knowledge of labor and employment law, applied practically in operational environments, • Experience supporting hourly, frontline workforces in complex, multi-state jurisdictionsLeadership & Influence, • High emotional intelligence, professionalism, and resilience in sensitive or high-conflict situations, • Ability to coach leaders-not just deliver decisions-while balancing legal risk, operational needs, and culture, • Excellent communication, negotiation, and presentation skillsExecution & Mindset, • Highly organized, results-driven, and detail-oriented with a strong sense of urgency, • Strategic thinker with hands-on execution capability, • Absolute discretion and commitment to confidentialityAdditional Requirements, • Ability to travel intermittently (approximately 20-30% annually, including overnight travel), • Flexibility to work non-traditional hours as business needs require, • Proficiency in Spanish is preferred, • Experience in restaurants/hospitality preferred Featured benefits We offer a comprehensive benefits package, including: • Medical, dental, and vision coverage, • Generous PTO, • 401(k) with company contribution, • Paid holidays Pay Details: $80,000.00 to $90,000.00 per year Search managed by: Jill Morelli Equal Opportunity Employer/Veterans/Disabled Military connected talent encouraged to apply To read our Candidate Privacy Information Statement, which explains how we will use your information, please navigate to The Company will consider qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records in accordance with federal, state, and local laws and/or security clearance requirements, including, as applicable: • The California Fair Chance Act, • Los Angeles City Fair Chance Ordinance, • Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers, • San Francisco Fair Chance OrdinanceMassachusetts Candidates Only: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.