Director, Employee Relations

Arthur J. Gallagher · Charlotte

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Team Leadership & ER Function Management

• Lead, coach, and develop a team of 5, including a Senior Employee Relations Case Manager, Employee Relations Case Managers, and an ER Intake Coordinator.
• Set caseload standards, quality expectations, and escalation criteria across the ER team; ensure consistent, timely, and well-documented case resolution.
• Own ER tools, templates, playbooks, and case management systems; drive continuous improvement in intake, investigation, and documentation practices.
• Build team capability and bench strength through coaching, calibration, and knowledge-sharing across case managers.

Investigation Oversight & Case Management

• Provide oversight and quality assurance on complex, high-risk, and precedent-setting investigations led by the Senior Case Manager and Case Managers.
• Serve as the final escalation point for the ER team on the most sensitive matters, including those involving senior leaders, significant legal exposure, or reputational risk.
• Review and approve findings, recommendations, and documentation on the highest-risk matters to ensure consistency, sound judgment, and defensible outcomes.
• Partner with the Senior Employee Relations Case Manager to maintain investigation standards, case strategy, and coaching for the broader case manager team.

Legal & Cross-Functional Partnership

• Serve as the primary Employee Relations connection to Legal, routing matters appropriately and ensuring timely, well-prepared handoffs on litigation holds, subpoenas, and legal inquiries.
• Partner with Legal and outside counsel on separations, settlements, and other high-risk employment actions.
• Partner with Safety, Compliance, and business leaders on matters requiring coordinated response.

Partnership with People Business Partners

• Partner closely with the Director, People Business Partners to reinforce role clarity and escalation discipline between the PBP and ER functions.
• Ensure PBPs are equipped to identify, escalate, and partner on ER issues in a timely and consistent manner.
• Support leadership coaching on employee issues in alignment with ER guidance, balancing employee experience with risk mitigation and compliance.

Data, Reporting & Risk Management

• Track and report on ER case volume, trends, cycle time, and outcomes to the AVP, Employee Experience and other senior leaders.
• Identify systemic themes and risks across cases and recommend policy, training, or process improvements.
• Own Employee Relations policy content and ensure policies remain current, consistent, and legally compliant across jurisdictions.

Charge Response & Regulatory Matters

• Own the organization's response to EEOC charges and other administrative agency complaints (e.g., state fair employment agencies, DOL), partnering with Legal and outside counsel as needed.
• Ensure timely, well-documented, and legally sound positions statements and supporting documentation for all charges and claims.
• Track charge and claim trends; identify systemic risks and recommend policy, training, or process changes to reduce exposure.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or related field required; advanced degree or JD a plus.
• 10+ years of progressive Human Resources experience, with significant depth in employee relations, workplace investigations, and labor relations.
• 5+ years of people leadership experience, including managing case managers or similar HR professionals.
• Demonstrated experience leading union avoidance strategy and responding to union organizing activity.
• Experience managing EEOC charges and other agency complaints, including direct partnership with Legal and outside counsel.
• Strong knowledge of federal, state, and local labor and employment law across multiple jurisdictions.
• Experience in multi-site, field-based, or operational workforce environments strongly preferred.

Skills & Competencies

• Exceptional judgment in high-risk, ambiguous, and sensitive situations.
• Proven ability to lead and develop a team of case managers, with strong coaching and calibration skills.
• Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to influence and advise senior leaders and Legal.
• Strong analytical skills, with the ability to identify trends and translate case data into risk insights and process improvements.
• Ability to manage highly sensitive and confidential information with discretion and integrity.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, multi-site operational environment.

Preferred

• HR certification (SHRM-SCP, SPHR, or equivalent).
• Experience with HR case management platforms (e.g., AllVoices, EthicsPoint, Navex).
• Prior experience partnering directly with in-house or outside labor and employment counsel.

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