Senior Manager, Global Employee Relations

OVERVIEW

The Senior Manager, Global Employee Relations leads ACS's employee relations function, fostering a positive work environment, ensuring consistent ACS policy application, and mitigating risk through proactive issue resolution. This role will supervise and guide the Employee Relations team globally, oversee and conduct investigations, oversee the accommodations process at ACS, and collaborate with ACS leadership to develop strategies that promote employee engagement, ACS's core values, and compliance. This role will manage and drive updates to HR Division policies in alignment with ACS's core values and desired culture. It will coach ACS people leaders and individual contributors on effective conflict resolution and practices to drive positive employee relations across ACS.

RESPONSIBILITIES

People Leadership

• Provides strategic direction and oversight to the global Employee Relations team, supervising at least two direct reports
• Coaches, mentors, and develops direct reports to optimize their skills and performance
• Delegates and prioritizes workload effectively within the team to meet business needs

Collaboration & Communication

• Provides recommendations to ACS leadership on improving workplace culture and employee engagement
• Supports and drives continuous improvement of global employee relations practices within ACS
• Partners with HR leadership, the Office of General Counsel, and ACS business leaders to align global employee relations policies and practices with organizational objectives

Internal Investigations

• Develops and implements global employee relations strategies that align with organizational objectives
• Leads and conducts workplace investigations in employment related matters including harassment, discrimination, retaliation, and other potential ACS policy violations in partnership with internal and external stakeholders
• Ensures investigations are handled consistently, fairly, thoroughly, and promptly in accordance with ACS's core values, policies, and any relevant laws; makes recommendations on appropriate courses of action based on findings

Performance Enablement and Workforce Changes

• Partners with people leaders and HRBPs to develop and implement Performance Improvement Plans (PIPs) for employees requiring additional support or remediation
• Ensures PIPs are conducted consistently and fairly, in alignment with relevant organizational policies
• Serves as HR partner in organizational restructures, providing guidance on employee impact, compliance, and communication strategies
• Leads employee relations aspects of workforce changes, including position eliminations and redeployments
• Ensures impacted employees are treated with fairness, empathy, and in accordance with legal and organizational guidelines

Accommodations Process

• Partners with the Benefits team in responding to reasonable accommodation requests and leads employee relations aspects of the accommodations process, ensuring compliance with applicable laws and organizational policies
• Collaborates with HR, Office of General Counsel, and people leaders to assess, document, and implement reasonable accommodations that enable employees to perform their essential job duties
• Monitors and tracks accommodation requests and outcomes, ensuring timely and appropriate responses

Policy Development and Implementation & Compliance

• Maintains, develops, recommends, implements, and helps enforce employee relations policies and programs that align with organizational objectives, promotes ACS's core values, and ensures compliance
• Partners with HR and Office of General Counsel members to ensure compliance with applicable employment laws and regulations
• Ensures a fair and consistent approach to workplace policies and practices, maintaining trust and transparency

Case Management System

• Develops and maintains an effective case management system including the ability to run metrics and produce data to inform employee relations best practices and strategies
• Uses surveys, interviews, and other data sources to research potential updates and improvements to human resources policies and other employment matters
• Identifies trends in employee relations issues and recommends proactive solutions
• Regularly reports on employee relations trends, risks, and solutions to senior leadership

Coaching & Training

• Advises and coaches people leaders on employee relations best practices and on strategies for navigating employee relations challenges and staff concerns
• Communicates with people leaders and employees regarding employee relations concerns; provides guidance and recommendations for resolution of issues and directly engages with staff to resolve concerns
• Assists people leaders in understanding and implementing ACS policies related to performance, discipline, and related topics
• Develops and leads Employee Relations team in conducting internal training in partnership with the Organizational Effectiveness team, HRBP team, and other teams as needed, to support positive employee relations and compliance across ACS

• Performs other related duties as assigned

QUALIFICATIONS

EDUCATION: Bachelor's degree or equivalent in work experience

REQUIRED SKILLS

• 8+ years of progressive experience in employee relations or HR, including supervising a team
• Demonstrates and upholds the highest levels of integrity, ethical conduct, and professionalism
• Exceptional leadership and team management abilities
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with attention to detail
• Experience conducting complex workplace investigations
• Ability to remain professional, calm, tactful, and persuasive in controversial and/or confrontational situations
• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Strong emotional intelligence
• Ability to handle sensitive confidential information with discretion
• Understanding of DEIR principles and practices to promote a diverse and inclusive workplace, address bias and discrimination, and implement initiatives that support ACS's DEIR goals
• Ability to develop and maintain positive relationships with employees and leadership across ACS and provide employee relations subject matter expertise to support ACS's mission, culture, and values
• Ability to coach, mentor, advise, and partner with various stakeholders across the organization regarding employee relations issues
• Thorough understanding of human resources and employee relations principles, practices, and procedures
• Thorough understanding of dispute resolution and compensation administration
• Knowledge of local, state, federal, and global laws concerning employee and labor relations
• Ability to comprehend, interpret, and apply the appropriate sections of applicable laws, guidelines, regulations, ordinances, and policies

PREFERRED SKILLS

• Ability to think strategically to align employee relations strategies with overall business objectives, anticipating future needs and proactively addressing potential challenges
• Employee and labor relations experience with a global workforce
• Proficiency with HR systems, survey platforms, and data analytics tools to enhance data management in employee relations

This role could be based in our Washington, D.C. or Columbus, Ohio offices. A reasonable rate of compensation for this position is:

• DC: between $163,000-$191,000 per year.
• OH: between $147,000-$173,000 per year.

ACS currently provides the following benefits for this position: paid vacation leave, paid sick leave, paid holidays, health insurance, flexible spending account or health care savings account, dental insurance, life insurance, vision insurance, retirement benefits, short- and long-term disability, and 4-week work from anywhere; each benefit is subject to the terms of the applicable program. Additional benefits may apply based on skills, experience, and location.

Any actual offer of employment, reflecting the total compensation package and benefits, will be made in the sole discretion of ACS. ACS reserves the right to amend or modify its employment benefits and compensation structure at any time.