Senior HR Business Partner - Employee & Labor Relations

Position Summary

The Senior HR Business Partner (SR HRBP) is a strategic and hands-on advisor who leads complex employee relations and labor relations initiatives, drives HR compliance, and partners with leaders to build high performing, engaged teams. This role serves as a trusted consultant to leadership, an advocate for employees, and a steward of company policies and employment law compliance across a multi-state, field-focused environment. Serves as an employee champion, advocate, and change agent. Establishes partnerships within the Human Resources department and across functions to deliver value-added service to employees and leaders.

The Senior HR Business Partner demonstrates and adheres to the Company values of safety, honesty, ownership, respect, and teamwork to ensure a successful partnership with customers and employees that result in OmniTRAX’ s continued success.

Essential Responsibilities

Employee Relations:

• Develop and drive implementation of employee relations strategies, policies, and procedures.
• Understand business operations strategically and tactically to proactively manage employee relations and act as a change agent.
• Partner with leaders and employees to establish and maintain a positive work environment; encourage full use of diverse talents and abilities; function as an employee advocate; help drive corporate and business initiatives.
• Consult with managers to build high-performance teams and engaged employees; coach, counsel, and guide leadership on employee relations and HR compliance issues (e.g., FLSA, EEO, ADA) prior to employment actions.
• Perform timely, impartial, quality investigations and partner with leadership and employees to implement recommendations as a result of the investigation
• Ensure high-quality customer service while working with leadership and employees in coaching and counseling.
• Support performance management discussions; develop strategies with employees and managers to identify and resolve problems; recommend best courses of action, including terminations when appropriate.
• Ensure compliance with Company policies and applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations; apply consistency across all employee relations activities.
• Act as key manager of the case management system
• Key user of the case management system to document and capture incidents, investigations, complaints, and disciplinary actions through resolution on a timely basis
• Responsible for ensuring data in the case management system is comprehensive and provide quality reporting of the data from the system
• Serve as an active participant, providing insight to leadership in the Organizational Capability Review program.
• Conduct all in-person exit interviews; manage feedback from stay interview and exit interview/surveys; compile and present quarterly trends to leadership
• Manage all involuntary terminations end-to-end, including investigations, suspensions, recommendations to leadership, and obtaining approvals.
• Organize and manage reduction-in-force (RIF) activities when business changes are required, including severance analysis, implementation timelines, meeting agendas, outplacement coordination, coaching managers on employee conversations, preparing/processing severance packets and payments, and addressing employee/manager questions.
  

Labor Relations

• Serve as subject matter expert on collective bargaining agreements (CBAs), advising HR and leadership on contract provisions and interpretation.
• Establish and maintain strong relationships with union representatives at field properties, union chairpersons, and other stakeholders.
• Lead coordination and management of collective bargaining negotiations for all labor contracts:
• Oversee administrative procedures for negotiation meetings, partnering with field leadership who acts as lead negotiator.
• Attend and record all negotiation meetings and manage follow-up tasks.
• Partner with HR and leadership to strategically review current and proposed contract changes and compile necessary information (reference documents, statistical data on labor legislation, labor market conditions, prevailing union/management practices, wage and salary surveys, and employee benefit programs) prior to CBA negotiations.
• Review contract provisions and proposed changes; collaborate with leaders to evaluate and recommend modifications.
• Collaborate with HR/Payroll to ensure all terms, wage and benefit revisions from newly signed agreements are accurately updated in HR systems.
• Provide labor relations training to leaders and HR
• Manage grievance processes per CBA, investigating and resolving grievances; advise, consult, and prepare responses for leadership in grievances, arbitrations, unfair labor practice proceedings, and other labor matters.
• Collaborate with Legal, affected leadership, and labor relations consultants on grievance, arbitration, and unfair labor practices; develop and write arbitration submissions supporting terminations; serve as the Company representative in all arbitration hearings.
• Issue reinstatement letters; partner with Payroll on back pay calculations; manage Railroad Board reinstatement requirements and support rail properties for returning employees.
• Manage and maintain case management system by recording and updating grievances, claims, hearings/investigations, arbitrations, and related activities.
  

Policy Development And Compliance

• Research and stay current on employment laws, trends, and best practices to ensure:
• HR activities comply with all federal, state, and local employment laws and regulations.
• Company policies are updated timely to remain compliant.
• Best-practice employment policies are identified, developed, and updated for business operations and overall HR compliance.
• Develop and deliver HR compliance training modules/webinars for leadership, including (but not limited to) sexual harassment prevention and discrimination.
• Design clear, modern, and accessible communication strategies to educate managers and employees on HR policies.
• Manage and prepare compliance audit reports, including annual filings to government agencies and vendors.
• Maintain and process unemployment notices and potential charges in a timely, efficient manner.
  

Other Duties

• Due to the nature of the role, the employee may be required, as needed, to assume additional HR or business activities/projects to solve problems for the organization that are not part of their normal employee relations or labor relations activities.
• Leverage technology to deliver HR value: create HR measurements and analyses; recommend and implement techniques to improve productivity and increase efficiencies across employee relations processes.
• Assist with mergers and acquisitions (HR due diligence, integration planning, employee communications, and policy/process alignment).
• Recommend and implement improvements and compliance measures as needed for HR best practices.
  
  

Supervisory Responsibilities

• None
  
  

Required Qualifications, Knowledge, Skills, And Abilities

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business, or related field
• 10 years of progressive generalist experience in Human Resources with a strong background in employee relations, labor relations and employment law compliance
• Experience working in a multi-state, field focused organization
• Strong business and financial acumen to align business strategies to people initiatives
• Service oriented attitude with a sense of urgency and attention to detail
• Ability to manage personnel issues with confidentiality, respect, discretion and professionalism
• Thought leader to develop best practice workplace policies, and procedures
• Strategic and critical thinker with tactical application: present innovative solutions to business challenges with foresight and “big picture” perspective
• Sound decision making and problem-solving skills; resolve complex employee relations issues
• Research and analyze data to arrive at valid conclusions, recommendations and plans of action
• Identify and prioritize key HR needs; strategically develop and implement appropriate programs
• Superb consultation and influencing skills: establish trusted relationships with both employees and leaders
• Solid understanding and skill to be impartial, and exhibit extreme fairness to assess each situation
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills; effectively converse with all levels of the company
• Proficient computer skills in Microsoft Office Suite
• Professional integrity and accountability
• Ability to be agile and adapt to change & ambiguity well
• Work in fast-paced, collaborative environment
  
  

Preferred Qualifications, Knowledge, Skills, And Abilities

• Previous experience in Rail Transportation, Supply Chain Logistics, Manufacturing
• Labor Relations experience and working with collective bargaining agreements
• Experience managing difficult employee relations issues
  
  

Preferred Certifications And Licenses

• SPHR, PHR, SHRM-SCP or SHRM-CP
  
  

WORK ENVIRONMENT

• Work in a climate-controlled office and routinely use standard office equipment
  
  

TRAVEL

• Up to 25%, as the business requires
  
  

Physical Requirements

Physical Requirements

% of Work Time

Remain in a seated position

80%

Speak and hear clearly

100%

Lift office products and supplies, up to 20lbs.

20%

Stoop, kneel, bend and reach

10%

Dexterity to write and manipulate keyboard and mouse

100%

Compensation

• Estimated Starting Annual Salary: $122,249
• Exact starting salary is determined by merit; seniority; geographic location; education, training, and/or experience related to job duties and responsibilities
• FLSA Status: Exempt, Not Eligible for Overtime
• Eligible for Participation - Annual Discretionary Bonus
  
  

Benefits

• 401(k) / 401(k) matching
• AD&D insurance
• Dental insurance
• Disability insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Health insurance
• Health savings account
• Life insurance
• Mental wellbeing resources
• Paid Maternity leave
• Paid Parental leave
• Referral program
• Relocation assistance
• Sick time
• Vacation time
• Vision insurance