ER & Policies Associate Manager

Role Summary
The Employee Relations & Policies – L8 role is a Associate manager‑level position responsible for independently managing complex employee relations matters, providing policy and ER advisory to senior stakeholders, leading investigations and disciplinary decisions, and driving ER governance, risk mitigation, and process excellence.
The role acts as a trusted advisor to HR and business leadership, with a strong focus on fairness, compliance, and risk management.
Key Responsibilities
Employee Relations & Case Management
Independently manage complex and sensitive ER cases, including misconduct, grievances, ethical concerns, and policy violations.
Lead end‑to‑end investigations (fact finding, interviews, documentation, assessment, recommendations, and closure).
Handling sensitive cases involving mental health issues, police matters, court proceedings, and similar concerns.
Recommend and execute appropriate disciplinary actions, not limited to warnings, final actions, or terminations.
Ensure timely, fair, and consistent resolution of cases while minimizing business, reputational, and legal risk.
Participate in change management initiatives that require strategic involvement from ER.
Policy Interpretation & Advisory
Provide expert interpretation of HR policies, Code of Business Ethics, and internal governance standards.
Advise HRBPs and business leaders on policy application, employee risk, and ER strategy.
Drive policy communication, awareness, and adherence across the organization.
Stakeholder & Leadership Engagement
Interact directly with senior HR leaders and business leadership as a trusted ER advisor.
Exercise independent judgment on ER decisions with significant day‑to‑day and long‑term impact.
Partner closely with Legal, Compliance, Ethics, and CI teams, including BEL and litigation‑sensitive matters.
Risk Mitigation & Governance
Proactively identify trends, repeat risks, and systemic issues to prevent escalations and litigations.
Ensure timely escalation to Legal for potential or active litigation matters.
Participate in ER governance, audits, internal controls, and compliance reviews.
Drive process improvements, audit closures, and action plan management.
Behavioral Assessment & Human‑Centered Approach
Apply behavioral insight to assess intent, context, and conduct
Differentiate capability, behavior, and misconduct concerns
Lead empathetic, professional employee interactions
De-escalate sensitive situations effectively
Promote fair and dignified outcomes within HR boundaries
People & Team Responsibilities
Manage and guide a medium‑sized ER team (directly or matrixed – organization decision).
Coach and support team members, including acting as a buddy or back‑up during leadership absence.
Ensure workload management, quality, consistency, and capability uplift within the team.
Decision‑Making Authority
Acts independently on ER decisions within defined governance.
Decisions have lasting impact on employees, teams, and organizational risk posture.
Solutions are not limited to disciplinary actions and may include corrective, preventive, or restorative approaches.
Key Skills & Competencies
Functional
Strong expertise in Employee Relations, Investigations, and HR Policies
Solid understanding of employment law principles and internal compliance
Risk assessment and mitigation
Documentation and case articulation
Behavioral / Psychology‑Driven
Strong emotional intelligence and active listening
Ability to assess behavior, motivation, and situational context
Calm, grounded handling of sensitive or distressing scenarios
Balanced application of empathy and accountability
Experience & Qualifications
Typically 8–12 years of HR / ER experience, with significant hands‑on ER exposure
Experience or academic background as a counseling psychologist is preferred
Education or experience in Psychology, Counseling, Social Work, or Behavioral Sciences (preferred)
Prior experience managing complex investigations and senior‑stakeholder cases
Experience working in large, matrixed organizations
HR / Law background preferred (not mandatory)
Level Indicators (L8)
Operates with minimal supervision
Manages complex cases and teams (organization discretion)
Influences outcomes beyond own scope
Recognized as a subject‑matter expert in ER & Policies
Role Boundaries (Important Clarity)
The role does not provide clinical counseling or therapy
Psychology background is applied to better decision‑making, conversations, and outcomes, not medical or therapeutic intervention
All actions remain within HR, policy, and governance frameworks

Work arrangement
No