Director, Associate Engagement

SRS Distribution•McKinney, TX

6d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Associate Engagement Director is a people leader responsible for supervising and developing the AR Specialists, HRGs and Senior HRGs, ensuring the consistent, accurate, and effective execution of the Associate Relations function nationwide. This role provides team-level governance, supports capacity and escalation management, and partners with field leadership. The Associate Relations Director focuses on execution and operational excellence to help identify process improvements to enhance efficiency and usability.

Requirements

Proven experience supporting field leaders in a multi-location or regional environment
Working knowledge of federal, state, and local employment laws
Strong analytical, problem-solving, and risk assessment skills
Excellent verbal and written communication skills
Demonstrated ability to operate within defined decision rights and enterprise standards
High level of integrity, judgment, and professionalism
Minimum of 6 years of professional HR experience, with a focus on associate relations and HR advisory services.
At least 3+ years of people management experience is preferred.
Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or equivalent experience.

Nice To Haves

Advanced HRIS reporting and analytics capability
Experience leading and developing HR professionals
Experience supporting enterprise change initiatives
Demonstrated success driving consistency and reducing variability across locations
Proactive compliance mindset with strong execution discipline
Juris Doctor (JD) or advanced degree in Labor Relations, Law, or a related field
SHRM-SCP, SPHR, or equivalent certification

Responsibilities

Leader Coaching & Enablement Serve as head of Associate Relations function, with full accountability for performance management, goals setting, calibration, development planning and corrective action as needed.
Act as the final internal escalation point for complex or sensitive associate relations matters.
Partner with Sr. HRBPs on separation documentation and agreements as directed.
Provide team-level coaching on effective execution (HR policies, procedures and associate relations practices) and calibration to reduce variability in decision-making and execution quality.
Lead onboarding, training, and continuous development for Associate Relations, ensuring readiness to execute enterprise programs independently.
Conduct regular quality reviews of the work of the Associate Relations’ Team to identify trends, coaching opportunities, and systemic execution gaps, while monitoring workload balance and maintaining coverage.
Risk Identification & Feedback Loops Monitor associate relations trends, risk indicators, and execution gaps across assigned regions.
Provide structured, data-informed feedback to improve enterprise programs, tools, and processes.
Problem solve and provide strategies to field business partners to determine root cause of associate issues/concerns, drive solutions and limit vulnerability risks.
Proactively drive change that leads to a high performing and positive work environment
Labor Relations Support Strategically collaborate with HR and business leaders on complex labor relations issues, including grievances, arbitration, discipline, and contract interpretation.
Collaborate closely with Legal, HR Business Partners, and Operations teams to mitigate labor-related risks.
Provide support in coordinating and compiling data, reports, and communication materials needed during union organizing counter campaigns.
Manage projects and labor relations initiatives that support the labor relations strategy.
Ensure compliance with all federal and state labor regulations, including the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA).
Monitor labor trends and legislation to proactively address potential impacts to the organization.
Support leadership development through training and guidance on labor relations best practices
Metrics & Continuous Improvement Own team-level HR Execution metrics, including case quality, timeliness, consistency, and escalation trends.
Track escalated issues to ensure timely follow-up and resolution and enable operational efficiency.
Hold AR Team accountable for meeting defined performance and execution standards.
Identify systemic execution gaps and drive corrective actions through training, process refinement, or escalation to Product Owners.
Ensure follow-through on escalated issues and removal of execution barriers impacting HRG & Sr. HRG effectiveness.
Participate in enterprise HR initiatives and projects as assigned.