Director Employee Relations and HR Compliance

Avera • Sioux Falls, SD

7d • Onsite

About The Position

The Director of Employee Relations and HR Compliance sets strategic direction and provides enterprise leadership and governance for Employee Relations practices and HR compliance programs. The role establishes consistent, scalable, and legally sound practices across the organization, with strategic oversight of investigations, policy governance, workplace accommodations and leave practices, leader consultation, regulatory readiness, documentation standards, and employee relations risk and analytics. The Director advises the organization on complex and high-risk employee matters, identifies emerging employment risks, and strengthens organizational capability through Employee Relations frameworks, leader consultation, and development of Employee Relations professionals and operational leaders.

The position leads the organization’s Employee Relations strategy, operating model, and governance; oversees workplace investigation and case management standards; provides direction for HR compliance and policy governance; and supports labor relations, leave, ADA, return-to-work, and performance management practices. It establishes measures for case quality and timeliness, uses workforce and case data to identify risks and trends, and leads audits and continuous improvement. The Director builds strategic partnerships across HR, Legal, Compliance, Security, and operational leadership, as well as HR Operations, HR Business Partners, and Centers of Expertise.

The role also includes people-management responsibilities such as interviewing, hiring, developing, training, and retaining employees; planning and assigning work; leading and appraising performance; rewarding and coaching employees; and addressing complaints and resolving problems. The position requires the ability to perform the specified hours and essential job functions, including adequate visual acuity and effective communication and hearing. Reasonable accommodations may be made when they do not cause undue hardship.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business, Organizational Leadership, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.
• 7–9 years of progressive Human Resources experience, including significant responsibility for complex employee relations, workplace investigations, policy interpretation, employment compliance, organizational risk, and advising leaders on high-risk employee matters.
• Ability to interpret employment requirements and translate complex legal, regulatory, and policy considerations into practical organizational guidance.
• Strong investigation, written documentation, consultation, facilitation, conflict resolution, executive-level communication, and influence capabilities.
• Demonstrated discretion, neutrality, and sound judgment when handling sensitive matters.
• Ability to perform the specified work hours and essential job functions, including adequate visual acuity and effective communication and hearing.
• Maintain confidentiality and comply with applicable safety principles, laws, regulations, and standards.

Nice To Haves

• Master’s degree.
• SHRM-Certified Professional (SHRM-CP) certification.
• SHRM-Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP) certification.
• Professional in Human Resources (PHR) certification.
• Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) certification.
• Advanced professional development related to employee relations, investigations, employment law, labor relations, or HR compliance.
• Experience leading an Employee Relations or HR compliance function in a large, multi-site, or highly regulated organization.
• Experience with leave, ADA, and return-to-work practices; Workday systems and reporting; policy governance; regulatory reporting; and affirmative action programs.
• Healthcare experience.

Responsibilities

• Set and lead the enterprise Employee Relations strategy, operating model, governance framework, and standards.
• Advise on complex, sensitive, or high-risk employee relations matters to promote fair, consistent, timely, and legally sound outcomes.
• Establish Employee Relations frameworks, standards, tools, resources, and self-service guidance.
• Develop the capability of the Employee Relations function through case consultation, legal and regulatory updates, scenario-based learning, feedback, and professional development.
• Establish and govern organization-wide standards, protocols, templates, documentation requirements, and quality controls for workplace investigations and case management.
• Provide oversight and direction for complex, sensitive, or high-risk workplace investigations.
• Ensure investigations and case management meet standards for objectivity, scope, documentation, confidentiality, credibility assessment, consistency, and risk management.
• Partner with Legal and other stakeholders to assess and mitigate employment-related legal, regulatory, reputational, workforce, and operational risks.
• Lead and govern HR compliance and promote consistent application of employment laws, regulatory requirements, and organizational policies.
• Govern HR policies, including interpretation, review, implementation, education, and identification of policy, compliance, or process gaps.
• Oversee and coordinate HR responsibilities for regulatory reporting, affirmative action initiatives, audits, and external agency responses.
• Assess changes in employment requirements and risks and translate them into practical guidance, controls, policies, training, and standardized HR practices.
• Provide strategic oversight and direction for labor relations strategy and readiness.
• Partner with HR and operational leaders in union-represented areas to support collective bargaining agreement and labor requirement compliance and provide guidance during bargaining and negotiations.
• Partner with HR leaders and subject matter experts to align leave and accommodation processes, vendor relationships, documentation, privacy, and practices with policy and legal requirements.
• Provide Employee Relations leadership, governance, and consultation for performance management practices.
• Advise leaders on performance management, corrective action, conflict resolution, documentation, policy interpretation, difficult conversations, and employee engagement.
• Establish training, tools, resources, and guidance to strengthen leader capability and accountability and support consistent employee management.
• Promote a respectful and accountable work environment through early intervention, conflict resolution, and prevention of retaliation.
• Establish an Employee Relations measurement and quality framework, including case timeliness, trends, recurring issues, documentation quality, and compliance indicators.
• Use workforce and case data to identify trends, emerging risks, systemic issues, and opportunities for policy, leader education, and process improvement.
• Strengthen data governance, integrity, and reporting practices for reliable Employee Relations analytics and organizational decision-making.
• Lead and support HR compliance audits, Employee Relations quality reviews, and continuous improvement efforts.
• Build strategic partnerships across HR, Legal, Compliance, Security, and operational leadership on complex employee relations and HR compliance matters.
• Partner with HR Operations, HR Business Partners, and Centers of Expertise to integrate Employee Relations practices with organizational policies, workforce strategies, HR programs, and business needs.
• Interview, hire, develop, train, and retain employees; plan, assign, and lead work; appraise performance; reward and coach employees; and address complaints and resolve problems.
• Apply Avera’s mission, vision, core values, and social principles; promote compassion, hospitality, and stewardship; uphold CARE standards; maintain confidentiality; work effectively with team members; and comply with applicable safety principles, laws, regulations, and standards.

Benefits

• PTO available day 1 for eligible hires.
• Up to 5% employer matching contribution for retirement.
• Career development guided by hands-on training and mentorship.
• A wide range of benefits for qualifying part-time and full-time employees, designed to support balanced, healthy lives and current and future needs.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director