Director, Workplace & Employee Relations

Minnesota United FC•Golden Valley, MN

7d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Director, Workplace & Employee Relations is part of the People Operations department for Minnesota United FC (MNUFC), a sports business located in the Twins Cities area of Minnesota and a member of Major League Soccer (MLS), the top tier soccer league in North America. The Director, Workplace & Employee Relations is responsible for how MNUFC lives out its beliefs in the everyday practices that shape our employees' experience – how we handle hard moments, how we hold our standards, and how we support our managers. Reporting to the Vice President, People Operations, this role leads the Club's approach to employee relations, compliance, policy, leave administration, compensation execution, Dayforce governance, and people analytics. This is a role that asks for deep experience and steady judgment. It requires the ability to coach a manager through a difficult conversation, navigate a sensitive investigation with care and rigor, make sure our practices hold up to employment law and MLS policy, and use people data to help us anticipate what's ahead – often all in the same week. Fairness and consistency are non-negotiable here. The Director partners closely with the Vice President, People Operations to make sure MNUFC's people practices reflect the Club we want to be – and to make sure the person in this seat is someone our employees and managers know they can trust.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
7–10 years of progressive Human Resources experience, with significant depth in employee relations, compliance, and HR operations.
Prior experience owning employee relations and compliance work as a senior individual contributor or department leader.
Experience administering compensation programs, including annual cycles and total rewards communication.
Strong working knowledge of employment law, leave administration (PFML, FMLA, ADA), and workplace investigations.
Dayforce experience strongly preferred, including reporting and system administration.
Experience translating people data into insights that inform decision-making.
SHRM-SCP, SPHR, or comparable certification preferred.
Sound judgment and high discretion, especially in sensitive employee matters.
High integrity, confidentiality, and follow-through.
Deep commitment to fostering an inclusive, respectful, and high-performing workplace.
Genuine interest in supporting a values-driven organization where how we treat each other matters as much as what we accomplish.
Ability to advise and challenge leaders – including senior leaders – with clarity and care.
Strong understanding of employment law, HR compliance, and people operations best practices.
Ability to hold high standards for consistency, fairness, and documentation without losing warmth or humanity.
Excellent written and verbal communication, with the ability to translate complex people or policy matters into clear, usable guidance.
Strong project management skills and comfort managing multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
Data-literate and curious – able to spot patterns and translate them into forward-looking recommendations.
Demonstrates curiosity about AI tools and emerging technologies, with a willingness to learn and leverage them to enhance productivity, collaboration, or decision-making.

Nice To Haves

Prior experience in professional sports, live event, or hospitality environments a plus, but not required.

Responsibilities

Serve as the club's day-to-day employee relations practitioner, partnering with managers to navigate performance concerns, workplace dynamics, and other sensitive matters.
Lead investigations with discretion and empathy – ensuring outcomes are fair, well-documented, and consistent with club beliefs.
Coach managers on difficult conversations and feedback.
Assess risk, recommend appropriate next steps, and ensure documentation supports both people-centered outcomes and compliance.
Partner with the VP, People Operations on the most complex or senior-level employee relations matters.
Own the day-to-day administration of MNUFC's people policies, ensuring they are current, clearly communicated, and consistently applied.
Maintain a strong working knowledge of federal, state, and local employment law, and ensure People Operations practices remain compliant as laws evolve.
Administer compliance with Club policies and league-wide requirements.
Own the administration of leave programs, including PFML, FMLA, ADA accommodations, personal leave, and other leave arrangements.
Serve as the primary point of contact for employees navigating leave, ensuring accurate information, timely communication, and a compassionate experience.
Partner with managers to plan for and support employees before, during, and after leave.
Ensure documentation and system administration for all leave programs is accurate and complete.
Serve as the Club's point person for workers' compensation claims, coordinating with our carrier, employees, and managers from initial report through resolution.
Manage return-to-work planning in partnership with managers.
Maintain workers' compensation records, reporting, and OSHA compliance as required.
Execute the day-to-day compensation administration for the club, including compensation change documents, incentive compensation agreements, and annual cycle support.
Support the VP, People Operations on compensation benchmarking, market analysis, and compensation cycle execution.
Maintain compensation data integrity within Dayforce.
Own Dayforce governance, including data integrity, system administration, workflow management, and reporting infrastructure.
Partner with Sr. Manager, People Operations on system operations and process improvement.
Ensure people data across systems is accurate, well-organized, and audit-ready.
Identify opportunities to streamline how People Operations uses Dayforce and adjacent systems.
Serve as the People Operations analytics hub – integrating data from across the function to build a coherent view of workforce health.
Develop and maintain reporting on turnover, retention, compensation trends, ER themes, compliance metrics, and workforce composition.
Translate people data into forward-looking insights that help the Club anticipate workforce risks and opportunities.
Build strong, credible relationships with department leaders, managers, and employees across the club.
Contribute to broader People Operations priorities and club-wide initiatives as the needs of the Club evolve.