Employee Relations Specialist

URBAN ALCHEMY•San Francisco, CA

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Employee Relations Specialist is a focused practitioner who owns a defined caseload of workplace investigations and employee relations matters with full accountability. In partnership with the Manager, Employee Relations, they are the first point of contact for workplace complaints and grievances, whether filed by employees or arising from guest interactions, and carry each case from intake through findings and documentation. This is not a generalist role. The Employee Relations Specialist does one thing and does it well: conducts thorough, impartial, legally sound investigations into complaints involving harassment, retaliation, discrimination, and policy violations. They manage their caseload like a project manager, knowing the status of every open matter at all times, moving with urgency, and never letting a case age on their desk in silence. This work requires the strictest confidentiality and the composure to sit in difficult, high-stakes situations without losing neutrality or professionalism. The Employee Relations Specialist handles matters across multiple regions and must be able to absorb complexity, volume, and surprise without losing rigor. They are essential to maintaining a fair, inclusive, and legally compliant work environment.

Requirements

3+ years of HR experience with proven, hands-on employee relations and workplace investigation experience
Broad knowledge of HR principles and best practices, including how HR workflows and systems connect
In-depth knowledge of employment laws, regulations, and HR compliance requirements; Urban Alchemy operates across multiple states, and the Employee Relations Specialist must either bring working knowledge of multi-state employment law or demonstrate the intellectual agility to rapidly absorb and apply varying state-specific requirements as caseload demands
Demonstrated ability to write clear, thorough, well-organized investigative reports
Proficiency in Google Workspace and Microsoft Office; experience with HRIS systems
Experience with case management tools or shared tracking systems
You move with urgency. You understand that in this environment, delayed action is not neutral. Cases that sit, complaints that go unacknowledged, and investigations that stall all carry risk. You respond quickly, triage accurately, and do not let things age on your desk.
You own your caseload. You do not wait to be told what comes next. You know what is on your plate, you know the status of every open matter, and you close the loop without being asked
You hold deadlines as commitments. If you need more time, you say so before the deadline, not after. Silence is never the answer.
You exercise sound, independent judgment, especially in situations that are confidential, sensitive, or emotionally charged, without losing your neutrality or your professionalism. You know when to escalate and when to hold the line yourself.
You bring integrity to every case. HR is not an advocacy function, and it is not a hammer. It is the function that protects employees, the organization, guests, and the mission through evidence-based, fair decision-making. That standard lives in you.
You are emotionally resilient. This work is hard. You will hear things that are heavy. You will sit in conflict and complexity. You will deliver findings that people do not want to hear. You have the constitution for it, and you know how to take care of yourself.
You are accountable for impact, not just effort. You do not measure your value by how many cases you touched. You measure it by whether the investigation was sound, the findings were defensible, and the outcome was fair.
You are a disciplined executor. Urban Alchemy has built the infrastructure: the playbooks, the frameworks, the toolkits, the processes. Your value is not in reinventing them. It is in following them rigorously, completely, and without cutting corners when the case gets complicated or the pressure gets high. The system exists to protect everyone involved. Respecting it is part of the job.
You ask before you miss. If you are stuck or overwhelmed, you surface it early, not after a deadline has passed.
You document because you understand that if it is not written down, it did not happen, and that documentation protects everyone.
You spot patterns, ask why, and bring recommendations rather than just observations.
You prioritize ruthlessly. Not everything on your plate is equally urgent, and you know the difference.
You are comfortable with ambiguity and change, and you adapt without losing your grounding.
The Employee Relations Specialist is an investigator, not a business partner. That distinction matters. The instinct to help, to weigh in, to build relationships with Operations, to get in the mix of day-to-day HR work, those are generalist instincts, and they are the wrong instincts here. ER’s credibility depends entirely on its neutrality. The moment you start advising, influencing, or inserting yourself into matters outside your caseload, you compromise the function. You do not blur the line between ER and HR Operations. You hold it.
Must be able to work compassionately and respectfully with people from all backgrounds
Must be prepared to engage with individuals navigating poverty, mental health challenges, addiction, and/or homelessness
Must be able to pass and maintain background clearance in accordance with Urban Alchemy policy

Nice To Haves

AWI certification preferred
Bachelor's degree or equivalent preferred
Lived experience with incarceration and/or homelessness preferred
Driver's license and good driving record preferred

Responsibilities

Serve as the first point of contact for incoming employee relations calls, complaints, and grievances
Conduct prompt, equitable, and impartial investigations into complaints involving allegations of policy violations, including harassment, retaliation, and discrimination
Manage the full investigation lifecycle: intake, scoping, witness interviews, evidence gathering, data analysis, findings, and escalation to the Manager, Employee Relations as appropriate; approach each stage with neutrality, curiosity, and rigor
Document cases by drafting comprehensive, concise investigation reports that summarize evidence, findings, and conclusions
Maintain organized, confidential case files within the shared case management tool from intake through final close
Own your caseload: know the status of every open matter, control your timeline, and never let a case age without action or communication
Communicate proactively with the Manager, Employee Relations: flag risks before deadlines, surface complexity early, and never let silence substitute for status
Ensure all investigations are handled in compliance with the organization's policies, practices, and applicable employment laws
Communicate effectively and sensitively with all parties involved in investigations, building transparency and trust in the process
Conduct findings readouts with Operations and HR upon investigation close; ER delivers findings and conclusions only. Post-investigation decisions on corrective action are made collaboratively by HR and Operations leadership, not by ER
Maintain positive, professional working relationships with leaders and employees that support Urban Alchemy's culture of open communication
Align and communicate with cross-functional partners including Operations, HR, and Legal as cases require
Review employee relations policies and procedures and surface recommended improvements to the Manager, Employee Relations as gaps or opportunities are identified
Identify recurring patterns across cases and surface them to the Manager, Employee Relations; pattern analysis informs process and policy improvements, not individual case outcomes
Act as an ambassador of the HR department's mission, vision, and values in every interaction
Handle workplace conduct and behavioral matters as assigned, approaching each situation with neutrality, curiosity, and rigor
Conduct investigations into employee behavior and conduct, including complaints, policy violations, and workplace incidents, from intake through findings and documentation
Manage investigation timelines, witness interviews, and evidence gathering with discipline and objectivity
Document accurately, thoroughly, and in real time; if it is not written down, it did not happen
Exercise sound judgment in assessing facts and escalating appropriately
Understand that investigations at Urban Alchemy are not routine; the complexity of our workforce and the environments we operate in means cases can involve serious behavioral concerns, safety implications, and operational risk simultaneously
Measure your performance on outcomes: what changed, what improved, what problem exists less
Surface patterns, not just individual cases; when a recurring issue appears, escalate to the Manager, Employee Relations
Continuously identify opportunities to reduce friction, improve processes, and deliver better service to Operations
Follow all safety procedures and ensure compliance with OSHA, state, local, and Urban Alchemy policies
Attend orientation and complete all required training mandated by the company or funders
Wear designated Urban Alchemy uniform and ID badge at all times; HR staff are held to the same uniform standard as Practitioners
Perform additional duties as assigned by supervisor