HR Business Partner II, or III

Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District • Cleveland, OH

2d • Hybrid

About The Position

This role serves as a thought partner and trusted advisor to employees and managers on employee and labor relations (ELR) processes. The HR Business Partner will leverage positive relationships, knowledge of the Sewer District and ELR subject matter expertise to guide employees and managers towards creating a positive workplace culture. They will assist in the training and development of managers and serve as the primary point of contact for employees and managers on all HR related processes. The HR Business Partner III role serves as a strategic partner and trusted advisor to leadership on matters related to employee and labor relations, risk management and workforce planning, advising on best practices and contributing to strategy development for the organization. This role collaborates with all departments to align strategies with business goals.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree preferably in business administration, human resources, labor relations, psychology or related field. Equivalent combination of relevant education and experience may be substituted.
• HR Business Partner II: Five (5) years of progressive HR experience in employee & labor relations, talent acquisition, total rewards, organizational effectiveness, and/or training.
• HR Business Partner III: Seven (7) years of HR experience in employee & labor relations, talent acquisition, total rewards, organizational effectiveness, and/or training.
• Extensive knowledge in employee & labor relations, collective bargaining agreements and HR compliance.
• Proficient in a wide variety of HR areas including talent acquisition, total rewards, organizational effectiveness and training.
• Familiar with the use of HR information systems.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite including Word, Excel, Outlook and PowerPoint.
• Effective written and verbal communication, organizational skills and decision-making abilities.
• Ability to effectively plan, coordinate, establish and maintain effective working relationships and prioritize workloads based on available resources.
• Detail-oriented and capable of managing large amounts of data, maintain detailed comprehensive records, analyze and organize information, have effective project and time management skills and be well organized.
• Negotiation and conflict resolution skills to address issues and opportunities for improvement.
• Valid driver’s license with a driving record in accordance with the Sewer District’s acceptable guidelines.

Nice To Haves

• Certification in human Resources including but not limited to SHRM-CP or SHRM-SCP is preferred.
• HR Business Partner III: Experience including 3 years of managing projects and/or processes preferred.

Responsibilities

• Fosters strong relationships with employees and managers by guiding and advising all parties on the interpretation and application of Sewer District policies, procedures, guidelines and collective bargaining agreements.
• Leverages positive relationships with union representatives to maintain a collaborate working environment.
• Supports managers on a variety of employment and labor relations processes including but not limited to, Employee Assistance Program (EAP) Formal Management Referrals (FMR), offboarding, Performance Improvement Plans (PIP), Suspensions Pending Investigations (SPI), incident management process, corrective action/progressive discipline and the grievance process.
• Trains and develops managers on a variety of employment and labor relations topics including substance-free workplace, anti-workplace harassment, anti-workplace violence, driver’s license policy, wage and hour compliance, leadership and management skills and performance management.
• Independently investigates and resolves workplace concerns such as performance feedback, management fairness, communication concerns, policy complaints or concerns, bullying, harassment, discrimination, sexual harassment, retaliation, violent or threatening behavior or any other situation that poses a risk to the Sewer District or its employees.
• Coaches managers through corrective action and/or progressive discipline as part of the incident management process.
• Supports employee and labor relations management with corrective action and/or progressive discipline during HR-level incident management process by serving as a notetaker in incident hearings, drafting and reviewing any relevant documents and serving as a thought partner.
• Coaches managers through the performance improvement process by consulting with management on performance concerns, educating managers on the PIP process, providing necessary resources, reviewing PIP content with employees and working with employee and labor relations management to execute agreed upon plans.
• Partners with management to administer the EAP FMR process.
• Administers the offboarding process.
• Attends all site-level grievance hearings as requested and assists managers with drafting and reviewing written grievance responses.
• Supports employee and labor relations management by attending all HR-level grievance hearings, serving as a notetaker in the grievance hearings, drafting written grievance responses for review and serving as a thought partner throughout the process.
• Trains ELR staff on Sewer District policies and procedures.
• Acts as a mentor to staff to aid in professional development and growth.
• Applies subject matter expertise to proposals and strategies during contract negotiations for AFSCME, 18-S and OPBA.
• Provides HR updates at site-level labor management and safety committee meetings addressing labor concerns with union representatives and management.
• Works with the Training Department to design, development and implement ELR trainings.
• Collaborates cross-functionally with HR and other departments to drive a variety of complex projects.
• Serves as the primary point of contact to employees and managers on all HR related processes.
• Refers employees to appropriate HR team based on questions and concerns.
• Conducts and oversees workplace investigations independently, ensuring fair and consistent resolutions.
• Develops and implements ER strategies to foster a positive and inclusive workplace culture.
• Guides leadership on performance management, corrective action, progressive discipline and conflict resolution decisions.
• Ensures compliance with employment laws, Sewer District policies and best practices.
• Analyzes ER trends and metrics to proactively address workplace challenges.
• Conducts exit interviews and analyzes trends to recommend practices that improve retention strategies.
• Develops and leads management training initiatives that focus on handling employee relations issues effectively.
• Acts as the liaison between labor unions and employee representatives.
• Interprets and supports collective bargaining agreement (CBA) negotiations.
• Ensures compliance with labor laws, regulations and union contracts.
• Conducts grievance hearings and provides counsel on arbitration cases.
• Collaborates with the Legal department and leadership teams on union-related matters.
• Delivers labor relations training for managers and HR teams.
• Provides strategic advice to leadership on complex employee relations issues.
• Develops labor relations strategies to maintain positive union-management relationships.
• Provides coaching and mentorship to managers, emerging leaders and other Business Partners.
• Aligns HR strategies with business objectives to drive performance and engagement.
• Implements HR policies and initiatives that support business goals while ensuring legal compliance.
• Serves as a change agent to support organizational development and transformation efforts.
• Partners with Sewer District leaders to identify high-potential employees and succession planning opportunities.
• Develops other workforce planning, retention and talent management strategies in collaboration with leadership.
• Monitors and mitigates risks related to employment and labor relations.
• Stays updated on legislative changes and ensures Sewer District policies are aligned.
• Conducts HR audits to assess and improve compliance with labor laws and regulations.

Benefits

• Health Insurance Coverage
• Various Retirement Planning Options (Ohio Public Employee Retirement System and Deferred Compensation Plans)
• Flexible Spending Accounts
• Employee Assistance Program
• Free Parking at our facilities
• Corporate Discounts
• Active Health & Wellness Program that promotes a life/work balance.

What This Job Offers

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