Lead Employee Relations Partner

Owens & Minor

13d•$90,000 - $140,000

About The Position

At Accendra Health, we understand that healthcare is complex, and we’re here to make it easier. We help deliver care beyond traditional settings, making essential products and services more accessible through every stage of life. As part of the care team, our teammates play a critical role in delivering personalized, long-term care for the patients we serve. With deep expertise promoting health outside the hospital and a presence in communities nationwide through our Apria and Byram Healthcare brands, Accendra Health does more than just deliver the essentials. If you’re interested in meaningful work with impact, explore our career opportunities and join us in our purpose of Bringing Care To Life™. The compensation range for this role is $90,000-140,000/year based on experience. Position Summary The Lead Employee Relations Partner is responsible for delivering expert guidance and support on high-risk employee relations matters across the organization. This role serves as a subject matter expert (SME) for complex employee relations issues, ensuring alignment with organizational values, compliance with employment laws, and consistent application of policies and procedures. The Lead Employee Relations Partner will collaborate with HR Business Partners, Legal, Operations, and other stakeholders to foster a positive and productive work environment. This position also plays a key role in developing and enhancing employee relations strategies, tools, and training programs.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or related field.
5+ years of progressive HR experience with a focus on employee relations.
Experience conducting investigations and managing complex employee relations cases.
Strong knowledge of employment laws and HR best practices.
Detail-oriented with strong organizational and documentation skills.
High level of discretion and ability to handle sensitive and confidential information.
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
Pushes for transparency and cultural integrity
Advocates for equity, inclusion, and fairness
Communicates neutrally and coaches with credibility
Navigates ambiguity and evolving org structures with clarity
Brings cultural fluency across global and distributed teams
Familiarity with tiered ER COE models and scalable service delivery
Connects ER work to broader business and leadership priorities
Leads adoption of new models and ways of working
Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and HRIS systems (e.g., Workday).

Nice To Haves

PHR or SPHR certification preferred.
Experience working in a matrixed or agile environment is a plus.
Knowledge and experience with employment laws in the state of California.
Knowledge and experience with employment laws in Mexico.
Comfortable with AI and emerging ER technologies

Responsibilities

Lead complex employee relations efforts, including investigations, conflict resolution, and performance management; partnering with Legal where necessary.
Drive cross-functional collaboration with Legal to co-develop risk mitigation protocols, ensure consistent interpretation of policies, and manage high-risk cases with legal implications.
Provide coaching and guidance to managers and HRBPs on employee relations best practices and policy interpretation.
Design and pilot new approaches to performance management and corrective action that are equitable, scalable, and legally sound.
Champion continuous improvement through feedback loops and benchmarking.
Own the development of ER reporting initiatives and analytics tools to identify trends in performance management and discipline.
Analyze trends and use insights to inform policy changes and training needs.
Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local employment laws and regulations.
Provide guidance and escalation support to ER Partners.
Ensure consistency in case handling and documentation across the team.
Contribute to the development of a positive employee experience through fair and consistent practices.
Lead the ongoing review, update, and maintenance of the employee handbook, ensuring alignment with current employment laws, organizational policies, and HR best practices; collaborate with Legal, Compliance, and HR stakeholders to ensure clarity, consistency, and accessibility.
Manage day-to-day execution of involuntary separation cases, ensuring timely and compliant handling of all steps in the process.
Partner with HRBPs to support the selection process for impacted employees, providing ER perspective on risk and fairness.
Review and validate termination packets for accuracy, consistency, and compliance with internal policies and external regulations.
Coach and support managers in preparing for and conducting termination conversations, including scripting and delivery best practices.
Identify and escalate complex or sensitive cases to the Sr. Manager of ER for further review and guidance.
Maintain detailed documentation of all separation cases, ensuring audit readiness and data integrity.
Contribute to the development of ER team resources, including training materials and process guides.
Perform additional duties as assigned.