Manager, Employee Relations & Governance

Blommer Chocolate Careers • Chicago, IL

3d • Hybrid

About The Position

Blommer has been providing delicious, high-quality chocolate and cocoa products to customers since 1939. Built as a family business, we are continuing to grow and are looking for motivated and reliable associates to help in our mission of Bringing Chocolate to Life!

Requirements

• 7–10 years of progressive HR experience with a strong emphasis on employee relations
• Demonstrated experience conducting complex investigations
• Strong knowledge of U.S. employment laws and ER best practices
• Experience supporting hourly and manufacturing environments preferred
• Proven ability to exercise sound judgment and escalate appropriately
• Manufacturing or multi‑site experience
• Exposure to labor‑sensitive environments
• Sound judgment and risk awareness
• Strong investigation and interviewing skills
• Clear, concise written communication
• Ability to coach and influence without formal authority
• High degree of integrity and confidentiality
• Calm, professional demeanor in sensitive situations
• Ability to recognize when escalation is required
• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or related field
• SHRM‑CP, SHRM‑SCP, PHR, SPHR, or equivalent certification

Responsibilities

• Oversees the end-to-end investigations framework, including intake, triage, investigative protocols, documentation standards, and outcome consistency, ensuring a fair and objective approach across the organization.
• Lead and conduct complex employee relations investigations, including allegations of misconduct, harassment, discrimination, retaliation, and policy violations
• Provide investigation planning guidance and coaching to Plant HR Managers
• Prepare clear summaries, findings, and recommendations for review and escalation as appropriate
• Maintain confidentiality, documentation standards, and defensible processes
• Partners with Legal, Compliance, and senior HR leadership to interpret employment laws and regulatory requirements, translating them into scalable policies, procedures, and operational practices.
• Serve as the enterprise expert on employee relations policies and governance
• Assists in defining and maintaining HR policy governance standards, including the development, review, and modernization of policies and the employee handbook to reflect evolving regulatory, market, and organizational needs.
• Ensure consistent application of policies across plants and corporate functions
• Advise HR and leaders on appropriate corrective action, performance discipline, and outcomes
• Identify situations that require escalation due to legal, reputational, or precedent risk
• Partner with Legal as needed on high‑risk or sensitive matters
• Designs and implements frameworks for consistency and quality assurance in investigations and policy application, including audit mechanisms, documentation standards, and governance processes.
• Coach Plant HR Managers on collective bargaining concerns, employee relations judgment, documentation, and investigation practices
• Serve as the primary escalation point for non‑routine or high‑risk plant ER issues
• Support development of ER capability and confidence within plant HR teams
• Reinforce escalation triggers and enterprise standards
• Identifies emerging trends, systemic risks, and root causes across investigations and employee relations matters, driving enterprise-level insights and recommend preventative and corrective actions.
• Partner with TSEL and OD to recommend proactive interventions, training, or organizational actions
• Support data‑informed decision‑making while maintaining appropriate confidentiality
• Collaborate closely with: Talent Strategy Enablement Leader on trend‑based risk and leadership effectiveness
• Collaborate closely with: Organizational Development Manager on change impacts and leader enablement
• Collaborate closely with: HR Operations on policy documentation and recordkeeping standards
• Participate in enterprise HR initiatives as a subject‑matter expert when employee relations considerations are involved

Benefits

• Health, Dental & Vision- eligibility begins day 1 of hire!
• 401(K)
• Pet insurance
• Tuition reimbursement
• 10 pounds of free chocolate for your birthday

What This Job Offers

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