Program Manager, Labor Relations & Workplace Investigations (LR/WPI)

Rivian • Atlanta, GA

4h

About The Position

Rivian is on a mission to keep the world adventurous forever. This goes for the emissions-free Electric Adventure Vehicles we build, and the curious, courageous souls we seek to attract.
As a company, we constantly challenge what’s possible, never simply accepting what has always been done. We reframe old problems, seek new solutions and operate comfortably in areas that are unknown. Our backgrounds are diverse, but our team shares a love of the outdoors and a desire to protect it for future generations. We are seeking a Program Manager, Labor Relations & Workplace Investigations (LR/WPI) to establish, scale, and continually improve Rivian’s LR/WPI operating model. This role sits at the intersection of Legal, operations, process design, data and analytics, and digital enablement — with a clear mandate to simplify, standardize, and modernize how LR/WPI work gets done so teams can move faster, with more consistency, clarity, and impact.
As an individual contributor, you will partner with a small, high-impact team focused on mapping work, designing end-to-end workstreams, and integrating technology (including case management systems, Workday, Navex, ServiceNow, and data visualization tools) into day-to-day execution. You will serve as a key connector between Legal, People, HR Operations, Compliance, and partner teams such as IT, Data, and Business Operations, shaping how platforms and tools work together to support a scalable, data-driven LR/WPI function.

Why This Role Matters
Design the LR/WPI infrastructure: You will architect the standardized systems, playbooks, and workflows that underpin our labor relations and workplace investigations function, from case intake to closure, ensuring investigations are timely, consistent, and defensible.
Scale a mission-critical function: You will help a lean, specialized LR/WPI team support a workforce of over 15,000 employees, building the processes, governance, and tooling that enable high-quality outcomes at scale as our footprint continues to grow.
Turn data into foresight: You will design and maintain dashboards and analytics that translate case data and trends into actionable insights, helping leaders identify hotspots, anticipate risk, and target training, policy updates, and systemic interventions.
Elevate quality and compliance: You will implement quality assurance, SLA monitoring, and compliance checks so every case meets clear standards of documentation, procedural fairness, and regulatory alignment — strengthening trust in our processes.
Enable change at a pivotal moment: As Rivian continues to expand manufacturing, operations, and office locations, you will be central to how we standardize labor and investigative practices, support leaders, and embed LR/WPI capabilities into the broader employee experience.

Requirements

• 5+ years of experience in HR Operations, Employee Relations, Labor Relations, Legal Operations, or Workplace Investigations within complex, multi-site organizations.
• Strong working knowledge of technology ecosystems that support employee and investigations work, such as Workday, Navex, ServiceNow, and case management platforms, along with data and reporting tools.
• Demonstrated experience designing, documenting, and improving end-to-end processes, including intake, triage, investigations, and closure, with clear SLAs and quality standards.
• Proven systems thinker who can connect strategy, risk, operations, experience, and technology into coherent, actionable roadmaps for LR/WPI or similar functions.
• Experience using data and analytics to monitor performance, identify trends, and drive decision-making; comfortable translating complex data into clear narratives for leaders.
• Track record of building and sustaining cross-functional partnerships with Legal, People, Compliance, HR Operations, IT, and business leaders.
• Demonstrated ability to lead change, communication, and adoption for new processes and tools, including training design and delivery.
• Excellent communication, facilitation, and storytelling skills, with the ability to synthesize complex operational and technical inputs into concise, executive-ready materials.
• Experience operating in high-growth, evolving environments, with comfort navigating ambiguity, competing priorities, and shifting constraints.
• Proven ability to foster inclusive, high-trust ways of working that balance performance, learning, and well-being, even without formal people management responsibilities.
• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field (e.g., Business, Human Resources, Legal Studies, Organizational Development) or equivalent practical experience.

Nice To Haves

• Experience in high-growth technology, EV, manufacturing, or similarly complex, regulated environments with large frontline or plant-based workforces.
• Prior work directly supporting or partnering with labor relations, employment law, or investigation teams, including familiarity with union environments, where applicable.
• Advanced proficiency with case management systems (CMS) and data visualization tools such as Tableau, Power BI, or Databricks, with a track record of building or enhancing dashboards.
• Exposure to continuous improvement methodologies (e.g., Lean, Six Sigma, design thinking, service design) applied to legal, ER, or HR operations.
• Experience shaping or managing global or shared services-style operations, balancing central standards with local requirements.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the program lead for LR/WPI operations, driving a cohesive roadmap across intake, triage, investigations, reporting, and continuous improvement.
• Partner closely with LR/WPI leaders to translate strategy into clear programs of work, aligning scope, timelines, and success metrics across a small, high-impact team.
• Facilitate prioritization and sequencing of initiatives that impact multiple sites and business groups, balancing near-term needs with longer-term infrastructure investments.
• Establish lightweight governance routines (cadences, forums, decision logs) that keep Legal, People, Compliance, and business leaders aligned on LR/WPI priorities and tradeoffs.
• Coordinate vendor relationships (e.g., ethics hotlines, third-party investigative firms) to ensure they are integrated into our processes, SLAs, and reporting expectations.
• Design and document end-to-end LR/WPI workflows — from intake and triage through investigation, resolution, and follow-up — clarifying roles, handoffs, and decision rights.
• Build and maintain “playbooks” for common investigation types and labor relations scenarios, ensuring investigators and labor partners apply consistent approaches globally.
• Define and manage SLAs, capacity assumptions, and service standards that guide how work is distributed, escalated, and monitored across sites.
• Map and optimize how LR/WPI work intersects with related processes (e.g., Employee Relations, HR Operations, Compliance, Security, Ethics) to reduce friction and rework.
• Partner with IT and HR technology teams to ensure case management platforms, Workday, Navex, ServiceNow, and related tools are configured to support the operating model.
• Identify friction points, avoidable demand, and variability in LR/WPI workflows; lead simplification and standardization efforts with measurable impact on throughput and experience.
• Implement a robust quality assurance framework to regularly review case files for documentation completeness, consistency, and adherence to investigative standards.
• Conduct root-cause analyses on recurring issues and process breakdowns, translating findings into concrete improvements in policy, training, or workflow design.
• Create and maintain clear, accessible process documentation and SOPs; ensure they are kept current as tools, policies, and regulations evolve.
• Partner with site and functional leaders to test, refine, and scale process improvements across locations such as Normal, Plymouth, and Atlanta.
• Design and maintain executive-ready dashboards and reports that visualize workplace health trends, root causes, hotspots, and risk patterns across the organization.
• Use case and workforce data to develop predictive insights — surfacing early-warning signals and recommending targeted interventions (e.g., training, coaching, policy updates).
• Identify high-value opportunities to apply workflow automation, templates, and knowledge management to LR/WPI processes, improving speed, quality, and capacity.
• Collaborate with data and analytics partners to ensure data structures, metrics, and definitions are consistent and support both operational and strategic decision-making.
• Ensure technology ecosystems (case management systems, Workday, Navex, ServiceNow, reporting tools) are used in a disciplined, integrated way that enables reliable analytics.
• Lead change management and communication plans for new or redesigned LR/WPI processes, tools, and playbooks, tailoring messaging to leaders, investigators, and HR partners.
• Build strong partnerships with Legal, People, HR Business Partners, COEs, Shared Services, Security, and Operations leaders to align on priorities, implementation, and messaging.
• Develop and support training for LR/WPI practitioners, HR teams, and leaders on how to use systems, follow playbooks, and uphold process standards.
• Act as a trusted advisor and connector, synthesizing operational, legal, and employee experience perspectives to guide practical, risk-aware decisions.
• Create feedback loops (surveys, debriefs, stakeholder interviews) that ensure our LR/WPI operating model continually reflects real-world needs and learnings.

Benefits

• The successful candidate may be eligible for an annual performance bonus and equity awards.
• We offer a comprehensive package of benefits for full-time and part-time employees, their spouse or domestic partner, and children up to age 26, including but not limited to paid vacation, paid sick leave, and a competitive portfolio of insurance benefits, including life, medical, dental, vision, short-term disability insurance, and long-term disability insurance for eligible employees. You may also have the opportunity to participate in Rivian’s 401(k) Plan and Employee Stock Purchase Program if you meet certain eligibility requirements. Full-time employee coverage is effective on their first day of employment. Part-time employee coverage is effective on the first of the month following 90 days of employment. More information about benefits is available at http://rivianbenefits.com/.

What This Job Offers

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