Senior Director, Employee Relations & Workplace Practices

Georgia State University•Atlanta, GA

About The Position

Georgia State University's Office of Human Resources Administration seeks to hire a Senior Director, Employee Relations & Workplace Practices to join their HR Leadership team. This role is responsible for supporting a positive environment for employees across the university. The mission of the office is to develop partnerships that have a positive impact on the university community by offering consultations, facilitation, and conflict resolution strategies for workplace issues. They encourage fair employment practices, provide counsel and advice to supervisors about employment-related inquiries, and revise and implement university policies and procedures that are fair and consistent.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree and eight years of related supervisory/management experience, or a combination of education and related experience.
Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills across diverse constituencies.
High emotional intelligence, discretion, and judgment in sensitive matters.
Strategic mindset with ability to translate data into actionable insights.
Experience navigating shared governance and academic culture.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor's or Master's degree
10+ years of recent progressive Human Resources experience, with at least 5 years in Human Resources leadership.
Recent Human Resources work experience in higher education and/or government agency (i.e., state, federal, or local government) preferred.
Strong knowledge of employment law, policy development and maintenance, grievance/adjudicatory procedures, management and employee consultation practices, etc.
HR certification preferred.

Responsibilities

Design and execute employee relations frameworks that support institutional goals and the strategic plan/initiatives.
Serve as a thought partner to senior leaders, department heads, and faculty leaders on sensitive personnel matters.
Lead cross-functional initiatives to improve workplace culture and employee engagement.
Oversee resolution of complex employee issues, including performance concerns, grievances, and misconduct investigations.
Ensure timely, consistent, and legally compliant handling of cases across academic and administrative divisions/units.
Partner with legal counsel and compliance teams on risk mitigation and policy interpretation.
Lead the review and revision of policies & procedures, ensuring alignment with federal/state/governing body laws and policies, and collective bargaining agreements if applicable.
Monitor regulatory changes and advise leadership on implications for institutional practices and impact.
Develop and maintain dashboards by tracking employee trends, case outcomes, and engagement metrics.
Present actionable insights to HR leadership and executive stakeholders to inform strategic decisions.
Facilitate HR’s oversight role of compliance processes (e.g., performance evaluation, merit/COLA awards, HR Data Integrity, etc.).
Work collaboratively with Employee Success division in developing training programs for managers and employees (e.g., conflict resolution, crucial conversations, performance coaching, etc.).
May be called to assist facilitating workshops and consultations.