Sr. Manager, Employee Relations

NRG Energy•Houston, TX

14h•Hybrid

About The Position

The Senior Manager, Employee Relations leads the centralized Employee Relations function and is responsible for the strategic and operational oversight of Tier 1 and Tier 2 employee relations services. This role ensures the consistent, fair, and compliant management of workplace concerns while delivering a positive employee and manager experience. The Senior Manager provides leadership to Employee Relations Specialists, oversees employee relations case management activities, develops reporting and analytics, and partners closely with Enterprise Investigations, Talent Business Partners, Legal, Compliance, Labor Relations, and Business Leaders to ensure appropriate handling of workplace concerns. The role serves as the primary HR Shared Services leader for employee relations operations, continuous improvement, trend analysis, and executive-level reporting.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Labor Relations, Industrial Relations, Psychology, or a related field.
8+ years of progressive Human Resources or Employee Relations experience.
3+ years managing employee relations programs, investigations, or case management functions, preferred.
Prior leadership experience managing Human Resources professionals.
Experience conducting or overseeing workplace investigations.
Experience working within a centralized HR Shared Services environment, preferred.
Demonstrated experience presenting information and recommendations to senior leadership.
Experience leveraging workforce and/or employee relations analytics to drive decisions.
Proficiency with Microsoft Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook.
Employee Relations Expertise
Employee Relations Case Management
Workplace Investigations
Policy Interpretation
Conflict Resolution
Corrective Action Administration
Employment Law Fundamentals
Team Leadership and Development
Strategic Thinking
Influence and Negotiation
Project & Change Management
Decision Making and Judgment
Workforce Analytics
Data Interpretation
Trend Analysis
Executive Reporting
Proficiency with the Microsoft suite including CoPilot

Nice To Haves

Master's degree preferred.
SHRM-SCP
SPHR

Responsibilities

Lead, develop, and coach a team of Employee Relations Specialists.
Establish service standards, quality expectations, and case management protocols.
Ensure consistent application of company policies, procedures, and employee relations practices.
Provide guidance and support on complex employee relations matters.
Foster a culture of accountability, professionalism, confidentiality, and customer service.
Oversee Tier 1 & 2 employee relations case management activities.
Monitor intake, triage, case assignments, escalations, and resolution processes.
Ensure timely, accurate, and compliant case documentation.
Review complex, sensitive, or high-risk employee relations matters.
Act as final escalation point for Tier 1 & 2 employee relations concerns.
Support implementation of corrective actions and workplace resolutions.
Partner closely with Enterprise Investigations regarding Tier 3 investigations and escalations.
Coordinate with Legal, Compliance, Labor Relations, Ethics, and HR leadership on sensitive matters.
Ensure effective transitions and communication between ER and investigation teams.
Participate in findings reviews and action planning discussions for significant matters.
Support enterprise-wide initiatives related to workplace conduct, policy compliance, and organizational culture.
Develop and maintain employee relations dashboards and reporting.
Monitor and analyze: Case volume, Case aging, Investigation outcomes, Allegation categories, Escalation trends, Business unit trends, Root cause indicators.
Partner with Enterprise Investigations to consolidate Tier 2 and Tier 3 reporting.
Prepare monthly, quarterly, and annual reports for HR leadership and executive stakeholders.
Present trends, insights, and recommendations to senior leaders.
Identify opportunities to reduce case volume and improve organizational effectiveness through data-driven decision-making.
Develop and maintain employee relations procedures, standards, templates, and playbooks.
Ensure compliance with company policies and applicable employment laws.
Lead employee relations process improvement initiatives.
Recommend technology, workflow, and reporting enhancements.
Support optimization of ServiceNow HRSD and employee relations case management processes.
Develop training and resources that improve manager capability and reduce recurring employee relations issues.