Senior Internal HR Specialist - People Relations

About Us Vensure Employer Solutions is the largest privately held organization in the HR technology and service sector, providing a comprehensive portfolio of solutions, including HR/HCM technology, managed services, and global business process outsourcing (BPO). The company and its service providers collectively serve over 95,000 businesses and process over $135B in annual payroll. As a "One Employer Solution” headquartered in Chandler, Arizona, Vensure helps thousands of businesses streamline and grow their operations with custom strategies that benefit both employers and employees. Find out more by visiting www.vensure.com .

Position Summary

The Senior Internal Human Resources Specialist - People Relations & HR Partnerships will play a critical role in fostering a positive work environment by managing employee relations, conducting thorough investigations, assisting in reviewing and providing guidance to the team on termination consultation escalations, and offering performance management and discipline training and coaching to managers. The Sr. Specialist will also serve as a strategic advisor to company leaders and managers, providing expert HR guidance and support to drive business objectives. This involves aligning HR strategies with business goals, conducting HR audits, and implementing HR initiatives that enhance organizational performance and culture, optimize processes, manage organizational risk, and ensures compliance with employment laws and regulations. This position requires a seasoned HR professional with a deep understanding of employment laws, conflict resolution, and best practices in employee relations.

**Essential Duties and Responsibilities

People Relations

• Serve as a trusted advisor to employees and managers on a wide range of employee relations issues.

• Conduct thorough and impartial investigations into employee complaints, grievances, and allegations of misconduct.

• Promote a positive work environment and culture.

• Lead and manage complex investigations related to workplace issues, ensuring compliance with company policies and legal requirements.

• Document findings and prepare comprehensive investigation reports.

• Recommend appropriate actions based on investigation outcomes.

• Escalate complex issues and follow through to resolution, ensuring appropriate communication to all involved parties.

• Provide guidance and support to managers on handling sensitive employee relations matters.

• Partner with management at all levels to improve work relationships, build morale and increase productivity and retention.

• Create investigation plans, send investigation notices, schedule investigation interviews, prepare investigation interview questions based on the specific details of the complaint, conduct investigation interviews, take detailed investigation notes, ensure signed statements and/or interview notes are signed off on by the investigation participants, prepare investigation summary report and exhibit list to document findings and evidence collected, update the investigation tracker, and ensure investigation files are complete and organized.

• Communicate with leaders and employees to update them throughout the investigation process. Assist in following up post-investigation to help check in to monitor and prevent retaliation toward the complainant and/or participants.

• Ensure follow through and implementation of post-investigation disciplinary actions, sit in on disciplinary meetings upon request, ensure disciplinary actions are signed and added to the personnel file. If post investigation recommendation includes participation in mandatory training, follow up and verify that training was completed, and ensure documentation of completed training is stored in personnel file in Prism.

• Identify legal and regulatory compliance concerns related to employee relations and partner with managers to conduct employee coaching, counseling, reduction in force decisions, and termination analysis.

• Assist with reviewing pre-term cross-check escalations and providing guidance to our internal team, and provide recommendations to Internal HR leadership for review.

• Update educational guides, the Managers Corner, and other manager training resources in collaboration with the learning department on key managerial concepts such as performance management, disciplinary actions, conflict resolution, providing feedback, setting performance expectations, managing underperformance, employment law 101, responsibilities to inform us of leave of absence requests, navigating the hiring process, etc.

• Review EEOC position statements, documentation, exhibit lists, etc. prepared by legal as a double check prior to sending back to the EEOC.

• Ensure all internal employee legal actions and EEOC complaints are tracked on the shared tracker with legal. Follow up with legal on the complaint process and outcome.

• Follow up with legal on the debrief/autopsy on their rating of how well the situation was documented to collect insights on areas of improvement and provide coaching recommendations back to leaders to enhance documentation best practices.

• Review proposed unemployment responses for cases the company plans to contest based on allegations of misconduct. Review documentation packet and provide guidance back to the Internal Human Resource Associate responsible for responding to unemployment claims prior to sending documentation to ensure the company does not overprovide information that may inadvertently confuse state unemployment workers.

• Review initial unemployment determinations to determine whether or not an appeal should be filed by analyzing whether it would be helpful or harmful for the former employee to have a copy of the documentation (usually required to send to the employee if the company chooses to appeal).

• Prepare and coach the Internal Human Resources associate on how to respond and participate in unemployment hearings prior to their participation in an appeal hearing. Perform a post-call debrief to review opportunities to continuously enhance responses and improve outcomes.

• Assist with providing guidance and training our internal team on performance improvement plans and reviewing them for other specialists on the team by request.

• Assist in the development and updating of HR policies and procedures Complete HR compliance projects and other department projects as assigned Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local employment laws and regulations.

• Stay current with industry trends and best practices in employee relations and performance management.Compile KPI data, measure, track progress, and take ownership and accountability for updating assigned scorecard statistic for assigned accountability area prior to every level 10 meeting and be prepared to engage in IDS discussions if the metric is off track. Participate in department rock planning meetings, lead and participate in at least 1-2 department rocks per quarter, meet with rock team members at the beginning of the quarter to successfully plan out rock milestones and goals and have prepared to discuss with direct manager to help further frame out the rock prior to the start of the quarter. Take ownership and accountability for independently working on rock projects throughout the quarter and updating the quarterly rock sheet prior to every level 10 meeting.

• Prepare an issues list of any observations, opportunities to streamline and enhance processes, or issues that need to be troubleshooted and develop solutions for to bring to the level 10 meeting as IDS topics.

• Participate and be fully engaged in the EOS/Traction department processes surrounding areas of accountability, department projects (Rocks), Scorecard statistics, IDS, To Dos, etc.

Compliance

• Partner with the HR Compliance team on Internal HR Compliance projects and initiatives and bring back updates to the Internal HR team to help ensure compliance with all applicable laws, regulations, and industry standards.

• Assist in the development, implementation, and maintenance of compliance policies and procedures.

• Conduct regular risk assessments to identify potential areas of compliance vulnerability and risk.

• Conduct internal audits and investigations to ensure compliance with policies and regulations. Prepare reports and recommend corrective actions as necessary.

• Provide guidance and support to various departments on compliance-related matters.

HR Partnerships

• Execute on the Business Leadership excellence program quarterly conversations & company scorecard discussions with the leaders of assigned departments in coordination with the rest of the HR partnership team.

• Collaborate with business leaders to understand their goals and challenges, and develop HR strategies that support business objectives.

• Serve as a communication conduit for leaders on key company initiatives, objectives, and priorities.

• Execute on the Vensure Leadership Development Succession planning program with assigned department leaders to ensure succession planning for all key leadership roles, transition plan documents are completed, and follow up to ensure regular updates on potential successors progress in their development.

• Provide insights and recommendations on workforce planning, talent management, and organizational development.

• Conduct HR audits and assessments to identify areas for improvement. Provide expert advice on employee relations, performance management, and compliance issues.

• Coach and guide leaders on the performance management process, disciplinary action best practices, and performance improvement plans. • Provide coaching and support to managers and employees on HR-related issues.

• Provide guidance to leaders on professional development conversations with employees, guide them on Vensure's Professional Growth Plan template and process, and communicate internally with the HR operations team to set up employee Professional Growth plans in Agile by request.

• Respond to complex employee inquiries and provide guidance to employees on HR policies, procedures, laws, and standards in a timely and professional manner, and direct front line/basic inquiries to the HR service team.

• Monitor and respond to inquiries from department leaders and employees within department response time standards and KPIs

• Conduct pre-termination consultations and escalate pre-term cross-check issues to Internal HR leadership.

• Coordinate on-site support for separation conversations, lead termination meetings in partnership with department leaders, and coordinate and ensure the successful execution of the complete offboarding process with the HR operations team.

• Respond to escalations and questions from leaders on HR tickets that have been submitted, and communicate internally with the HR operations team on ticket progress, troubleshooting, and to help resolve inquiries from department leaders and employees

• Properly and timely document all employee-related interactions.

• Perform job evaluations and job analyses.

• Prepare job descriptions according to department processes, and update department career paths following the company's standard title hierarchy and ensuring proper approval routes are followed prior to posting on SharePoint.

• Review positions to determine FLSA compliance with white collar duties test, minimum salary thresholds, and conduct FLSA audits.

• Respond to escalations on performance review system issues/troubleshooting by communicating internally with the HR Operations team to troubleshoot appraisal system issues and/or inquiries from leaders and employees.

• Coordinate with the HR Operations & HR Service team on report requests for department leaders.

• Pull company comp data and pay ranges upon request for authorized department leaders.

• Communicate with leaders on title updates, FLSA adjustments, compliance requirements, etc.

• Assist with compiling and sending reports, communications, documentation, etc. for cyber security compliance/policy accountability, Microsoft teams photos, and other cross-departmental collaborative efforts as assigned by Internal HR leadership.

• Compile KPI data, measure, track progress, and take ownership and accountability for updating assigned scorecard statistic for assigned accountability area prior to every level 10 meeting and be prepared to engage in IDS discussions if the metric is off track.

• Participate in department rock planning meetings, lead and participate in at least 1-2 department rocks per quarter, meet with rock team members at the beginning of the quarter to successfully plan out rock milestones and goals and have prepared to discuss with direct manager to help further frame out the rock prior to the start of the quarter. Take ownership and accountability for independently working on rock projects throughout the quarter and updating the quarterly rock sheet prior to every level 10 meeting.

• Prepare an issues list of any observations, opportunities to streamline and enhance processes, or issues that need to be troubleshooted and develop solutions for to bring to the level 10 meeting as IDS topics.

• Participate and be fully engaged in the EOS/Traction department processes surrounding areas of accountability, department projects (Rocks), Scorecard statistics, IDS, To Dos, etc.

• Assist with providing input and developing and implementing HR policies and procedures tailored to the organization's needs. • Lead and manage HR projects from inception to completion.

• Ensure projects are delivered on time, within scope, and within budget.

• Provide regular updates and reports to senior leadership on project progress.

• Perform other duties and projects as assigned by management.

• Assist with and participate in compliance projects and other department projects and initiatives, as assigned.

• Assist with sharing knowledge among the team about SME/accountability area and mentoring other HR specialists, assist with department trainings, and providing feedback to leadership upon request to assist with the continued development of team members.

• Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local employment laws and regulations.

• Identify and mitigate HR-related risks for the organization.

• Attend webinars, seminars and other trainings to stay up to date on laws and industry trends and best practices.

• Regular attendance at the assigned work location for our corporate office locations is an essential job function. For team members who are located in or near the Chandler, AZ and Duluth, GA offices, this is an in-office position. An HR presence is required due to the population of employees within these offices, the need for employee interaction, and to support leaders with onboarding and offboarding of employees.

Marginal Functions

• May be asked to assist with the request for hire/request for offer process and/or tickets.

• Back up the HR operations team when needed, in urgent situations, and/or to provide time zone coverage on processing HR tickets and making corresponding updates in the HRIS.

• May be asked to assist or manage leave of absences and accommodations to help back up the Internal HR Specialist that handles Leave of Absences & Accommodations.

• Back up HR operations team when needed, in urgent situations, and/or to provide time zone coverage for conducting final pay meetings and exit interviews.

• May assist with HR-related mail in the office and assist with responses and/or distribution within the team.

• May assist with crossover duties or back up other Internal Human Resources Specialists on the team periodically.

• May be asked to assist with processing and reviewing background checks in accordance with company standards.

• May assist with processing UI and Workers Comp claims.

• May be asked to assist with processing Verifications of employment, when needed.

• Perform other duties as assigned.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Demonstrated knowledge and experience in Human Resources best practices with emphasis on employee relations as well as related federal, state and local laws and regulations required. Understanding of multi state employment laws preferred.

• Working knowledge of multiple human resource disciplines, including, employee relations, organizational diagnosis, performance management, recruitment, compensation and benefits.

• Strong verbal and written communication skills and interpersonal effectiveness at all levels in the organization and across cultures.

• Strong problem-solving and conflict resolution skills.

• Proven ability to build strong relationships and influence stakeholders.

• Adheres to KPIs and SOPs according to established guidelines.

• Ability to apply change management initiatives to assist in business transformation.

• Must use logic and reasoning to make immediate decisions under pressure or tight deadlines.

• Ability to make proper judgment calls when presented by a situation/problem.

• Strong sense of business ethics including the ability to handle confidential information appropriately.

• Able to effectively manage multiple projects and attend to daily HR matters while maintaining focus and follow through on issues until resolved and delivering results as committed.

• Ability to make recommendations to effectively resolve escalations by using judgment that is consistent with the standards, practices, policies, procedures, regulations and/or government law.

• Demonstrated proficiency in conducting root cause analysis and strong problem solving and decision-making skills.

• Ability to research and analyze various types of data.

• Ability to prioritize and efficiently execute a high volume and broad scope of tasks within tight deadlines, competing demands and changes in the work environment.

• Ability to deal with frequent interruptions, changes, delays or unexpected events.

• Strong organizational, analytical, and problem-solving skills.

• Capability to learn quickly.

• Ability to collaborate with others.

• Demonstrated ability to consult effectively with all levels of management with multiple conflicting priorities.

• Expertise in establishing credibility, be decisive and be able to recognize and support the organization's preferences and priorities.

Required Education & Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field and/or equivalent combination of education, experience, and HR-related certifications.

• Minimum of 5-7 years of experience handling employee relations, investigations, and advising leadership on performance management, disciplinary actions, coaching and guiding managers on leadership and management best practices, talent management, and strategic HR Partnership.

• Demonstrated knowledge and experience in Human Resources best practices with emphasis on employee relations as well as related federal, state and local laws and regulations required.

• Consulting experience and/or PEO experience preferred.

• Proficiency with Microsoft Office software (Outlook, Excel, Word, PowerPoint) with ability to learn other applications as needed. PRISM experience preferred.

Required Licenses and/or Certifications

• PHR, SPHR, SHRM-CP or SHRM-SCP certification highly preferred or willingness to obtain within first year of employment.

Physical, Mental, & Communication Demandsn Physical Demands:

• Sedentary Work: Primarily involves sitting for extended periods, often at a desk or computer.

• Manual Dexterity: Frequent use of hands and fingers to operate a computer keyboard, mouse, and other office equipment.

• Mobility: Occasional walking or traversing throughout the office to meet with leaders, collect evidence and observe spaces related to an investigation, conduct termination meetings and offboarding procedures.

• Visual Acuity: Ability to read and analyze data on a computer screen (or to read and analyze data with reasonable accommodations) and in printed materials.

• Travel: Occasional travel may be required for meetings, training, conferences, or employee relations and investigation situations that are escalated or complex enough to require traveling to the worksite to effectively handle the situation or conduct an effective investigation.

Mental Demands:

• Attention to Detail: High level of accuracy and attention to detail in all tasks.

• Problem-Solving: Strong analytical and problem-solving skills to address complex HR issues.

• Decision-Making: Ability to make sound decisions based on thorough analysis and judgment.

• Stress Management: Capability to handle high-pressure situations and manage stress effectively.

• Adaptability: Flexibility to adapt to changing priorities and work environments.

Communication Demands:

• Verbal Communication: Excellent verbal communication skills to interact effectively with employees, managers, and senior leaders.

• Written Communication: Strong written communication skills for drafting reports, policies, and training materials.

• Listening: Active listening skills to understand and address employee concerns and feedback.

• Presentation: Ability to present and advise leaders on complex issues with confidence and sound business judgement to diverse audiences and personalities.

• Interpersonal Skills: Strong interpersonal skills to build and maintain positive relationships with stakeholders at all levels.

Environmental Conditions

• Indoor, office environment. May occasionally have moderate noise level from copiers, W2 or check printers, or co-workers.

• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment and manage multiple priorities.

Disclaimer

This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by the employee filling this position. Employee will be required to follow any other job-related instructions and to perform any other job-related duties requested by management. Management has the right to add to, revise, or delete information in this job description. Reasonable accommodation will be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this position. This document does not create an employment contract, implied or otherwise, other than an "at will” employment relationship.

This position is eligible for the following benefits:

• Health Insurance: Medical, dental, and vision coverage

• Retirement Plan: 401(k) with company match

• Paid Time Off: PTO, Holidays, Parental leave and Sick Leave provided as required by applicable state law

• Other Benefits: Life insurance, short term disability, long term disability, employee assistance program (EAP), flexible spending account (FSA), health savings account (HSA), Identity theft protection, critical illness, accident, cancer, hospital protection, legal and pet insurance.

No matter what size your business is, VensureHR offers comprehensive HR and technology services such as payroll, employee benefits, compliance, and recruiting.

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