Sr. Employee Relations Manager

OpenText Philippines; Makati; On-site; PHP 1,800,000 - 2,400,000; Full time

Job summary

OpenText Philippines in Makati is seeking a Senior Employee Relations Manager to lead an ER Centre of Excellence, coach a regional team, and advise leaders on performance and policy matters. You will handle complex investigations, ensure compliance with APJ and MEA labor laws, and drive training and process improvements.

The role centers on developing tools, templates and reference materials, while maintaining strict confidentiality and collaborating with Legal. Strong English skills required.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent HR experience.
• 12+ years HR experience with emphasis on Employee Relations.
• Excellent written and interpersonal communication with active listening.
• Ability to conduct investigations neutrally and timely.
• Maintain confidentiality and exercise sound judgment.
• Strong analysis and reporting for HR compliance and risk.
• Fluency in English; additional APJ/MEA languages are a bonus.

Responsibilities

• Coach, mentor and evaluate members of the Employee Relations team.
• Consult with Leaders on performance cases with objective feedback.
• Lead investigation efforts with teams and recommend actions to leadership.
• Handle complex, emotionally charged issues with impartiality.
• Mediate workplace conflicts and manage policy developments.
• Oversee leaves in collaboration with HR Shared Services and Benefits.
• Provide input on HR Legal matters and compliance per governance framework.
• Prepare monthly and quarterly reporting on ER matters.

Skills

Employee Relations

Investigations

Confidentiality

Mentoring

Leadership

Communication

APJ/MEA Employment Law

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Job description

Hiring Manager: Michele SommerTalent Acquisition Advisor: Vino Mark VillarruzJob Code Level: HEP5Refer Your Friends! AI-First.

Future-Driven. Human-Centered. At OpenText, AI is at the heart of everything we do - powering innovation, transforming work, and empowering digital knowledge workers.

We're hiring talent that AI can't replace to help us shape the future of information management. Join us. YOUR IMPACTPart of the OpenText Global Employee Relations team, reporting to the Senior Manager Employee Relations for India, APJ and MEA, the Senior Employee Relations Manager is a key member of the newly developed Employee Relations Centre of Excellence.

This is Makati City, PHL office-based role. The Senior Employee Relations Manager is an individual contributor who will provide coaching, consulting, expertise and mentorship to Leaders, HR staff, and employees on Employee Relations matters such as performance management, offboarding, policy management, grievance/investigations management, leave management, HR Legal matters, compliance and accommodation, in support of the Employee Relations centralized team model. The Employee Senior Relations Manager will also lead and/or take the lead in the development of training, tools, templates, processes and reference materials, or other projects in support of the ER Centre of Excellence function.

They will participate in interviewing, selection, onboarding, training, coaching and evaluating of team members. They will be a subject matter expert with a high level of expertise in Philippine Employment Legislation and practices, with experience supporting other countries within APJ and MEA.

WHAT THE ROLE OFFERS

• Coach, mentor and evaluate members of the Employee Relations team.
• Consult with Leaders on performance cases, assisting them with delivering feedback in an objective manner that is intended to motivate employees to improve, while providing solid documentation for performance cases.
• Mainly in a lead capacity, investigate issues by assembling investigation team (which could include an investigation manager), gathering all relevant facts, interviewing critical witnesses, reviewing similar cases, and using knowledge, judgment and experience, to recommend course of action to leadership; assisting with the implementation of corrective actions and/or disciplinary procedures
• Handle complex and emotionally charged issues with composure, addressing situations objectively and without bias.
• Mediate issues between employees to minimize workplace conflict.
• Experience with policy management including drafting new policies and/or making improvements and editing existing policies to respond to changes in the work environment or legal landscape.
• Oversee complex leave situations in collaboration with HR Shared Services, Benefits and other relevant parties, to ensure leaves are handled in accordance with policies, practices and that communication is clear for all parties, including the return-to-work process.
• Partner with Legal and in collaboration with relevant HR parties and the business, analyze facts, provide input and recommend courses of action to achieve resolution of HR Legal matters that may arise.
• Interpret and apply applicable labor and employment laws in APJ and MEA.
• Assist Leaders with diagnosing and resolving issues through proper questioning techniques, active listening skills and risk assessment.
• Assist with APJ and MEA’s HR compliance-based responsibilities in alignment with the OpenText global governance framework.
• Deeply understand and apply Company policy/procedure/best practices and applicable law while consulting with Leaders, to reduce risk to the Company.
• Collaborate with internal legal counsel on issues as appropriate and external legal when approved and necessary.
• Support for organizational merger and acquisition activities as needed.
• Monthly & quarterly reporting on Employee Relations matters, interpreting data and making recommendations for positive change in the work environment.
• Establish and maintain credibility throughout the organization and ensure strict adherence to confidentiality and sensitivity in handling all aspects of private data and confidential matters across the HR team and organizationally.

WHAT YOU NEED TO SUCCEED

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent HR experience.
• 12+ years HR experience with a particular focus, emphasis and strength in Employee Relations.
• Excellent written and interpersonal communication skills with the ability to utilize exceptional active listening skills to determine issues and formulate and ask appropriate follow up questions.
• Demonstrated ability to handle difficult or volatile situations/individuals effectively and to mediate in situations where required.
• Ability to conduct investigations in a neutral and timely manner and guide Investigation managers on the process.
• Demonstrated ability to use sound judgment and maintain confidentiality.
• Effective at managing multiple priorities under tight deadlines, ability to prioritize conflicting demands, organize time, collaborate with and lead resources to deliver consistent results and bring initiatives to successful completion.
• Excellent ability to analyze difficult and complex situations with a proven track record of recommending optimal solutions.
• Ability and desire to effectively mentor, develop and coach partners and team members
• Highly self-motivated and able to work autonomously while instinctively keeping all relevant parties properly informed.
• High level of expertise/knowledge and understanding of APJ (Australia, China, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Philippines, Singapore, and Taiwan) and MEA (Israel, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, and United Arab Emirates) Employment Law.

The more the better.

• Strong Business Acumen with experience working as part of a large global organization.
• High degree of business ethics and transparency.
• SHRM-SCP or similar certification would be an asset.
• Fluency in English required; additional languages in APJ and MEA a bonus.

OpenText's efforts to build an inclusive work environment go beyond simply complying with applicable laws. Our Employment Equity and Diversity Policy provides direction on maintaining a working environment that is inclusive of everyone, regardless of culture, national origin, race, color, gender, gender identification, sexual orientation, family status, age, veteran status, disability, religion, or other basis protected by applicable laws. If you need assistance and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application or recruiting process, please submit a ticket at

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