Associate Director, Employee Relations and Labor Strategy

innovatingjustice; New York (NY); Hybrid; USD 125,000 - 140,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Healthcare coverage

Dental coverage

Vision insurance

Retirement plan 403(b) with employer支

Job summary

Center for Justice Innovation in New York City seeks an Associate Director, Employee Relations and Labor Strategy within the People Department to provide senior-level ER leadership across portfolios and partner with program leadership on compliant people practices.

The role requires deep experience with unionized environments, investigations, and risk mitigation, with a focus on leadership coaching and organizational effectiveness in a mission-driven nonprofit.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in HR, Labor Relations, Employment Law, or related field required.
• 7+ years of progressive Employee Relations, Human Resources, or Labor Relations experience.
• Minimum of three years supporting unionized workforces and navigating labor-management relationships.
• Supervisory experience leading HR/Employee Relations teams preferred.
• Professional HR certification preferred (SPHR, SHRM-SCP, PHR, SHRM-CP, or equivalent).
• Strong investigative writing, documentation, and analytical skills.
• Experience advising senior leaders on employee relations and organizational effectiveness.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic guidance on complex employee and labor relations across multiple portfolios.
• Lead workplace investigations and manage high-risk employee relations matters.
• Coach leaders on accountability, documentation, and difficult conversations.
• Partner with Legal, HR Ops, and program leadership to ensure compliant policies and bargaining obligations.
• Monitor workforce trends and develop interventions to stabilize culture and risk.

Skills

Employee relations

Labor relations

Leadership

Policy interpretation

Investigations

Conflict resolution

Coaching

Education

Bachelor's degree in HR / Labor Relations / Employment Law or related field

Master's degree preferred

Tools

HRIS

ATS (JazzHR, Paycom)

Microsoft 365

Job description

THE ORGANIZATION

The Center for Justice Innovation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing community safety and racial justice. Since 1996, we’ve worked alongside communities, courts, and those most directly affected by the justice system to build stronger, healthier, and more equitable neighborhoods. With a team of over 900 staff and an annual budget of $130 million, the Center carries out its mission through three core strategies:

1. Operating Programs that pilot new ideas and address local challenges;
2. Conducting original research to evaluate what works—and what doesn’t;
3. Providing expert assistance and policy guidance to reformers across the country and beyond.

Backed by decades of on-the-ground experience and nationally recognized expertise, we bring innovative, practical, and lasting solutions to justice systems nationwide. Learn more about our work at www.innovatingjustice.org.

THE OPPORTUNITY

The People Department isseekingan experienced and strategic Employee Relations leader to serve as Associate Director, Employee Relations and Labor Strategy within the People Department. Reporting to the Director of Employee Relations,this rolewill provide senior-level employee and labor relations leadership across assigned portfolios and organizationalfunctions, serving as a strategic partner to program leadership and the broader People department.

The Associate Director will serve as the lead advisor on complex employee relations matters, labor relations strategy, workplace investigations, organizational risk mitigation, leadership coaching, and performance management practices. This role will partner closely with program leadership to support operational effectiveness, strengthen workplace culture, ensureequitableand legally compliant practices, and reinforce the Center’s mission, values, and restorative justice-informed approach to employee relations.

The candidate brings deep experience navigating unionized environments, managing high-risk and high-volume employee relations matters, and influencing leaders through complex organizational dynamics with professionalism, credibility, and sound judgment.

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

Strategic Employee & Labor Relations Leadership

• Serve as a senior Employee Relations leader for the organization,providingstrategic guidance on complex employee and labor relations matters across multiple portfolios within a highly operational and unionizedenvironment;
• Advise senior leadership on organizational risk, progressive discipline, performance management, conflict resolution, workplace culture concerns, and employee engagementstrategies;
• Lead high-risk and sensitive employee relations matters, including workplace investigations, employee misconduct concerns, leadership escalations, and complex performance managementprocesses;
• Partner with the Director of Employee Relations,Legal, HR Operations, and program leadership to ensure consistent andequitableapplication of organizational policies, collective bargaining obligations, employment law requirements, and Peoplepractices;
• Provide strategic coaching to leadersregardingaccountability, documentation, difficult employee conversations, organizational change management, and teameffectiveness;
• Identifysystemic employee relations trends and operational risks through case tracking, workforce data, and recurring themes; develop proactive interventions, leadership training strategies, and culture stabilization efforts in response;
• Partner with the Director of Employee Relations and Legal Department in preparation for collective bargaining initiatives, contract interpretation, and labor-management strategy discussions;
• Support labor relations strategy by advising leaders on union-related matters, grievance trends, workplace practices, and employee engagement approaches within representedenvironments;
• Serve as an escalation point and thought partner to People Partners and Employee Relations Specialistsregardingcomplex or high-impact employee relationsmatters;
• Assistin the development and implementation ofconsistent Employee Relation standards, documentation practices, and investigative protocols across assignedportfolios;
• Conductregular strategic meetings with program leadership to assess workforce concerns, operational challenges, and emerging organizational risksimpactingemployee experience and retention; and
• Contribute to broader People Department initiatives focused on leadership development, workplace culture,employee engagement, andequitablepeople practices.

Team Leadership & Operational Oversight

• PartnerwithDirector of Employee Relationstoprovidecoaching, mentorship, and professional development to People Partners and Employee Relations Specialists, fostering a high-performing, accountable, and service-oriented Employee Relationsfunction;
• Assistwithestablishingclear performance expectations, provide ongoing feedback, conduct performance evaluations, and support employee development to strengthen team effectiveness and leadershipreadiness;
• Assistwith overseeingworkload distribution, portfolio assignments, case prioritization, and service delivery standards to ensuretimely, consistent, and high-quality support across employee relations, labor relations, workplace investigations, and performance management matters; and
• Ensure consistency in employee relations practices, policy interpretation, documentation standards, investigative processes, and leadership consultation across assigned portfolios and Employee Relations teammembers;
• Support departmental planning, workforce strategy, operational priorities, and the implementation of Employee Relations initiatives designed to enhance organizational effectiveness, employee experience, and leadershipaccountability;
• Assistwith monitoringteam capacity, service standards, and operational performance whileidentifyingopportunities to improve processes, increase efficiency, and strengthen risk mitigationefforts;
• Support succession planning efforts within the Employee Relations function by developing staff capabilities,identifyingfuture leaders, and building organizational readiness for leadershiptransitions;
• In the absence of the Director of Employee Relations, serve as the designated departmental leader for the Employee Relations function, assuming responsibility for departmental operations, leadership consultation, escalated employee and labor relations matters, and executive-level decision support to ensure continuity of service and organizational responsiveness; and
• Represent the Employee Relations function in leadership meetings, cross-functional initiatives, and organizational projects as delegated by the Director of Employee Relations.

Organizational Support and Strategy

• Communicate and collaborate with otherEmployee Relations team membersto ensure consistent application of policies and procedures across business units;
• Serve asa trusted employee relations advisorand a strategic HRpartner;
• Identifysystemic employee relations trends and organizational risks through case tracking, workforce metrics, turnover data, employee engagement indicators, and recurring themes; develop proactive interventions, leadership training strategies, and culture stabilization efforts in response;
• Under the guidance of the Director of Employee Relations, help ensure HR compliance by staying informed of employment laws, EEO regulations, and HR best practices; contribute to updates and enhancements to HR policies and procedures as needed; and
• Additionaltasksas necessary.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Labor Relations, Employment Law, Organizational Development, Public Administration, Business Administration, or a related fieldrequired,Master'sdegree strongly preferred;
• 7+years of progressive Employee Relations, Human Resources, Labor Relations, or related experiencerequired;
• Minimum of three (3) years of experience supporting unionized workforces and navigating labor-management relationshipsrequired;
• Prior supervisory experience leading, coaching, and developing HR, Employee Relations, Labor Relations, Human Resources Business Partner, or comparable teams stronglypreferred;
• Professional HR certificationstronglypreferred (SPHR, SHRM-SCP, PHR, SHRM-CP, or equivalent).
• Advanced training, certification, or specialization in Labor Relations, Collective Bargaining, Employment Law, Workplace Investigations, Mediation, Conflict Resolution, or related disciplinespreferred;
• Demonstrated experience managing complex employee relations matters, workplace investigations, performance management processes, and organizational risk concernsrequired;
• Experience advising senior leaders on employee relations, labor relations, performance management, workplace culture, and organizational effectivenesswithin fast-paced, operationally complex environmentsrequired;
• Experience serving as a senior advisor or escalation point on high-risk employee relations matterspreferred;
• Experience supporting operationally complex, field-based, community-based, nonprofit, public sector, or mission-driven organizations stronglypreferred;
• Strong working knowledge of employment law, labor relations principles, workplace investigations, and HR bestpractices;
• Strongconflict resolution, mediation, consultation, and stakeholder managementskills;
• Ability to analyze workforce trends and develop proactive organizational interventions and trainingstrategies;
• Strong investigative writing, documentation, and analyticalskills;
• Technologically proficient; experience with HRIS, ATS, and performance management tools, with a preference forJazzHRand Paycom, Microsoft 365 applications, including Word, Excel, Outlook, and OneDrive; and
• Commitment to equity, inclusion, cultural competency, and restorative justice-informed people practices.

Position Type:

Full-time hybrid role with 2-3 days on site per week at our midtown Manhattan location with occasional travel within the five boroughs, Newark, New Jersey and Syracuse, New York.

Position Location:

Midtown Manhattan.

Compensation:

The compensation range for this position is $125,000 - $140,000 and is commensurate with experience.

Benefits:

The Center for Justice Innovation offers an excellent benefits package including comprehensive healthcare with a national network, free basicdental coverage, vision insurance, short-term and long-term disability, life insurance, and flexible spending accounts including commuter FSA. We prioritize mental health care for our staff and offer services like Talkspace and Ginger through our healthcare plans. We offer a 403(b) retirement plan with a two-to-one employer contribution up to 5%.

The Center for Justice Innovation is an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace. We do not discriminate based on race, color, religion, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, national origin, age, military service eligibility, veteran status, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, or any other category protected by law. We strongly encourage and welcome applications from women, people of color, members of the LGBTQ+ community, and individuals with prior contact with the criminal justice system. Our goal is to create a supportive and respectful environment where everyone, regardless of background or identity, feels valued and included.

At this time, the Center is unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment visa. All applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States at the time of application and throughout the duration of employment.

Candidates are expected to provide accurate and truthful information throughout the hiring process. Any misrepresentation, falsification, or omission of material facts may result in disqualification from consideration, withdrawal of an offer, or termination of employment, regardless of when discovered.

In compliance with federal law, all hires must verify their identity and eligibility to work in the United States and complete the required employment verification form upon hire. Please refer to the job posting for relevant contact information. If contact details are not provided, we kindly ask that you refrain from inquiries via phone or email, as only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.