Director, Employee Relations

Autodesk; Plano (TX); On-site; USD 180,000 - 230,000; Full time

Job summary

Autodesk in Plano, Texas seeks an Employee Relations Director to lead the global ER function, shaping strategy, governance, and building a high-performing team across the organization. This role focuses on fair, values-based employee experiences, investigations, risk mitigation, and counselor to senior leadership.

You will oversee sensitive investigations, risk management, executive advisory, and transformation initiatives, partnering with Legal, Ethics & Compliance, Security, and senior leaders

Responsibilities

• Lead, coach, and develop a high-performing global team of Employee Relations professionals, fostering a culture of accountability, inclusion, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
• Define and execute the global Employee Relations strategy, aligning priorities with Autodesk's culture, values, business objectives, and employee experience goals.
• Conduct investigations and provide direction on highly sensitive, complex, and high-risk employee relations matters and workplace concerns, ensuring fair, consistent, and values-based outcomes.
• Serve as a trusted advisor to senior leaders on complex employee, organisational, and workplace matters and provide strategic counsel on organisational change and workforce challenges.
• Own the Employee Relations operating model, drive continuous improvement of ER processes, tools, technology, and governance practices, and leverage data to inform decision-making.
• Champion a culture of psychological safety, inclusion, and continuous learning while balancing long-term strategy with executive escalations and crisis response.

Job description

Job Requisition ID #

26WD101728

Employee Relations Director

The central objective of the Thrive (Employee Relations) team at Autodesk is to ensure treatment of employees is fair, respectful, and consistent with Autodesk’s culture and core values.

The Director, Thrive leads the global Employee Relations function, setting strategy, priorities, and operational excellence to ensure fair, consistent, and values-based employee experiences across Autodesk. This role is responsible for building and developing a high-performing team of ER professionals while providing strategic oversight of complex employee relations matters, investigations, risk mitigation, manager enablement, and culture initiatives. Partnering closely with senior leaders, People Business Partners, People Consultants, Legal, Ethics & Compliance, and Security, the Director drives scalable solutions that strengthen organisational effectiveness, enhance employee experience, and support a respectful, inclusive, and high-performing workplace. Prioritisation, sound judgement, and the ability to effectively balance long-term strategic initiatives with emerging business needs, executive escalations, and crisis response are critical to success in this role.

Responsibilities

Leadership & Team Development

• Lead, coach, and develop a high-performing global team of Employee Relations professionals, fostering a culture of accountability, inclusion, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
• Establish clear goals, performance expectations, development plans, and succession strategies to build organisational capability and leadership depth.
• Create an environment of psychological safety, engagement, and continuous learning that enables the team to perform at its highest potential.
• Drive consistency, quality, and excellence across employee relations practices and advisory services globally.

Employee Relations Strategy & Governance

• Define and execute the global Employee Relations strategy, aligning priorities with Autodesk's culture, values, business objectives, and employee experience goals.
• Establish governance, operating standards, and quality frameworks that strengthen service delivery, compliance, and organisational effectiveness.
• Influence the development and evolution of policies, guidelines, and practices that support a respectful, inclusive, and high-performing workplace.
• Represent the People function within the Policy Advisory Group, contributing expertise and guidance on policy development and implementation.

Sensitive Investigations, Escalations & Risk Management

• Conduct investigations and provide direction on highly sensitive, complex, and high-risk employee relations matters and workplace concerns, ensuring fair, consistent, and values-based outcomes.
• Lead the assessment and management of significant employee, organisational, reputational, and legal risks, partnering closely with People Business Partners, People Consultants, Legal, Ethics & Compliance, Security, and senior leaders.
• Serve as the senior escalation point for critical employee relations matters, providing strategic guidance, decision support, and risk-based recommendations on complex and ambiguous situations.
• Ensure the highest standards of confidentiality, objectivity, procedural integrity, and professionalism in the handling of sensitive investigations and organisational issues.
• Partner with executive stakeholders to navigate crisis situations, significant workplace concerns, and matters with potential enterprise-wide impact, balancing employee experience, organisational effectiveness, and risk management.

Business Partnership & Executive Advisory

• Serve as a trusted advisor to senior leaders on complex employee, organisational, and workplace matters.
• Partner closely with People Business Partners, People Consultants, Legal, Ethics & Compliance, Security, and business leaders to address organisational challenges, strengthen culture, and support business outcomes.
• Provide strategic counsel on organisational change, workforce challenges, leader effectiveness, and employee experience initiatives.
• Build strong cross-functional partnerships to deliver scalable and sustainable people solutions.

Operational Excellence & Transformation

• Own the Employee Relations operating model, ensuring effective case management, resource allocation, reporting, and service delivery.
• Drive continuous improvement of ER processes, tools, technology, and governance practices to increase efficiency, consistency, and impact.
• Leverage data and insights to identify trends, measure outcomes, inform decision-making, and proactively address organisational risks.
• Lead global projects and transformational initiatives that enhance employee experience, strengthen manager capability, and improve organisational health.
• Champion the responsible adoption of AI and emerging technologies to enhance Employee Relations operations, improve service delivery, strengthen decision-making, and increase organisational effectiveness.
• Leverage AI-enabled tools and analytics to identify trends, streamline processes, generate insights, and support proactive risk management and workforce planning.

Culture, Capability & Prevention

• Champion a