Director, Employee Relations

Virgin Galactic; Tustin (CA); On-site; USD 127,000 - 203,000; Full time

Job summary

Virgin Galactic seeks a Director of Employee Relations to set the vision and drive the ER strategy across the company. You will lead investigations, draft policies, and partner with Legal, Risk, IT and executives to ensure compliant, fair workforce practices.

You will manage complex employee issues, analytics, and training for leaders and employees, while ensuring alignment with company culture and enterprise risk management.

Qualifications

• This role requires a Bachelor's degree and 10+ years in Employee Relations with 3+ years leading others.
• Experience conducting complex investigations with minimal supervision is essential.
• Ability to handle confidential information with discretion and integrity.
• Strong knowledge of California, Arizona, and New Mexico employment laws.
• Excellent judgment, communication, and data-driven decision-making.

Responsibilities

• Conduct complex and sensitive employee investigations, determining findings and recommendations.
• Draft investigation-related documents and talking points for leaders and HR.
• Partner with stakeholders to execute policies, processes, and procedures.
• Manage ER cases using the case management platform with accuracy and timeliness.
• Assist in updating the Employee Policy Manual and ER data analytics.
• Lead governance, standards, and frameworks for ER and provide board-ready insights.

Skills

Employee relations

Investigation leadership

Policy drafting

Confidentiality

Communication

Stakeholder collaboration

Data analytics

Employment law knowledge

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Tools

Case management software

Job description

The Director of Employee Relations (ER) is a strategic Human Resources leader responsible for setting the vision, strategy, and execution of the employee relations function across the company. This role ensures a fair, inclusive, and legally compliant workplace by overseeing complex employee issues, strengthening organizational culture, and partnering closely with business leaders, People Team members, Legal, Safety, Enterprise Risk Management, Information Technology, Internal Communications, and business executives.

The Director, Employee Relations will lead the employee relations function for VG reporting to the Sr. Vice President, Talent & People Operations. This position will be responsible for conducting complex investigations related to Company policies, determining investigation and/or incident findings and recommendations, drafting various investigation-related documents, advising on a broad spectrum of ER issues, drafting and interpreting policies and practices, and reviewing, recommending and documenting outcomes. The role will also assist with leading assessments of organizational requirements, ER data and analytics, and ER training for leaders and employees.

This leader must be able to perform work with minimal supervision, strong written, analytical and communication skills, handle a wide range of complex and highly sensitive employment situations, and demonstrate strong emotional intelligence and business acumen to skillfully interact with employees at all levels.

Responsibilities

• Conduct complex and sensitive employee investigations including determining appropriate investigation strategies, leading witness interviews and any required document review, and determining findings and recommendations for appropriate resolution.
• Draft articulate, comprehensive investigation-related documents, including leader/HR talking points, written warnings, case executive summaries and other documents.
• Partners collaboratively with key stakeholders like Business leaders, PBPs, Legal, Risk Management, Safety, Security, Information Technology and others to execute thorough investigations, processes, policies, and protocols.
• Utilize case management platform to manage ER cases in an accurate, responsive, and timely manner.
• Assist in ongoing review and updates of the Employee Policy Manual.
• Accountability and in partnership with benefits associated with restrictions / reasonable accommodations process. Assist in managing complex situations related to various leave of absences.
• Oversee Drug & Alcohol Testing in partnership with Safety and other functions.
• Lead ER governance, standards, and frameworks.
• EEO reporting.
• Assist in responding to employee complaints with federal, state and local administrative agencies.
• Ownership of governance and adjudication process in partnership with Legal.
• Practiced and up to date on federal / state / local laws and yearly updates to include requirements with offer letters, onboarding and any required documents.
• Assist with data reporting and analytics of ER cases for themes, trends and root causes to provide insights and recommendations for decision making and prevention of future issues.
• Represent ER in enterprise projects such as restructures, reorganizations, and cultural transformation.
• Assist business leaders and HRBPs with the assessment and review of performance management and performance improvement plans.
• Promote knowledge and understanding of Company policy and of relevant employment laws through coaching and facilitating presentations, and training.
• Knowledge and ability to provide board of directors’ presentation information to include emerging labor trends.
• Serve as a trusted advisor.
• Coach,train, and transferexpertiseto your team todriveprojects to completion.

Required Skills And Experience

• Bachelor’s degree and a minimum of 10 years’ Employee Relations experience, with 3+ years relevant experience leading others.
• Demonstrated experience with leading a wide variety of complex employee investigations with little supervision.
• Ability to manage sensitive information with confidentiality and discretion.
• Experience in understanding unions and direct relationships.
• Experience with California, Arizona, and New Mexico employment laws and regulations.
• Understanding employment and HR related laws, regulations, policies, principles, concepts and practices, including Title VII, ADA, ADAA, and FMLA.
• Excellent judgment and competency in decision making, problem solving, critical thinking and root cause/analysis.
• Demonstrated investigation and consultative skills.
• High emotional intelligence. strong acumen, and people skills.
• Ability to handle highly sensitive and confidential matters with compassion and equity.
• Ability to work collaboratively lead, influence and make decisions at all levels within the company.
• Ability to position self as credible, proactive and a trusted thought-partner.
• Ability to manage multiple projects with minimal supervision with a focus on strong time management and prioritization skills.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills, including verbal and written
• Systems knowledge and capability with internal reporting.
• Demonstrate willingness to adjust thinking and behavior.
• Ability to communicate in a manner that is timely, respectful, and open to other ideas.

Leadership Criteria

• Leads with technical/functional proficiency
• Demonstrates strong business acumen
• Translate strategy into actions and with clarity and decisiveness
• Build and sustain production relationships and collaborating with influence
• Leading teams with integrity and credibility to instill trust and inspire action
• Executive presence and values-driven leadership

The annual U.S. base salary range for this full-time position is $126,900.00–$203,075.00. The base pay actually offered will vary depending on job-related knowledge, skills, location, and experience and take into account internal equity. Other forms of pay (e.g., bonus or long term incentive) may be provided as part of the compensation package, in addition to a full range of medical, financial, and other benefits, dependent on the position offered. For more information regarding Virgin Galactic benefits, please visit https://vgcareers.virgingalactic.com/global/en/benefits

Who We Are

Virgin Galactic is an aerospace and space travel company, pioneering human spaceflight for private individuals and researchers with its advanced air and space vehicles. We are making the dream of space travel a reality, delivering spaceflight at an unprecedented frequency, with the development of next generation space vehicles.

Export Requirements

To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a U.S. Person (either a U.S. citizen, a lawful permanent resident or a protected individual as defined 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3) or be able to obtain the required authorization from either the U.S. Department of State or the U.S. Department of Commerce. The applicant must also not be included in the list of Specifically Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons maintained by the Office of Foreign Assets Control. See list here.

EEO Statement

Virgin Galactic is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with Virgin Galactic is governed on the basis of merit, competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, gender identity, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.

Drug Free Workplace

Virgin Galactic is committed to a Drug Free Workplace. All applicants post offer and active teammates are subject to testing for marijuana, cocaine, opioids, amphetamines, PCP, and alcohol when criteria is met as outlined in our policies. This can include pre-employment, random, reasonable suspicion, and accident related drug and alcohol testing.

Phoenix Employment Requirements

For individuals seeking employment at our Phoenix Mesa Gateway Airport facility, employment is contingent upon you obtaining and maintaining a TSA authorized security badge. This includes initial and annual mandatory background checks that are governed by TSA, and conducted by the Phoenix Mesa Gateway Airport badging office.

Accommodation Requests

If you require a reasonable accommodation to apply for a position, please contact the Virgin Galactic Talent Team at: [e-mail]

Mandatory Notices

Employee Polygraph Protection Act Rights

E-Verify_Participation_Poster_Eng_Es

Your Employee Rights Under the Family and Medical Leave Act

Know Your Rights: Workplace Discrimination is Illegal