Director of Employee Relations & Performance Excellence

Lehigh University; Bethlehem (Northampton County); Hybrid; USD 84,000 - 102,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive benefits

Partner benefits

Job summary

Lehigh University seeks a seasoned Employee Relations Leader to shape culture and performance across the university. You will advise senior leaders, manage complex workplace matters, and drive programs that build proactive employee relations capability.

This role reports to the Chief Human Resources Officer and partners with Legal, Compliance, and Equity & Inclusion. With 5–8 years of progressive employee relations experience in higher education or complex institutions, you will influence

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in HR Management or related field; advanced degree or SHRM-SCP/SPHR preferred.
• Five to eight years of work-related experience.
• Progressive experience in employee relations, ideally in higher education or a complex institutional environment.
• Ability to advise and influence senior stakeholders on sensitive workforce matters with confidence and discretion.
• Experience designing and delivering training or development programs for managers at multiple levels.
• Working knowledge of US employment law, HR compliance frameworks, and performance management best practices.
• Track record of building trust across a diverse workforce, reflecting Lehigh's commitment to an equitable and inclusive campus community.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the University's subject matter expert on employee relations, providing authoritative guidance to leaders across Lehigh's schools, colleges, and administrative divisions
• Act as a strategic partner to the Chief Human Resources Officer, contributing informed perspective on workforce matters that intersect with institutional priorities
• Lead direct intervention and case management for sensitive, complex, or escalated employee relations matters with sound judgment and discretion
• Design and facilitate management development programs and workshops that build proactive employee relations capability at all levels of the organization
• Identify systemic employee relations trends through data and case analysis, and developing targeted strategies to address root causes
• Own the University's performance management system end-to-end, including process design, documentation standards, and continuous improvement
• Deliver training and workshops to supervisors and employees that build confidence and consistency in performance conversations and documentation
• Partner with Legal, Compliance, and Equity and Inclusion colleagues to ensure employee relations practices align with applicable employment law and University policy
• Serve as an active member of the HR Leadership Team to co-develop and implement University-wide HR goals, initiatives, and strategy
• Supporting a culture of accountability and respect that reflects Lehigh's commitment to an equitable, inclusive, and high-performing workplace

Skills

Employee relations

Stakeholder influence

Training delivery

Data-driven decision making

Strategic partnership

Education

Bachelor's degree in HR

Advanced degree or SHRM-SCP/SPHR certification preferred

Job description

Lehigh University seeks a seasoned Employee Relations Leader to shape culture and performance across the university. You will advise senior leaders, manage complex workplace matters, and drive programs that build proactive employee relations capability.

This role reports to the Chief Human Resources Officer and partners with Legal, Compliance, and Equity & Inclusion. With 5–8 years of progressive employee relations experience in higher education or complex institutions, you will influence