Employee & Labor Relations Specialist Senior - Second Shift

Illuminate USA; Pataskala (OH); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive pay

Benefits

Career development opportunities

Job summary

Illuminate USA is seeking an Employee & Labor Relations Specialist Senior to partner with associates and leaders, fostering a respectful, high‑performing workplace. You’ll handle day‑to‑day relations, policy application, and collaborative problem solving on the plant floor in Pataskala, Ohio.

Responsibilities include coaching managers, conducting investigations, addressing grievances, and ensuring compliance with CBAs and employment laws, all while building a culture of fairness and engagement.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of progressive HR experience with a strong focus on employee relations.
• Experience supporting a union or labor environment and familiarity with CBAs.
• Strong knowledge of employment law and HR best practices.
• Ability to influence and coach leaders in a fast-paced manufacturing setting.
• High level of professionalism and confidentiality.

Responsibilities

• Traverse the Plant floor to engage with associates and supervisors to improve the experience.
• Coach managers in real-time on employee relations, performance, and discipline.
• Investigate policy violations and escalate for timely resolution.
• Lead complex investigations into harassment, discrimination, and workplace disputes.
• Support union interactions and interpretation of CBAs with leadership.
• Administer grievance processes from intake through resolution.
• Ensure compliance with labor laws and company policies.

Skills

Employee relations

Investigations

Coaching leaders

Union/labor relations

Employment law knowledge

Education

Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or related field

Master's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or related field

Job description

Located in the heart of Central Ohio, Illuminate USA is transforming solar panel manufacturing from our cutting‑edge facility in Pataskala. As a new standalone joint venture established by two global leaders in renewable energy, we’ve rapidly grown to over 1,500 associates and are now fully operational in our 1.1 million-square‑foot factory. Our vision is to establish one of the largest solar panel manufacturing operations in the Western Hemisphere. This is an exciting time to join Illuminate USA as we continue to grow and innovate. We’re not just building solar panels—we’re building a team of dedicated, passionate associates eager to make a real impact. We offer competitive pay, comprehensive benefits, and continuous opportunities for career growth.

The Employee & Labor Relations Specialist Senior is a key partner to both associates and leaders, helping to create a positive, respectful, and high‑performing workplace. This role is highly visible on the floor and focused on building strong relationships, listening to associate concerns, and working collaboratively with leaders to find thoughtful, fair solutions. You will play an important role in supporting day‑to‑day employee relations, ensuring policies are applied consistently, and helping leaders navigate complex situations with confidence. Success in this role comes from being approachable, solutions‑oriented, and committed to creating an environment where associates feel supported, heard, and set up to succeed.

Key Responsibilities:

• Traversing across the Plant floor, connecting with associates and supervisors to proactively enhance the associate experience
• Empowering supervisors in managing the floor by utilizing Planned Absence reports, Overtime Reports, and Daily Attendance reports for Pre‑Shift Meetings and throughout the shift for staffing validation
• Coaching and supporting managers in real time on the floor, handling employee relations matters, including performance management, conflict resolution, and disciplinary actions
• Investigating and escalating policy violations in partnership with managers and supervisors for timely resolution
• Leading complex and sensitive investigations into allegations of harassment, discrimination, misconduct, retaliation, and workplace disputes
• Guiding supervisor interactions with union representatives and stewards
• Answering associate questions and resolving issues on the floor at their workstations
• Serving as a primary point of contact for associates, addressing concerns, answering questions, and ensuring a positive and respectful employee experience
• Acting as a point of contact for union representatives on associate concerns, grievances, and workplace matters
• Advising and coaching leaders on the Associate Handbook, CBA, and performance management, corrective action, and progressive discipline, ensuring fairness, consistency, and risk mitigation
• Supporting the unionized environment by helping leaders interpret and apply collective bargaining agreements, ensuring compliance with established processes, and maintaining consistency in practice
• Assisting the administration and documentation of grievance processes, partnering with leadership to support timely and appropriate resolution
• Partnering with leadership to proactively identify employee relations trends and implement solutions to improve engagement, retention, and overall workplace culture
• Ensuring compliance with federal, state, and local employment laws, company policies, and applicable labor agreements
• Supporting key HR processes including leaves of absence and workplace accommodations
• Facilitating training for leaders and associates on policies, workplace expectations, and employee relations best practices
• Managing grievance cases from intake through resolution including, preparing arbitration files, and ensuring all evidence is captured and available for hearings
• Partnering with managers, HR colleagues, and legal counsel to resolve disputes in compliance with CBAs and employment laws
• Identifying and tracking grievance trends, escalating systemic issues to leadership as needed
• Identifying employee relations risks and recommending proactive strategies to minimize future disputes
• Monitoring changes in labor and employment law, advising leadership on necessary policy and practice updates

Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or related field
• 8+ years of progressive HR experience with a strong focus on employee relations
• Experience supporting a union or labor environment and familiarity with collective bargaining agreements
• Demonstrated experience handling complex investigations and workplace conflict resolution
• Strong working knowledge of employment law and HR best practices
• Proven ability to influence and coach leaders in a fast‑paced, manufacturing or industrial environment
• High level of professionalism, sound judgment, and ability to handle sensitive matters with confidentiality

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or related field
• Workday experience
• SHRM-CP, SHRM-SCP, PHR, or SPHR certification
• Manufacturing or industrial experience in a high‑growth environment

Schedule:

Wednesday – Sunday 6pm – 2am (Monday and Tuesday off)

Illuminate USA is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any protected status as defined by law. Illuminate is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.

Illuminate USA, a new standalone joint venture established by two global leaders in renewable energy, is building one of the largest solar panel manufacturing factories in the Western Hemisphere.

This 1.1 million-square-foot factory is currently in advanced stages of preparation in the Columbus, Ohio area.

Illuminate USA is seeking highly motivated team members to help the company grow from startup to a full scale, industry leading manufacturer with $1B - $2B expected annual revenue and over 1,200 employees in less than two years.

This will be a fast‑paced and exciting time in our history as we are building something great from the ground up here in central Ohio.

We offer competitive pay, benefits, and ongoing career development opportunities.