Employee Relations Lead

Form Energy, Inc; Berkeley (CA); Hybrid; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Relocation assistance

Comprehensive benefits

Job summary

Form Energy is seeking an experienced leader to build and run Employee Relations as a new function. Reporting to the SVP, People, you will define ER strategy, frameworks, and infrastructure while handling complex investigations from day one.

This role is a player-coach, advising senior leaders and coaching managers, with relocation assistance available and a focus on scalable processes across multiple locations in a fast-paced environment.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of progressive Employee Relations experience with direct ownership of investigations and casework.
• Experience building or scaling an ER function or infrastructure from an early stage.

Responsibilities

• Own and manage a complex, high-volume caseload spanning harassment, discrimination, misconduct, performance-related disputes, and interpersonal conflict.
• Design and stand up Form Energy's ER function from the ground up, including intake, methodology, case management tooling, escalation pathways, and documentation standards.
• Serve as a trusted advisor to senior leaders on ER strategy, risk, and precedent; translate case patterns into proactive recommendations.
• Coach managers to identify and address ER issues early, through training and real-time guidance.
• Develop and maintain HR policies to ensure fair application and compliance with laws.
• Build reporting to track case trends, cycle times, and outcomes; use data to inform policy decisions.
• Collaborate with Legal, People Partners, and COEs to embed ER guidance across the employee lifecycle.

Skills

Employee Relations

Investigations

Policy Development

Stakeholder Management

People Leadership

Data Analytics

Job description

Are you ready to build America’s energy future? Form Energy is an American manufacturing and energy technology company. We’re revolutionizing energy storage with cost-effective, multi-day technology designed to keep the electric grid secure and reliable, even during extended periods of stress. By strengthening the electric system and reimagining what’s possible, we’re giving clean energy a whole new form!

In recent years, Form Energy has earned a number of accolades, including being named by TIME as a “Best Invention”, MIT Technology Review as a “Top Climate Tech Company To Watch”, and Fast Company as “One of the Next Big Things In Tech”. We are making rapid progress on our mission of delivering energy storage for a better world, and our team is growing just as rapidly to meet demand. We have signed contracts with leading electric utilities across the United States and production of our iron-air batteries is underway at our first high-volume manufacturing facility in West Virginia.

Working for Form Energy is more than just a job, it’s a chance to be part of something extraordinary. And now - right as we significantly scale up battery manufacturing - might be the most exciting moment in the company’s history to join. We are assembling a team of highly talented and driven individuals across the country. Driven by our core values of humanity, excellence, and creativity, our team is determined to deliver on our mission and transform the energy landscape for the better.

Feeling energized to make a meaningful impact on the world? Then keep reading - you’ve come to the right place.

Role Description

This position, reporting to the SVP, People, is both a high-level strategic force and a hands-on operational leader, responsible for building and running Employee Relations as a new function at Form Energy. A successful individual in this role will define our ER strategy, frameworks, and infrastructure from the ground up, while personally carrying a significant, complex caseload from day one. This individual will be a player-coach: equally comfortable advising senior leaders on ER risk and precedent, and rolling up their sleeves to conduct sensitive investigations, coach managers through difficult conversations, and close out cases fairly and efficiently. They will be excited by the opportunity to build something durable in a fast-paced, evolving environment — creating the playbooks, policies, and systems that don't yet exist, while never losing sight of the people at the center of every case. This role will require working from our Weirton, WV Somerville, MA location at least 3 days per week. The role requires travel to all locations.
This is a hybrid role, which will require working onsite from one of our offices 4 days per week.

Relocation assistance is available.

What you'll do:

• Employee Relations Casework & Investigations: Own and manage a complex, high-volume caseload spanning the full spectrum of ER issues — including harassment, discrimination, misconduct, performance-related disputes, and interpersonal conflict. Conduct thorough, timely, and legally sound investigations, and drive cases to fair, well-documented resolution.

• ER Function Build-Out: Design and stand up Form Energy's ER function from the ground up — including intake processes, investigation methodology, case management tooling, escalation pathways, and documentation standards. Establish the frameworks, templates, and playbooks that will scale with the organization.

• Strategic Advisory: Serve as a trusted advisor and coach to senior leaders and People Partners on ER strategy, risk, and precedent. Translate case patterns and trends into proactive recommendations that reduce risk and improve the employee experience before issues escalates.

• Manager Coaching & Enablement: Equip people managers with the skills, judgement, and confidence to identify and address ER issues early — through training, real-time coaching, and clear guidance on when and how to elevate.

• Policy & Compliance: Develop, maintain, and continuously improve HR policies and practices to ensure fair, consistent application across the company and compliance with federal, state, and local employment laws. Partner with Legal on complex or high-risk matters.

• Data-Driven Insights: Build the reporting infrastructure to track case trends, cycle times, and outcomes. Use ER data and analytics to identify systemic risks, inform policy decisions, and report on the health of the function to senior leadership.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner closely with People Partners, Legal, EHS, and other People Team Centers of Excellence (COEs) — including Talent Acquisition and Total Rewards — to ensure ER guidance is embedded consistently across the employee lifecycle.

What you'll bring:

• 8+ years of progressive Employee Relations experience, including direct ownership of complex investigations and casework

• Proven experience building or significantly scaling an ER function, program, or infrastructure from an early stage — a builder's mindset, with the ability to create new processes and tools from scratch

• Deep knowledge of federal and [state] employment law, investigation methodology, and documentation standards

• Strong judgment and discretion in handling sensitive, high-stakes situations with empathy and objectivity

• Exceptional communication and influencing skills, with the ability to build trust and credibility with senior leaders while also connecting authentically with employees at every level

• Demonstrated ability to balance strategic program-building with a high-volume, hands-on caseload simultaneously

• Resilience and adaptability to thrive in a dynamic, fast-paced environment

• Experience partnering cross-functionally with Legal, People Partners, and business leaders
  

Form Factory 1:

Form Factory 1 in in Weirton, WV—an easy commute from the city of Pittsburgh, PA. This 550,000-square-foot facility is our hub for high-volume battery production and a leader in the new era of American energy manufacturing. Relocation assistance is available.

#LI-Hybrid

Humanity is a cornerstone of Form Energy’s culture, and we make sure our compensation and benefits reflect that. Form Energy offers competitive salaries, stock options, and a holistic benefits package to ensure all employees have what they need to thrive while working here.

When it comes to you and your family’s health, we cover 100% of medical, dental, and vision premiums for full-time employees - and 80% of healthcare premiums for dependents. This starts from day one. We also offer at least 12 weeks of paid leave for new parents (up to 20 weeks for birthing parents), and generous vacation policies to give employees time to recharge when needed.

To build America’s energy future, we need everyone at the table. We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer, and encourage candidates from all backgrounds to apply to our open jobs.

If you may require reasonable accommodations to participate in our interview process, please contact [e-mail]. Requests for accommodations will be treated with discretion.
Form Energy is committed to maintaining the privacy of our applicants. Please be aware that we will never solicit sensitive personal information such as Social Security numbers or bank account details during the recruiting or hiring process.