Employee Relations Partner

LE001 Northwest Bank; Ohio; Hybrid; USD 85,000 - 115,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Onsite Mon-Thu

Remote Fridays

Job summary

Northwest seeks an Employee Relations Partner to foster a compliant workplace culture and advise leaders on employee matters. The role includes investigations, policy adherence, and collaboration with Legal, Compliance, and HR leadership to mitigate risk.

Responsibilities include guiding managers on performance, handling disciplinary actions, and maintaining confidential case documentation while ensuring adherence to employment law and banking regulations.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or related field.
• 5+ years of progressive HR experience with a strong focus on employee relations, preferably in banking/financial services.

Responsibilities

• Provide guidance to managers and employees on employee relations issues, including performance management and disciplinary actions.
• Conduct confidential investigations into complaints (harassment, discrimination, ethical concerns) in line with policies and banking regulations.
• Partner with Legal, Compliance, and HR leadership for consistent, legally sound handling of employee relations matters.
• Monitor trends, identify risks, and propose solutions to improve culture and reduce liability.
• Assist in training on workplace conduct, ethics, and regulatory compliance.
• Collaborate with HR Business Partners on organizational changes and workforce planning.
• Maintain thorough documentation of cases with confidentiality and accuracy.

Skills

Employment law

Communication

Conflict resolution

Investigation handling

HRIS

Microsoft Office

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

HRIS systems

MS Office

Job description

IN0534 Fishers, OH0523 Independence Bus Office, OH0713 NW Bancshares HQ, PA0258 Bellevue, PA0445 Williamsport, PA0725 State College Business Office

Position Summary

The Employee Relations Partner plays a critical role in fostering a positive and compliant workplace culture within the bank. This role serves as a trusted advisor to leaders and employees, ensuring fair and consistent treatment across the organization while mitigating risk and supporting the bank’s mission of integrity, customer service, and operational excellence. The Employee Relations Partner is responsible for managing employee relations matters, conducting investigations, and supporting policy adherence in alignment with banking regulations and employment law.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide expert guidance to managers and employees on employee relations issues, including performance management, disciplinary actions, and conflict resolution.
• Conduct thorough, confidential investigations into employee complaints, including harassment, discrimination, and ethical concerns, ensuring compliance with internal policies and banking regulations.
• Partner with Legal, Compliance, and HR leadership to ensure consistent and legally sound handling of employee relations matters.
• Monitor and analyze employee relations trends, identifying risk areas and recommending proactive solutions to improve workplace culture and reduce liability.
• Support the development and delivery of training programs on workplace conduct, ethics, respectful communication, and regulatory compliance.
• Collaborate with HR Business Partners and senior leaders to support organizational changes, restructures, and workforce planning initiatives.
• Maintain detailed documentation of employee relations cases, ensuring accuracy, confidentiality, and compliance with recordkeeping standards.
• Assist in the review and enhancement of employee relations policies and procedures to align with banking industry standards and employment law.
• Serve as a resource for interpreting federal and state employment laws, banking regulations, and internal policies.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or related field 5+ years of progressive HR experience with a strong focus on employee relations, preferably in the banking or financial services industry.
• In-depth knowledge of employment law, regulatory compliance, and HR best practices.
• Exceptional communication, interpersonal, and conflict resolution skills.
• Proven ability to manage sensitive and complex situations with discretion and professionalism.
• Experience conducting investigations and preparing detailed reports.
• Proficiency in HRIS systems and Microsoft Office Suite.

Preferred Attributes

• Master's degree or HR certification (e.g., SHRM-CP, PHR)
• Experience working in a regulated industry such as banking or financial services.
• Strong analytical skills and ability to interpret data to inform decisions.
• Commitment to ethical practices, diversity, equity, and inclusion.
• Ability to build trust and influence across all levels of the organization.

This position will be performed onsite M-Th. Fridays are an optional work from home day.

#LI-EK1 Northwest is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.

At Northwest, we're here for what's next. Whether we're finding opportunities for families, businesses and communities or opening doors for our team, we share a passion for helping the people around us succeed. And we know that in order to provide the highest level of care, we need to understand unique experiences and perspectives. That's why, whether you're interested in a corporate role or something customer-facing, your talent and voice matter. Here, you belong.

Working at Northwest, you'll find that we recognize our employees for the important work they do through competitive compensation and benefits, professional development opportunities and by regularly celebrating wins along the way.