Employee Relations People Partner

Tekion Corporation; Pleasanton (CA); On-site; USD 140,000 - 185,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive compensation

Stock options

Top-tier medical, dental, vision

Unlimited PTO

Parental leave

Free snacks and beverages

Job summary

Tekion Corporation in Pleasanton, CA is seeking an Employee Relations Manager (US/CAN/EMEA) to own end-to-end investigations, manager coaching, and compliance infrastructure across multi-country teams. This strategic role shapes handbook updates, training programs, and proactive performance documentation.

You will partner with the Sr. Director, People Business Partners to drive data-driven action plans, coach leaders, and escalate complex cases with a clear risk-focused approach.

Qualifications

• Have 5–7 years of employee relations experience with investigations portfolio.
• Experience coaching managers on performance documentation and difficult conversations.
• Designed or delivered compliance or management training with measurable impact.
• Deep working knowledge of California employment law and multi-state requirements.
• Owned a handbook or policy document from creation through implementation.
• Can handle difficult conversations with senior leaders and maintain documentation.

Responsibilities

• Own all workplace investigations end to end for multiple countries.
• Maintain an active case tracker with status, risk, timeline, and resolution.
• Partner with People Business Partners to provide context on each case.
• Work with employment counsel on matters with legal exposure.
• Escalate high-risk matters with a packaged summary and next steps.
• Own the PIP lifecycle and ensure proper documentation and follow-up.
• Design and deliver compliance training covering federal and state topics.
• Own the Tekion Employee Handbook and policy updates across countries.

Skills

Employee relations

Investigations

Manager coaching

Compliance training

Documentation

Counsel interaction

Education

SHRM-CP or PHR

Tools

Workday

Emtrain

Job description

Positively disrupting an industry that has not seen any innovation in over 50 years, Tekion has challenged the paradigm with the first and fastest cloud-native automotive platform that includes the revolutionary Automotive Retail Cloud (ARC) for retailers, Automotive Enterprise Cloud (AEC) for manufacturers and other large automotive enterprises and Automotive Partner Cloud (APC) for technology and industry partners. Tekion connects the entire spectrum of the automotive retail ecosystem through one seamless platform. The transformative platform uses cutting-edge technology, big data, machine learning, and AI to seamlessly bring together OEMs, retailers/dealers and consumers. With its highly configurable integration and greater customer engagement capabilities, Tekion is enabling the best automotive retail experiences ever. Tekion employs close to 3,000 people across North America, Asia and Europe.

Job Introduction

People do their best work when they feel heard, treated fairly, and supported through difficulty. As our Employee Relations Manager(US/CAN/EMEA)— known internally as ourPeople Success Partner — you are the person who makes that possible.

This is a full-spectrum employee relations role with real ownership and meaningful scope. You will run complex investigations, coach managers for incredible success – including documenting performance proactively, designing compliance training that actually changes behavior, and own the employee handbook. You are not a support function — you are a strategic one.

You report directly to the Sr. Director, People Business Partners. You work alongside our People Business Partners, who bring business context to every case. You own the process, the documentation, the training, and the compliance infrastructure. You are the expert this team and this company needs right now.

What You Will Own

Manager Coaching & Proactive Performance Documentation

Coach people managersto full successacross allclientgroups. Ensuring Managers areholdemployees accountable and ensure they are setting clear expectations.

Deliver regular brown bag sessions and manager enablement workshopson:coach hiring managers in proper hiring ways to get the best talent and outcomes (including what they should and shouldn’t say),how to give effective feedback, how to document performance conversations, when and how to use a Performance Improvement Plan, and how to have difficult conversations with confidence

Proactivelyidentifymanagers who are not meeting manager expectations and implement targeted actions to drive improved outcomes

Proactivelyidentifyemployees at risk and conduct deep-dive assessments to address underlying issues

Analyze survey data, exit feedback, and related insights toidentifymanagement gaps and partner on data-driven action plans to drive measurable improvement

Assess capability gaps anddeterminewhereadditionalcoaching, training, and enablement are needed to strengthen leadership effectiveness

Partner with People Business Partners toidentifymanagers who need coaching and intervene early — turning a potential ER situation into a development opportunity

Build a repeatable manager coaching playbook that PBPs can use consistently across all client groups

Track manager participation in coaching sessions and surface patterns to leadership whereadditionalsupport is needed

Employee Relations & Investigations

Own all workplace investigations end to end — intake, investigation plan, interviews, findings documentation, and resolution — for all countries weoperatein (US, Canada,UKandGermany)

Maintain an active case tracker with status, risk level, timeline, and resolution for every open matter

Partner closely with People Business Partners who provide business context on each case — you own the process and documentation, they bring the organizational knowledge

Work with employment counsel on matters with legal exposure — you will know when to loop in and when to handle independently

Escalate complex or high-risk matters to the Sr. Director with a well-packaged summary of facts, risk assessment, and recommended next steps

Performance Improvement Plan Lifecycle

Own the PIP lifecycle across all client groups — documentation, timeline management, manager coaching support, and resolution tracking

Partner with PBPs and managers to ensure performance actions are documented correctly, consistently, and in a way that protects the employee and the company

Identifypatterns in performance management data and surface recommendations to the People team and business leaders

Ensure 100% of active PIPs have clear documentation, follow-up actions, and tracked resolution — no case is ever left without a next step

Compliance Training Design & Delivery

Design and ownTekion’scompliance training program covering all federal and state-mandated topics: sexual harassment prevention (California AB 1825 / SB 1343), workplace violencepreventionandprofessional conduct standards.

Deliver training across all employee populations in support of ourEmtrainplatform — ensuring content is engaging, current, and legally compliant in everyjurisdictionwe operate

Track mandatory training completion by department, role, and country — flag gaps proactively and ensure 100% completion of all legally required programs

Stay current on federal and state law changes that affect compliance training requirements and update programs accordingly

Build a training calendar thatanticipatesrecurring compliancerequirementsso nothing is reactive

Employee Handbook & Policy Ownership

Own theTekionEmployeeHandbookand all associated policies—initialbuild, annual review cycle, policy updates, and multi-state and multi-country compliance across US, Canada,UKandGermany.

Ensure the handbook reflects current law and best practices across all countries weoperatein — partnering with employment counsel where country-specific nuance requires it

Translate legal and policy updates into clear, plain-language handbook content that employees can understand and act on

Build a policy review cadence so the handbook never becomes outdated — you own the schedule, the process, and the communication to employees when changes are made

Maintain supplemental policies consistent with the handbook and current law

Who You Are

Skills can be taught. Experience is transferable. Culturefit isnot. This section matters more than any other in thisposting— please read it carefully.

You find ER work genuinely satisfying — not draining.

Every investigation is different. Everymanagercoaching conversation requires you to read the room differently. Every compliance question has a nuance. You do not see the complexity as a burden — you see it as the part of the job that keeps you sharp. You are energized by getting the answer right, not just getting an answer quickly.

You are proactive, not reactive.

You are not waiting for cases to come to you. You are coaching managers before they create an ER issue. You are building the training calendar before someone asks for it. You are reviewing the handbook before the lawchangesand youhave toscramble. Your instinct is to get ahead of things — always.

You have a growth mindset — and you mean it.

You walk intoTekionknowing there is a lot you do not yet know, and that excites you. You are not here todemonstratethat you already have all the answers. You are here to build infrastructure that does not fully exist yet — and you understand that the first version of everything you create will get better over time.

You thrive in a full build.

The handbook is not done. The compliance training program is not built. Themanagercoaching playbook does not exist yet. You see this as a canvas, not a complaint. You are energized by the opportunity to build something great, in real time, that will outlast you at thiscompany.Youhave a growth mindset — and you mean it.

You walk intoTekionknowing there is a lot youdon'tyet know, and that excites you. You are not here todemonstratethat you already have all the answers; you are here tolearna new company, a complex industry, and a rapidly evolving environment. You ask questions. You absorb context. You adapt. You understand that being excellent at HR elsewheredoesn'tautomatically meanyou'reexcellent at HR here — and that gap is not a threat to you.It'sa startingpoint.

You aregenuinely,sustainably positive.

Not performatively positive. Not "positive onMondays" positive. Your natural orientation isglasshalf full — and it holds up under pressure, in hard conversations, and on difficult days. You are the person on the team who raises the energy in the room, not the person who quietly drains it. You coach leaders and employees toward higher engagement and performance — which means youhave tomodel it every single day. The People team sets the bar for what a great culture looks and feels like. That starts with you.

You are fiercely loyal to the People team.

You love your client groups. And you love your People team. These are not in competition. You invest in People team relationships and the collective success of the function with the same energy you bring to your business unit portfolio. You do not share frustrations about the People team with leaders or employees. You do not position yourself as "different from the rest of HR." You are a champion for the function — publicly, consistently, and without exception. When the team succeeds, you succeed.

You thrive in a full build — and youdon'tromanticize it or resent it.

Tekionisbuilding. Processes exist in some places and not others. Systems are evolving. Some things that should be documentedaren't. Some things that should be consistentaren'tyet. You see this as a canvas, not a complaint. You are the person whoidentifiesa gap andsays"let me fix that" — not the person whosays"that shouldn't be my job." You build things with positivity and enthusiasm because you understand that what you build today will matter for years.

You are a strategic owner, not an order taker.

You understand the difference between doing tasks for a leader and owning thepeoplehealth of their organization. You are not waiting to be told what to do. You are showing up with a point of view, an agenda, and a plan. You do the administrative work that sometimes comes with the role — and you do it without complaint — but it is not where you live. You are in the business, knowing it deeply,anticipatingwhat it needs, and driving outcomes that make your client group measurably more successful.

Basic Qualifications

You will thrive here if you:

Have 5–7 years of employee relations experience with a meaningfulinvestigationsportfolio — you have run complex cases involving senior employees and know what it takes

Have coached managers on performance documentation and difficult conversations — not justadvisedthem reactively when something went wrong

Have designed or delivered compliance or management training thatactually changedbehavior — not just checked the box

Have deep working knowledge of California employment law and multi-state requirements — and you stay current

Have owned a handbook or policy document from creation or full refresh through implementation — not just contributed to a section

Can hold a difficult conversation with a frustrated senior leader and stay completely grounded

Document everything, miss nothing, and understand that the paper trail is the protection

Are fully committed to working in our Pleasanton, CA office five days per week

Experience that makes you stronger for this role:

SHRM-CP, PHR, or employment law certification

Experience at a high-growth SaaS or tech startup where ER volume was high and resources were lean

Familiarity with Workday andEmtrain

Multi-country ER experience across US, Canada, and EMEA

Background supporting a company through rapid headcount growth where policies needed to scale quickly

Experiencefacilitatingmanager training or brown bag sessions to a mixed-level audience

This is a demanding, high-ownership role in a company that is growing fast and building constantly. We do not expect perfection. We expect full engagement, sound judgment, and a bias toward getting ahead of things rather than responding to them. If you are energized by real ownership and an environment where great work is noticed — this is the right place.

Competitive compensation and generous stock options

100% employer-paid top-of-the-line medical, dental and vision coverage

Great benefits including unlimited PTO, parental leave and free snacks and beverages

The opportunity to work with some of the brightest minds from Silicon Valley’s most dominant andsuccessful companies

Be part of an early stage, hyper-growth start-up with the opportunity to grow and prosper

Work on the latest and coolest technologies – everything is home-grown and built ground-up

A dynamic work environment with a strong sense of community and collaboration

The open and transparent culture that encourages innovation, rewards performance and discourages hierarchy

Exciting opportunities for career growth and development

Tekion is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. We do not discriminate based upon race, religion, color, national origin, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, victim of violence or having a family member who is a victim of violence, the intersectionality of two or more protected categories, or other applicable legally protected characteristics.

For more information on our privacy practices, please refer to our Applicant Privacy Notice here .