HR Director - Employee Relations

Akima; Herndon (VA); Remote; USD 150,000 - 250,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player seeks an HR Director to lead employee relations and drive process improvements. This role is crucial in managing HR operations, ensuring compliance with state laws, and supporting a diverse workforce. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in HR, particularly in government contracting, and a strong background in project management. You will work closely with various stakeholders to enhance HR processes and foster a supportive work environment. Join a company that values innovation and diversity, offering competitive pay and comprehensive benefits. If you're ready to make a significant impact, this opportunity is for you.

Benefits

Medical Insurance

Dental Insurance

Vision Insurance

Life Insurance

401(k) Plan

Paid Time Off (PTO)

Qualifications

• 10+ years of HR experience, with a focus on employee relations and project management.
• Strong communication and conflict resolution skills are essential.

Responsibilities

• Manage employee relations cases and drive process accountability.
• Lead projects and initiatives to improve HR processes.

Skills

Employee Relations

Project Management

Communication Skills

Conflict Resolution

Change Management

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources

Tools

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft PowerPoint

Microsoft Word

EthicsPoint

Deltek

Costpoint

iCIMS

Job description

Akima is not just another global enterprise and federal contractor. As an Alaska Native Corporation (ANC), our mission and purpose extend beyond our exciting federal projects as we support our shareholder communities in Alaska.

At Akima, the work you do every day makes a difference in the lives of our 15,000 Iñupiat shareholders, a group of Alaska natives from one of the most remote and harshest environments in the United States. For our shareholders, Akima provides support and employment opportunities and contributes to the survival of a culture that has thrived above the Arctic Circle for more than 10,000 years. For our government customers, Akima delivers agile solutions in the core areas of facilities, maintenance, and repair; information technology; logistics; protective services; systems engineering; mission support; furniture, fixtures & equipment (FF&E); and construction.

As an Akima employee, you will be surrounded by a challenging, yet supportive work environment that is committed to innovation and diversity, two of our most important values. You will also have access to our comprehensive benefits and competitive pay in addition to growth opportunities and excellent retirement options.

This HR director will support and manage projects and other requirements on the HR operations teams. The successful candidate will report to the HR vice president and will have a close working relationship with HR teams directly supporting the businesses across Akima. The primary function of this role is building and managing the employee relations function within the HR team. This includes managing employee relations cases, ethics cases, managing the case management system, defining the process and system configuration, auditing cases to ensure proper documentation and information has been captured. This person will be an advisor to HR team members in a way that will provide support and drive a consistent process to addressing employee matters. The successful candidate will also be responsible for handling significant employee relations cases and tracking employee union grievances within the tool and collaborating with PMs and the labor relations team to help facilitate follow up and closure. An important responsibility of this role is to produce metrics on case details and progress, identify trends and suggest improvement measures. This role will also focus on leading and managing other projects and identifying process improvement measures and managing projects across the HR Operations function with a goal to reduce and eliminate repetitive administrative tasks done by the HR team today. At times, this person may be asked to fill in to support the business in the capacity of an HR Manager.

The selected candidate will be a strong partner to the HR team and serve as a consultant and partner to project stakeholders, including the vice president of human resources. It is an exciting time of growth at Akima, and the HR director will support that growth and help the HR team evolve with maturing processes, process improvement and change management efforts. The successful candidate should have a positive, team-focused, solutions-oriented mindset and be able to adapt to different working environments while living the Akima core principles.

Additional duties may be assigned, and functions may be modified, according to business necessity. All assigned duties or tasks are deemed to be part of the essential functions, unless such duties or tasks are unrelated to the functions listed, in which case they are deemed to be other (non-essential) functions.

To join our team of outstanding professionals, apply today!

Responsibilities

• Manage the EthicsPoint case system and drive process accountability to all users.
• Lead and take ownership of projects and initiatives. Set clear expectations and priorities for all relevant stakeholders.
• Manage and investigate senior level cases and keep stakeholders engaged on the process and recommendations.
• Be a change agent and positively support and promote process improvement and other initiatives. Provide regular training to users and when updates have been implemented.
• Work closely with the HR operations leadership team and HR managers to provide expertise and hands-on support in areas such as employee retention, employee relations, management coaching, performance management, terminations, and change management.
• Provide configuration and process/procedure recommendations that align with Akima’s growth plan.
• Audit employee relations cases and provide feedback to case owners to ensure data integrity and process accountability.
• Works collaboratively with shared service department teams (compensation, benefits, HRIS, recruiting, payroll, compliance, HR operations, talent development, legal, and labor relations) to address project and/or employees' needs.
• Other duties as assigned.
• Occasional travel is required (less than 25%).
• Deep understanding of state-specific laws, including but not limited to California and other applicable jurisdictions.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in human resources or related area (or equivalent).
• Minimum of 10 years of experience as HR business partner or HR manager.
• Minimum of 5 years of government contracting industry experience.
• Must have experience leading a centralized employee relations function and managing a case management system.
• History of successful project management in a fast paced, rapid growth environment.
• Demonstrated experience in providing hands-on support, that aligns with local laws, for diverse employee populations (1,000+ employees).
• Experience leading, engaging, and motivating teams.
• Effective communication skills, both verbal and written, including presentations; ability to speak confidently and effectively to varied audiences; proven professional writing ability, strong grammar and editing skills. Strong consulting, negotiation, and conflict resolution skills.
• Must be able to work with various departments and work collaboratively to find working solutions for the business.
• Must be well versed in Microsoft applications like Excel, PowerPoint, and Word.
• Must be able to pass a thorough background check.

Desired Qualifications:

• Professional Certification (PHR, SPHR, GPHR, SHRM-CP or SHRM-SCP) preferred.
• Comprehensive knowledge of labor laws, to include both federal and state regulations.
• Working experience with union employees and CBAs (collective bargaining agreements) is a plus.
• Experience supporting employees and leaders working outside of the United States.
• Experience with Deltek, Costpoint, iCIMS, and other relevant software.

Job ID
2025-15587
Work Type
Remote
Pay Range
$150,000 - $250,000
Benefits
Regular - The company offers a comprehensive benefits program, including medical, dental, vision, life insurance, 401(k) and a range of other voluntary benefits. Paid Time Off (PTO) is offered to regular full-time and part-time employees.