Senior Employee Relations Specialist

Vaco Recruiter Services; Blacklick (OH); On-site; USD 90,000 - 125,000; Full time

Job summary

Vaco Recruiter Services seeks a Senior Employee Relations Specialist to provide hands-on HR support for a large hourly workforce. This on-site role emphasizes workplace investigations, performance and conduct issues, policy interpretation, and employment-law compliance.

The ideal candidate has extensive employee relations experience, will coach frontline leaders in real time, handle sensitive matters with practical judgment, and maintain thorough documentation while partnering with HR and

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required.
• 8+ years of progressive HR experience, with significant employee relations responsibilities.
• Demonstrated experience independently conducting workplace investigations.
• Experience supporting a large hourly or frontline workforce.
• Knowledge of federal and state employment laws and advising leaders on compliant HR practices.
• Experience with performance management, progressive discipline, terminations, conflict resolution.
• Comfortable maintaining a highly visible presence within an operational environment.
• Experience within manufacturing, distribution, logistics, warehousing, healthcare, hospitality, or another large hourly environment preferred.
• Labor relations experience, including exposure to union environments, is highly preferred.
• Working knowledge of ADA accommodations, FMLA, leaves, and related employment matters.
• Excellent judgment, communication, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to work a fully onsite, nontraditional schedule that includes evening and weekend coverage.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a primary employee relations resource for a large hourly and frontline employee population.
• Provide hands-on HR support throughout the workplace, engaging with employees and supervisors to address concerns.
• Lead workplace investigations involving employee complaints, misconduct, policy violations, workplace conflict, and other sensitive matters.
• Guide supervisors through performance management, attendance issues, progressive discipline, corrective action, and terminations.
• Respond to employee relations issues and provide timely guidance to operational leaders.
• Interpret and apply HR policies, employment laws, and established workplace practices.
• Advise managers on employee performance, conduct, workplace conflict, and other personnel matters.
• Support ADA accommodations, FMLA and leave-related matters with HR resources.
• Maintain thorough documentation related to investigations, disciplinary actions, and employee relations matters.
• Identify trends within employee relations activity and recommend opportunities to improve policies, processes, training, and manager effectiveness.
• Build trusted relationships with employees and leaders by maintaining a consistent and visible presence within the operation.
• Support labor relations activities, including interpretation of collective bargaining agreements, grievances, and other union-related matters, as applicable.
• Partner with the broader HR team on initiatives supporting employee engagement, retention, compliance, and organizational effectiveness.

Skills

Communication

Investigations

Employee relations

Coaching managers

Documentation

Education

Bachelor's degree

Job description

Position requires working 100% on-site. Multiple schedules are available, with current needs primarily on second and third shifts, including weekend coverage.

A growing organization is seeking a Senior Employee Relations Specialist to provide hands‑on HR support within a large, fast‑paced hourly workforce. This position will serve as a key employee relations resource for employees and frontline leaders, with a particular focus on workplace investigations, performance and conduct issues, conflict resolution, policy interpretation, and employment law.

This is a highly visible, hands‑on position that will spend significant time working directly with employees and supervisors in the operational environment. The ideal candidate brings extensive employee relations experience and is comfortable independently assessing complex situations, coaching leaders in real time, and resolving issues in a practical and consistent manner.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a primary employee relations resource for a large hourly and frontline employee population.
• Provide hands‑on HR support throughout the workplace, regularly engaging with employees and supervisors to proactively identify and address concerns.
• Lead workplace investigations involving employee complaints, misconduct, policy violations, workplace conflict, and other sensitive matters.
• Guide supervisors through performance management, attendance issues, progressive discipline, corrective action, and terminations.
• Respond to employee relations issues as they arise and provide timely guidance to operational leaders.
• Interpret and consistently apply HR policies, employment laws, and established workplace practices.
• Advise managers on employee performance, conduct, workplace conflict, and other personnel matters.
• Support ADA accommodations, FMLA and leave‑related matters, and other employment‑law considerations in partnership with appropriate HR resources.
• Maintain thorough and accurate documentation related to investigations, disciplinary actions, and employee relations matters.
• Identify trends within employee relations activity and recommend opportunities to improve policies, processes, training, and manager effectiveness.
• Build trusted relationships with employees and leaders by maintaining a consistent and visible presence within the operation.
• Support labor relations activities, including interpretation of collective bargaining agreements, grievances, and other union‑related matters, as applicable.
• Partner with the broader HR team on initiatives supporting employee engagement, retention, compliance, and organizational effectiveness.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required.
• 8+ years of progressive Human Resources experience, with significant responsibility for employee relations.
• Demonstrated experience independently conducting workplace investigations and managing complex employee relations matters from intake through resolution.
• Experience supporting a large hourly or frontline workforce required.
• Knowledge of federal and state employment laws and experience advising leaders on compliant HR practices.
• Experience with performance management, progressive discipline, terminations, conflict resolution, and supervisor coaching.
• Comfortable maintaining a highly visible presence within an operational environment and working directly with employees and frontline leadership.
• Experience within manufacturing, distribution, logistics, warehousing, healthcare, hospitality, or another large hourly environment preferred.
• Labor relations experience, including exposure to union environments, collective bargaining agreements, grievances, or union representatives, is highly preferred.
• Working knowledge of ADA accommodations, FMLA, leaves, and related employment matters.
• Excellent judgment, communication, and problem‑solving skills with the ability to remain composed when handling sensitive or time‑critical employee situations.
• Ability to work a fully onsite, nontraditional schedule that includes evening and weekend coverage.

By submitting to this position, you are agreeing to be included in our talent pool for future hiring for similarly qualified positions.