Sr Employee Relations Partner

UKG; Trenton (NJ); Remote; USD 84,000 - 119,000; Full time

Job summary

UKG seeking a Senior Employee Relations Partner to advise business leaders and HR partners on a broad range of employee relations matters. You will independently manage ER cases from intake to resolution, balancing risk, policy, and employee experience.

You will collaborate with Legal, Investigations, and HRBPs to ensure consistent practice, implement improvements, and coach leaders through performance challenges while advancing a fair and compliant workplace.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of progressive experience in employee relations, including hands-on management of ER matters
• Working knowledge of U.S. employment laws, HR policies, and ER practices
• Bachelor's degree in HR, Business, or related field, or equivalent experience
• Experience supporting ER in large, complex, dispersed orgs
• Independent judgment, ability to navigate sensitive situations and provide practical recommendations
• Strong consultation, communication, and influencing skills to guide leaders
• Excellent organizational and case management skills; manage competing priorities
• Experience partnering with HRBPs, Legal, and cross-functional teams
• Experience using ER data to identify trends and drive improvements

Responsibilities

• Independently manage ER matters from intake through resolution, including performance concerns and separations
• Advise managers and HRBPs on performance management and corrective actions
• Coach leaders on effective performance management and difficult conversations
• Partner with Legal, Investigations, HRBPs to address sensitive matters and ensure policy application
• Support ER activities related to organizational changes and workforce reductions
• Identify ER trends and opportunities to improve processes and risk mitigation
• Contribute to ER tools, templates, and processes using data and technology

Skills

Employee relations

Consultation

Communication

Independent judgment

Case management

HR policies

Influencing skills

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in HR/Business or related field

Tools

Case management systems

HR data reporting tools

HRIS

Job description

Why UKG:

At UKG, the work you do matters. The code you ship, the decisions you make, and the care you show a customer all add up to real impact. Today, tens of millions of workers start and end their days with our workforce operating platform. Helping people get paid, grow in their careers, and shape the future of their industries. That's what we do.

We never stop learning. We never stop challenging the norm. We push for better, and we celebrate the wins along the way. Here, you'll get flexibility that is real, benefits you can count on, and a team that succeeds together. Because at UKG, your work matters - and so do you.

About the Role

As a Senior Employee Relations Partner within UKG's People & Employment Practices (PEP) team, you will serve as a trusted advisor to business leaders and HR partners, providing practical, consistent, and risk-informed guidance on a broad range of employee relations matters. You will play an important role in promoting a fair, respectful, and compliant workplace while supporting leaders through performance challenges, employee concerns, workplace conduct, and employment decisions.

This role requires strong employee relations judgment, critical thinking, and the ability to independently assess situations, identify risks, and recommend appropriate solutions. The ideal candidate brings curiosity, confidence in advising and influencing leaders, and the ability to navigate sensitive employee matters while balancing business needs, employee experience, and organizational risk.

Key Responsibilities

• Independently manage employee relations matters from intake through resolution, including performance concerns, workplace conduct, disciplinary actions, employee concerns, and employment separations. Gather relevant information, assess risks, recommend appropriate actions, and ensure timely follow-up, clear communication, and accurate case documentation.
• Serve as a trusted advisor to managers and HRBPs, providing practical guidance on performance management, leader coaching, corrective actions, and terminations.
• Coach and influence leaders on effective performance management practices, navigating difficult conversations, and addressing employee concerns, including respectfully challenging proposed actions when appropriate.
• Partner with Legal, Investigations, HRBPs, and other stakeholders to address sensitive matters, ensure appropriate escalation, and support consistent application of company policies and employment practices.
• Support employee relations activities associated with organizational changes, restructures, workforce reductions, and employment separations.
• Identify employee relations trends and opportunities to improve processes, strengthen consistency, mitigate risk, and enhance the employee experience.
• Contribute to the development and refinement of employee relations tools, templates, and processes, leveraging technology and data to support efficiency and continuous improvement.

Basic Qualifications

• 5+ years of progressive experience in employee relations, including substantial hands‑on experience independently managing ER matters involving performance management, workplace conduct, corrective actions, and employment separations.
• Working knowledge of U.S. employment laws, HR policies, and employee relations practices.
• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field, or equivalent experience.
• Experience supporting employee relations in a large, complex, or geographically dispersed organization.
• Demonstrated ability to exercise independent judgment, navigate ambiguous or sensitive situations, critically evaluate information, and develop practical, well‑reasoned recommendations.
• Strong consultation, communication, and influencing skills, with the confidence to challenge assumptions, deliver difficult messages, and guide leaders toward appropriate decisions.
• Strong organizational and case management skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities and drive matters to timely resolution.
• Experience partnering with HRBPs, Legal, and other cross‑functional stakeholders.
• Experience using case management systems, reporting tools, and employee relations data to identify trends and opportunities for improvement.

Preferred Qualifications

• Professional HR certification (SHRM-CP, SHRM-SCP, PHR, or SPHR)

#LIREMOTE

Company Overview:

UKG is the Workforce Operating Platform with unified HR, payroll, and workforce management, built to solve the unique challenges of frontline work. Powered by people‑first AI and decades of labor data, UKG turns workforce intelligence into real‑time decisions around staffing, pay, compliance, and productivity, enabling every worker to confidently take action as work happens. That's why more than 80,000 organizations worldwide trust UKG to run their workforce - not just manage it. Learn more at ukg.com.

Equal Opportunity Employer

UKG is an equal opportunity employer. We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, disability, religion, sex, age, national origin, veteran status, genetic information, and other legally protected categories.

View The EEO Know Your Rights poster (https://www.eeoc.gov/sites/default/files/2022-10/EEOC_KnowYourRights_screen_reader_10_20.pdf)

UKG participates in E-Verify. View the E-Verify posters here (https://www.e-verify.gov/sites/default/files/everify/posters/EVerifyParticipationPoster.pdf) .

It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Disability Accommodation in the Application and Interview Process

For individuals with disabilities that need additional assistance at any point in the application and interview process, please email [e-mail] .

The pay range for this position is $83,500 to $119,050. The actual base pay offered may vary depending on skills, experience, job‑related knowledge and work location. In addition to base pay, employees may be eligible to participate in a performance‑based bonus plan and to receive restricted stock unit awards as part of total compensation. Learn more about UKG's benefits and rewards at https://www.ukg.com/about-us/careers/benefits

It is the policy of Ultimate Software to promote and assure equal employment opportunity for all current and prospective Peeps without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, disability, marital status, familial status, sexual orientation, pregnancy, genetic information, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, veteran status, and any other legally protected status entitled to protection under federal, state, or local anti‑discrimination laws. This policy governs all matters related to recruitment, advertising, and initial selection of employment. It shall also apply to all other aspects of employment, including, but not limited to, compensation, promotion, demotion, transfer, lay‑offs, terminations, leave of absence, and training opportunities.