Employee Relations Manager, M&T

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Core to Bechtel is our Vision, Values and Commitments. They are what we believe, what customers can expect, and how we deliver. Learn more about our extraordinary teams building inspiring projects in our Impact Report. 

Job Summary:

As the Employee Relations (ER) Lead for Bechtel’s Manufacturing & Technology (M&T) Global Business Unit (GBU), you will play a key role in upholding our Vision, Values, and Commitments (VV&Cs) and maintaining a fair and respectful work environment for all Bechtel colleagues. You will serve as a strategic ER partner to M&T leadership, providing counsel on complex employee relations matters, identifying emerging trends and risks, and developing proactive strategies to strengthen the employee experience and workplace culture across the GBU.

In addition, you will conduct thorough investigations into workplace issues, resolve escalated employee concerns, and provide expert ER guidance to leaders, employees, and HR colleagues.

Major Responsibilities:

• Serve as a strategic Employee Relations partner to M&T GBU leadership and HR (reporting directly to the North America ER Manager with a dotted line to the M&T HR Manager), providing counsel on employee relations trends and emerging employee relations risks, workforce changes, and other matters related to employee experience.
• Develop and execute proactive ER strategies for the M&T GBU based on case trends, workforce data, business priorities, and emerging risks, with an emphasis on prevention and early intervention.
• Establish strong partnerships with project, functional leadership, and HR across M&T, maintain visibility into workforce dynamics and help leaders anticipate and address employee relations issues before they escalate.
• Own the overall health and effectiveness of the ER program within M&T, monitoring case volume, timeliness, trends, outcomes, and emerging risks and regularly providing insights and recommendations to GBU and M&T HR leadership.
• Provide ER support and guidance during significant business or workforce events, including project mobilizations and demobilizations, organizational changes, reductions in force, leadership transitions, and other workforce initiatives.
• Independently manage complex and sensitive employee relations investigations from intake through closure, including investigation planning, interviews, evidence review, credibility assessment, findings, reports, and recommendations.
• Assess incoming concerns to determine appropriate scope, risk, priority, and approach, including whether matters require formal investigation, conflict resolution, management intervention, referral, or escalation.
• Conduct investigations involving allegations of harassment, discrimination, retaliation, workplace violence, conflicts of interest, inappropriate workplace conduct, policy violations, and other sensitive employee matters.
• Partner with HR, Workforce Services, Legal, Ethics & Compliance, Security, and other stakeholders on complex or high-risk matters, including appropriate interim measures, escalation, and resolution.
• Advise HR and business leaders on employee relations matters involving performance, attendance, conduct, workplace conflict, corrective action, and other workplace concerns.
• Identify opportunities for early intervention and alternative resolution, including conflict resolution and other approaches that may resolve workplace concerns without formal investigation when appropriate.
• Maintain disciplined case management practices, including timely case progression, accurate documentation, stakeholder communication, follow-up, and closure consistent with established ER standards and service expectations.
• Support the development and delivery of ER training, tools, playbooks, and guidance designed to strengthen supervisor and HR capability and prevent issues from escalating.
• Handle highly sensitive employee information with appropriate confidentiality, discretion, professionalism, and sound judgment.

Education and Experience Requirements:

• Requires bachelor's degree (or international equivalent) and 10-13  years of relevant experience or 14-17 years of relevant work experience
• AWI-CH or other formal training and/or certification in investigations preferred.
• Demonstrated experience serving as a trusted advisor to senior business and HR leaders on complex employee relations matters and workforce risk.
• Experience developing and implementing proactive ER strategies, programs, or interventions based on workforce trends, case data, and business needs.
• Demonstrated ability to influence leaders and navigate complex or sensitive decisions where stakeholders may have differing perspectives.
• Experience supporting geographically dispersed, project-based, or complex matrixed organizations preferred.
• Proven track record of conducting workplace investigations that will withstand legal scrutiny.
• Strong understanding of employment law, compliance, and ER best practices.
• Travel up to 25% required

Required Knowledge and Skills:

• Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills.
• High level of discretion and ethical judgment.
• Exceptional organizational skills and ability to work with a high degree of autonomy.
• Able to work effectively across geographical and cultural boundaries.
• Able to demonstrate a high degree of empathy balanced against an ability to provide direct feedback and engage in difficult and sensitive conversations.
• Proficiency in analyzing ER data to generate comprehensive reports, identify trends, and derive actionable insights for business and project leaders.

Total Rewards/Benefits:

For decades, Bechtel has worked to inspire the next generation of employees and beyond! Because our teams face some of the world's toughest challenges, we offer robust benefits to ensure our people thrive.  Whether it is advancing careers, delivering programs to enhance our culture, or providing time to recharge, Bechtel has the benefits to build a legacy of sustainable growth. Learn more at Bechtel Total Rewards

Diverse teams build the extraordinary:

As a global company, Bechtel has long been home to a vibrant multitude of nationalities, cultures, ethnicities, and life experiences. This diversity has made us a more trusted partner, more effective problem solvers and innovators, and a more attractive destination for leading talent.

We are committed to being a company where every colleague feels that they belong-where colleagues feel part of "One Team," respected and rewarded for what they bring, supported in pursuing their goals, invested in our values and purpose, and treated equitably. Click here to learn more about the people who power our legacy.