Director, Employee Relations (Remote, US)

Director, Employee Relations

The Director of Employee Relations will lead and continue to scale our Employee Relations (ER) function. This role will facilitate and build discipline with a team of ER specialists and be responsible for developing and enhancing ER strategy, policies, practices and programs as well as hands-on management regarding complex ER issues and investigations. You will be responsible for providing guidance and support in critical matters, including reviewing employee complaints and performance management issues, ensuring thorough and timely investigations conducted with objectivity. This role will also facilitate coaching, training, mentorship, and partnerships with key Splunk stakeholders to produce proactive, positive, and professional employee experiences. The Director of Employee Relations will closely partner with Employment Counsel, HR Business Partners, Legal and Compliance, as well as other key stakeholders, to promote ethics, values and accountability in the workplace and to respond appropriately and fairly to ER concerns. You will make informed recommendations and identify breaches of policies according to Splunk’s globally consistent principles. This role will report into the VP of People Services.

The successful candidate will operate with expert level consultation, guidance and equity regarding all ER matters and investigations. This candidate will have a strong client service background, an impartial mindset, is intensely detail oriented, and strategically proactive, supporting the business and its functions while keeping employee experience top of mind.

Key Responsibilities:

• Build a best-in-class global ER and investigation function. Identify opportunities for scaling, clarity, consistency and improved employee experience while leveraging the expertise and experiences of the ER team.
• Enhance processes around case management, collaboration and handoffs with other stakeholders, maintaining ER policies and practices, and establishing consistent expectations and communications with employees.
• Develop and monitor regular and ad-hoc ER reporting. Utilize a case management system to log cases. Develop data driven insights to identify trends and proactively recommend solutions to improve performance, retention, employee experience and remedy risk. 
• Directly conduct or oversee investigations that tend to be most complex, have significant risk or are high visibility situations to successful resolution. Act as a collaborator and consulting partner for ER team members on complex questions and cases.
• Act as the advocate for ER with a focus on enhancing the awareness and practices of leaders and managers. Coach and assist managers in developing performance management/corrective action plans. Predict high-impact issues and recommend solutions.
• Conduct timely, fair, and equitable investigations into employee complaints and allegations of misconduct, in line with local policies, practices and legal frameworks.
• Build and maintain a strong partnership with Legal to assess and mitigate risk in support of Splunk’s culture. And liaise with and advise the HR Business Partners on how to appropriately manage and resolve investigations and other  complex ER issues.
• Collaborate and consult on the design and delivery of ER programs and training with Legal and the COEs to deliver effective solutions. Provide consultative support and guidance to managers on implementation / execution of core People programs.
• Partner with team members throughout the People organization to communicate and educate on policies, procedures, and compliance.
• Understand the client groups, strategy, challenges, business initiatives and business model.

What It Takes To Succeed:

• An expert with extensive ER experience, hands on and detail oriented, able to build discipline and structure around key ER strategies, policies, practices and programs at a global scale. 
• Highly effective at working collaboratively with stakeholders: being consultative, influencing, coaching, managing expectations, and delivering high quality experiences. Able to build credibility quickly.
• An accomplished leader in Employee Relations, able to build strong relationships to enable stakeholders, coaching others, and building a diverse, high performing team. A self-driven professional with a resolution-oriented mindset.
• Expert in critical thinking and problem solving, detail oriented and exceptional communication skills.
• Ability to work with all levels across the organization and make recommendations by going beyond the obvious.
• Extensive experience in a rapidly scaling business, implementing new approaches and managing employee relations professionals.
• Experience implementing an ER case management system.

Required Experience:

• Bachelor's Degree required, or equivalent combination of education and related experience.
• 10 years of employee relations and investigations experience, 5 years of leading a global ER team within a high-growth SaaS  or technology environment.
• Solid global Employee Relations case management and advisory experience and/or Employment Legal experience, including hands-on investigations experience is a must.
• Sound knowledge of global employment laws and regulations with a high bar for integrity.
• Strong leadership skills with the ability to frame, confront and present complex issues to varying audiences, influence and make difficult decisions.
• Must have excellent verbal and written communications skills with the ability to consult, coach and communicate effectively in a variety of situations.
• Is committed to the highest standards of excellence, confidentiality, and personal integrity.
• Experience creating and delivering impactful solutions and training focused on how to handle employee relations issues and investigations.
• Deep understanding of and ability to be impartial, use sound judgment, especially when it comes to decisions, confidential documents, and communications.