Associate Director, Employee Relations

We are hiring amazing humans, and we hope that includes you!

Are you looking for more than just a job? At Chewy, you’ll find yourself on a career path with other incredible humans, like yourself. A place where you can be your authentic self and grow your career. Our pet parents and partners are from everywhere--different places and different walks of life. It is what makes them unique. Likewise, Chewtopians are encouraged to bring their unique perspectives to deliver on our mission. We want to give you the opportunity to grow, earn competitive pay, and be happy while you do it. Sounds simple, but we love it!

Our Opportunity:

Chewy is hiring an Associate Director, Employee Relations, to lead a dedicated Employee Relations team (ER COE). You will ensure your team of Investigators is successful and supported in their role, conducting consistent and reliable investigations for Chewy Team Members. Your role will be hands-on in resolving high-complexity, high-profile cases, while also inspecting and supervising the resolution of cases managed by your team. You will be responsible for investigation integrity, as well as the team's performance against critical metrics such as output (volume completed), case closure speed against SLA, the quality of the investigation conducted, and the experience/care provided by the investigator. You will make recommendations for corrective and disciplinary actions and provide partnership and support to HR teams to minimize risk across the company.

 What You’ll Do:

• Lead the ER COE team that conducts investigations from formal Team Member complaints, including violations of the code of conduct, policy violations, and harassment or discrimination allegations
• Maintain an active caseload to play a hands-on role in support of the team
• Build effective partnerships with Legal, Compliance, and HRBP teams to support compliant resolutions and provide effective delivery for investigation outcomes
• Stay up to date on trends and changes in Human Resources and employment legislation; working with the Legal department to ensure the investigation process follows state and federal government requirements
• Develop strategies to centralize and standardize Chewy's Employee Relations function and processes
• Promote positive employee experience through the leadership of the ER function, as well as the design, communication, and interpretation of HR policies and programs
• Provide insight and recommendations to leaders on the handling of performance issues, investigations, grievances, disciplinary actions (including documentation and assistance with legal review), and performance improvement plans
• Collaborate with business leaders and legal counsel regarding company’s employment termination process as appropriate
• Provide guidance to HR Business Partners on the creation and delivery of Performance Assessments and feedback for employees with performance gaps
• Lead the development and supervise the execution of consistent investigative methods, practices, and procedures, making recommendations to ensure fairness to employees, adherence to company policies, and legal defensibility
• Drive continuous improvement on Employee Relations policies, and practices
• Establish and develop influential relationships with HRBPs and other HR COE leaders to stay up-to-date on future business challenges, proactively identifying issues to aid in avoiding and preventing future employee relations issues

What You’ll Need:

• Bachelor’s Degree or related equivalent experience
• 8+ years of corporate experience in HR, including 5 years of Employee Relations experience with an emphasis on investigations (such as HR Compliance, Internal Audit, Paralegal, etc.)
• 4 years of leadership experience, demonstrating the ability to lead teams, drive critical initiatives, and collaborate effectively with cross-functional departments
• Ability to influence without authority across organizations and ensuring activities are processed timely and accurately
• Understanding of statutory regulations including FMLA, FLSA, EEO, Privacy and state/country laws
• Accurate and meticulous with excellent problem-solving skills and proven case report writing experience
• Exceptional customer service focus (internal and external), and professional interaction at all levels, from front-line to executive level
• Maintain absolute confidentiality and exercise sound judgement in investigation and employee relations activities
• Some travel may be required, based on business needs