Employee Relations Partner

#WeAreONEOK – Fortune 500 company. 100+ years in business. Leading midstream service provider. Safety first. Sustainable operations. Environmentally responsible. Employee focused.

JOB SUMMARY

ONEOK provides safe, reliable, and sustainable midstream services in the energy sector. Our strong commitment to safety, integrity, career growth, and a supportive, inclusive work environment is at the core of what we do. The Employee Relations Partner role is a strategic and trusted partner to both employees and leaders, leveraging data storytelling to enhance internal best practices and foster strong relationships. This role involves being a neutral fact-finder to ensure fair experiences for all employees, addressing grievances, and promoting a healthy work environment through consistent approaches and predictive data analysis. The company values diverse candidates who embody our values and encourages applications even from those who may not meet every single qualification, skill, or ability listed.

Job Profile Summary
We are seeking a highly skilled Employee Relations Partner to join our dynamic team. The ideal candidate will possess a strong background in employee relations or other HR related work, with a focus on providing strategic guidance to leaders, effectively administering corrective action in alignment with company policies, procedures, and the collective bargaining agreement. This individual will play a key role in fostering positive relationships between employees and management while ensuring compliance with company policies and legal regulations. Additionally, the Employee Relations Partner will evaluate and facilitate employee requests for workplace accommodations.

Essential Functions and Responsibilities

• Conduct thorough investigations into employee grievances, complaints, and disciplinary matters, promoting fairness and consistency in decision-making.

• Evaluate and facilitate reasonable accommodation requests, ensuring compliance with company policies and legal regulations, maintaining open communication with employees and supervisors, and periodically reviewing and adjusting accommodations as necessary to support employee needs and job performance.

• Collaborate with HR Business Partners and other stakeholders to address employee relations issues and coordinate holistic solutions that will promote belonging, engagement, and equity.

• Recommend and coordinate the administration of corrective action, up to and including termination of employment, in alignment with company policies and the collective bargaining agreement.

• Manage policy administration, including the development, review, and communication of employee relations policies and procedures.

• Advise management on best practices for maintaining positive employee relations and fostering a respectful and inclusive work environment.

• Develop and deliver training programs in partnership with HR Centers of Expertise for leaders and employees on topics such as conflict resolution, communication, labor relations, leadership development and compliance with company policies.

• Analyze trends and metrics related to employee relations, providing insights and recommendations to drive continuous improvement in employee experience, employee engagement, culture, and leadership development.

• Tell stories with data to illustrate key trends, challenges, and opportunities in employee relations, guiding decision-making and strategy development.

• Provide strategic guidance and support to leaders on the union grievance process, including interpretation of the collective bargaining agreement and resolution of disputes.

Education

• Bachelor's Degree in human resources, labor relations, business administration or related field, or an equivalent combination of formal education and the following job-related experience

Work Experience

• 3 - 5 years related work experience relevant experience in a human resources role preferred

• Exposure to employee relations, demonstrating the candidate's ability to navigate HR challenges and contribute effectively to the employee relations function.

• Prior experience in a role that requires managing or resolving employee issues, conducting investigations, or supporting HR policies and procedures will be highly regarded.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Skills in: Listening: Listen Intently and collect facts and evidence while remaining neutral to the situation at hand. Essential for understanding employee concerns and providing appropriate support.

• Ability to: Collaborate: Demonstrate a passion for Employee Relations (ER) and views the role as fully integrated in HR strategy and purpose, not transactional or siloed. Provide support and coaching to managers and employees.

• Ability to: Establish Relationships across all levels of the organization, making both frontline employees and executives feel comfortable.

• Ability to: Recognize the importance of listening without judgment, especially during stressful times, and provides a supportive environment for employees.

• Ability to: Ensure objective investigations, requiring neutrality when stepping in as an ER professional. Makes recommendations based on facts and evidence.

• Skills in: Strong analytical skills to interpret data and navigate ambiguity.

• Ability to: Leverage expertise and develop critical thinking and conflict resolution skills.

• Skills in: Effective communication skills are crucial for conveying information clearly and effectively to all levels of the organization.

• Ability to: Influence others and drive change within the organization.

• Skills in: Strong writing skills for documenting investigations and creating reports.

• Skills in: Investigation/Fact-Finding Skills: Proficiency in conducting thorough investigations and fact-finding missions.

• Ability to: Respectfully Challenge: The ability to question assumptions, challenge any line of thinking that is inconsistent with our values and practices, and address problems in a respectful and constructive manner. This skill involves critical thinking, effective communication, and empathy to ensure that challenges are posed in a way that fosters understanding and improvement rather than conflict.

• Ability to: Comfort with Data: Ability to work with and interpret data, ensuring decisions are data-driven.

• Ability to: Demonstrate Adaptability and Agility: Demonstrates the ability to remain flexible and adjust to changing circumstances and priorities, thriving in a dynamic environment by managing multiple tasks and projects simultaneously. Quickly learns new skills and technologies as required by evolving job demands, maintaining effectiveness during major changes in work responsibilities or environment. Adjusts to new work structures, processes, requirements, or cultures with ease, proactively seeking opportunities to improve and innovate, embracing change as a constant.

Licenses and Certifications

• Certification in HR or employee relations (e.g., PHR, SHRM-CP) preferred

Strength Factor Rating - Physical Demands/Requirements

• Sedentary Work - Exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally (Occasionally: activity or condition exists up to 1/3 of the time) and/or a negligible amount of force frequently (Frequently: activity or condition exists from 1/3 to 2/3 of the time) to lift, carry, push, pull, or otherwise move objects, including the human body. Sedentary work involves sitting most of the time, but may involve walking or standing for brief periods of time. Jobs are sedentary if walking and standing are required only occasionally and all other sedentary criteria are met.

Strength Factor Description - Physical Demands/Requirements

• Standing: Remaining on one's feet in an upright position at a work station without moving about (Occasionally)

• Walking: Moving about on foot (Frequently)

• Sitting: Remaining in a seated position (Constantly)

• Lifting: Raising or lowering an object from one level to another (includes upward pulling) (Occasionally)

• Carrying: Transporting an object, usually holding it in the hands or arms, or on the shoulder (Occasionally)

• Pushing: Exerting force upon an object so that the object moves away from the force (Occasionally)

• Pulling: Exerting force upon an object so that the object moves toward the force (includes jerking) (Occasionally)

• Climbing: Ladders, Stairs (Occasionally)

• Balancing: Maintaining body equilibrium to prevent falling (Occasionally)

• Stooping: Bending the body downward and forward by bending the spine at the waist (Occasionally)

• Kneeling: Bending the legs at the knees to come to rest on the knee or knees (Occasionally)

• Crouching: Bending the body downward and forward by bending the legs and spine (Occasionally)

• Crawling: Moving about on the hands and arms in any direction (Occasionally)

• Reaching: Extending hands and arms in any direction (Constantly)

• Handling: Seizing, holding, grasping, turning or otherwise working with the hand or hands (Manual Dexterity) (Constantly)

• Fingering: Picking, pinching or otherwise working with the fingers primarily (Finger Dexterity) (Constantly)

• Feeling: Perceiving such attributes of objects/materials as size, shape, temperature, texture, movement or pulsation by receptors in the skin, particularly those of the finger tips (Constantly)

• Talking: Expressing or exchanging ideas/information by means of the spoken word (Frequently)

• Hearing: Perceiving the nature of sound by the ear (Frequently)

• Tasting/Smelling: (Occasionally)

• Near Vision: Clarity of vision at 20 inches or less (Constantly)

• Far Vision: Clarity of vision at 20 feet for more (Frequently)

• Depth Perception: Three-dimensional vision; ability to judge distances and spatial relationships so as to see objects where and as they actually are (Frequently)

• Vision: Color - The ability to identify and distinguish colors (Constantly)

Working Conditions/Environment

• Employee is subject to inside environmental conditions

Working Conditions

• Well lighted, climate controlled areas (Constantly)

• Frequent repetitive motion (Constantly)

• CRT (Computer Monitor(s)) (Constantly)

Travel

• Travel to other locations and job sites out-of-doors required

Driving

• Based on assigned tasks, employee may be assigned a company vehicle requiring the applicable driver's license

ONEOK is an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity and inclusion. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, age, religion, creed, national origin, gender identity, disability, military/veteran status, genetic information or any other categories protected by applicable law.

The job description is not intended to be a complete list of all responsibilities, duties or skills required for the job and is subject to review and change at any time, with or without notice, in accordance with the needs of ONEOK.

ONEOK is committed to making our workplace accessible to individuals with disabilities and will provide reasonable accommodations, upon request, for individuals to participate in the application and hiring process. To request an accommodation email [email protected] or call 1-855-663-6547​. #LI-HYBRID

Expected Salary Range

$82,000.00 - $122,000.00