Employee Relations Specialist
We’re looking for a proactive, detail‑oriented Employee Relations Specialist who’s ready to jump in and make an impact. In this role, you’ll support our Human Resources - Operations team by handling employee relations, managing HRIS systems, and driving the core HR processes that keep our organization running smoothly.
Essential Functions:
Employee Relations
- Serve as the first point of contact for employee concerns, conducting initial investigations and escalating when appropriate.
- Coach supervisors on performance and policy matters while supporting training on respectful workplace practices.
- Identify trends, recommend proactive solutions, and maintain accurate, confidential documentation.
HRIS & Data Management
- Act as the HRIS expert for configuration, reporting, and data integrity.
- Lead audits, reconciliations, and compliance‑driven reporting.
- Troubleshoot issues and partner with IT and vendors on improvements.
- Train HR and operational leaders on system tools and reporting.
Operational HR Support
- Lead and support HR projects that improve efficiency and experience.
- Provide hands‑on support during peak seasons and special events.
- A collaborative, detail‑oriented, eager‑to‑learn mindset.
If you love variety, collaboration, and being the person people rely on to get things right, apply and bring your strengths to our HR Generalist role!
Benefits
- Most Benefits start Day 1
- Medical, Dental, Vision Insurance
- Flex Spending or HSA
- 401(k) with company match
- Profit-Sharing/ Defined Contribution (1-year waiting period)
- PTO/ Paid Holidays
- Company-paid ST and LT Disability
- Maternity Leave/ Parental Leave
- Subsidized Parking
- Company-paid Term Life/ Accidental Death Insurance
About Cottingham & Butler:
At Cottingham & Butler, we sell a promise to help our clients through life’s toughest moments. To deliver on that promise, we aim to hire, train, and grow the best professionals in the industry. We look for people with an insatiable desire to succeed, are committed to growing, and thrive on challenges. Our culture is guided by the theme of “better every day” constantly pushing ourselves to be better than yesterday – that’s who we are and what we believe in.
As an organization, we are tremendously optimistic about the future and have incredibly high expectations for our people and our performance. Our ability to grow as a company, fuels investments in new resources to better serve our clients and provide the amazing career opportunities our employees want and deserve. This is why we are a growth company and why we are committed to being better every day.
Want to learn more? Follow us on www.CottinghamButler.com | LinkedIn | Facebook
Skills Required
- Experience handling employee relations cases and conducting investigations
- Ability to coach supervisors on performance and policy matters
- Experience with HRIS configuration, reporting, and data integrity
- Experience leading audits, reconciliations, and compliance-driven reporting
- Ability to troubleshoot system issues and partner with IT and vendors
- Experience training HR and operational leaders on system tools and reporting
- Experience leading and supporting HR projects and providing hands-on operational support
- Detail-oriented, collaborative, eager-to-learn mindset
Cottingham & Butler Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about Cottingham & Butler and has not been reviewed or approved by Cottingham & Butler.
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Strong & Reliable Incentives — Variable pay elements—such as commissions, bonuses, and profit sharing—create meaningful earning upside in certain roles. Feedback suggests these incentives contribute to stronger satisfaction where performance pay is prominent.
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Retirement Support — A 401(k) with company match and profit sharing strengthens long‑term savings potential. Feedback suggests tax‑advantaged accounts and, in some roles, day‑one eligibility add tangible value.
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Parental & Family Support — Priority access and discounted rates at the Dubuque HQ onsite childcare center directly support working parents. Family‑oriented perks complement the broader health and time‑off offerings.
Cottingham & Butler Insights
What We Do
Cottingham & Butler is the 31st largest insurance broker in the U.S. and a recognized leader in offering innovative property & casualty and employee benefit insurance solutions. The company is headquartered in Dubuque, Iowa, and employs over 1,200 employees across the U.S. Better Every Day. That's our promise to our clients. We deliver better advice, better service, and better ideas than our competitors. Every Day. It's a commitment to challenging conventional wisdom, innovating, improving how we serve our clients and growing as industry professionals. This approach has produced superior results for our clients, and a growth track record that has propelled us forward since 1887
