Sr. HR Partner: Employee Relations & Institutional Compliance

The Senior HR Partner, Employee Relations & Institutional Compliance serves as a senior individual contributor responsible for providing advanced consultation and independently managing complex employee relations, civil rights, workplace investigation, accommodation, and institutional compliance matters.

The Senior HR Partner exercises significant independent judgment in managing assigned matters, advising leaders, conducting investigations, identifying organizational risk, and developing practical recommendations. Complex, high-risk, precedent-setting, or institutionally significant matters are escalated to the Director, who retains functional ownership, program oversight, and decision authority.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

1. Employee Relations & Leader Consultation – 30%

• Provide advanced consultation to leaders regarding employee relations, performance management, corrective action, workplace conflict, employee complaints, policy application, and other workplace matters.
• Independently assess complex employee concerns and recommend appropriate courses of action consistent with University policies and practices.
• Coach leaders on effective issue resolution, documentation, performance expectations, and employee communication.
• Support employee relations matters associated with organizational and workforce changes.
• Identify recurring trends, organizational risks, and opportunities for proactive intervention.

2. Civil Rights Compliance & Workplace Investigations – 25%

• Conduct prompt, thorough, impartial, and appropriately documented investigations involving discrimination, harassment, retaliation, sexual misconduct, workplace misconduct, and other policy concerns.
• Conduct investigative planning; complainant, respondent, and witness interviews; gathering testimonial, documentary and electronic evidence; trauma-informed investigative practices; and preparation of comprehensive investigative reports.
• Support matters arising under Title VI, Title VII, Title IX, and other applicable civil rights and employment requirements.
• Maintain appropriate neutrality, discretion, confidentiality, and professional judgment when handling sensitive matters.
• Escalate complex or significant institutional risks to the Director/Title IX Coordinator.

3. ADA & Workplace Accommodations – 20%

• Administer assigned workplace accommodation matters, including intake, documentation, interactive process discussions, case management, and follow-up.
• Consult with employees and leaders regarding essential job functions, workplace limitations, potential accommodations, and operational considerations.
• Develop accommodation recommendations consistent with established University procedures and applicable requirements.
• Maintain appropriate confidentiality of medical and accommodation information.
• Escalate complex, high-risk, disputed, or potentially precedent-setting accommodation matters to the Director.

4. Case Management, Compliance & Risk – 15%

• Manage assigned employee relations, civil rights, investigation, and accommodation cases from intake through resolution.
• Maintain accurate, timely, and confidential case documentation and monitor applicable deadlines and follow-up requirements.
• Apply established employment and institutional policies consistently and identify matters requiring policy interpretation or escalation.
• Analyze case trends and data to identify systemic concerns, emerging risks, and opportunities for process improvement.
• Support compliance assessments, reporting, audits, and other institutional risk-management activities as assigned.

5. Education & Institutional Partnership – 10%

• Develop and deliver training and guidance related to employee relations, civil rights, workplace conduct, investigations, accommodations, reporting responsibilities, and related compliance matters.
• Build effective partnerships across Human Resources, Academic Affairs, Student Affairs, Legal Affairs, Public Safety, and other University functions.
• Participate in institutional committees, working groups, and initiatives related to employee relations, civil rights, compliance, and workplace effectiveness.
• Support policy review, process improvement, and prevention initiatives.
• Perform other duties consistent with the scope and level of the position.

Requisite Experience

• Seven to ten years of progressively responsible experience in employee relations, workplace investigations, civil rights compliance, Title IX, Human Resources, employment compliance, or a related field.

• Demonstrated experience independently managing complex civil rights investigations and sensitive employee relations investigations.

• Experience advising leaders on performance management, corrective action, workplace conflict, policy interpretation, and employee concerns.

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Legal Studies, Organizational Leadership, Higher Education Administration, Psychology, or a related field required.

Functional & Professional Competencies

• Advanced employee relations consultation and problem-solving.
• Workplace and civil rights investigation expertise.
• Working knowledge of Title VI, Title VII, Title IX, ADA, FMLA, and related employment and civil rights requirements.
• Strong case management and documentation capabilities.
• Ability to assess complex situations, identify risks, and develop practical recommendations.
• Strong consultation, facilitation, conflict-resolution, and relationship-management skills.
• Ability to influence leaders and stakeholders without formal authority.
• Strong written, verbal, analytical, and organizational skills.
• Demonstrated judgment, impartiality, discretion, and professionalism when handling sensitive matters.
• Ability to recognize matters requiring escalation based on legal, institutional, reputational, or operational risk