Employee Relations Senior Manager

Job Description Employee Relations Senior Manager Position Summary The Employee Relations Senior Manager serves as a trusted advisor and strategic partner to leaders, HR, Legal, Compliance, and employees in fostering a fair, respectful, and compliant workplace. This role leads complex employee relations matters, workplace investigations, and policy interpretation while helping the organization proactively identify and address workforce risks and trends. The Senior Manager plays a critical role in safeguarding employee experience, ensuring consistent application of policies and practices, and influencing organizational culture through objective, evidence-based decision making. This individual will also help modernize and scale employee relations processes, tools, and reporting to improve operational effectiveness and organizational insight. Key Responsibilities Employee Relations & Investigations Lead and manage complex employee relations matters involving: Harassment and discrimination complaints Workplace conduct concerns Retaliation allegations Performance and behavioral issues Substance abuse concerns Mental health and wellness-related workplace matters Conflict of interest reviews Other sensitive workplace issues Conduct thorough, objective, and timely investigations involving employees, managers, and leaders. Gather and evaluate evidence, interview parties and witnesses, determine findings, and develop recommendations. Produce comprehensive investigation documentation, reports, and executive summaries that clearly articulate facts, findings, risk considerations, and recommended actions. Strategic Partnership & Consultation Partner closely with HR Business Partners, Legal, Compliance, Privacy, Internal Audit, Ethics, and business leaders to resolve sensitive employee matters. Serve as a trusted advisor to managers and leaders regarding: Employment policies Employee conduct Workplace risk mitigation Performance management Corrective action Employee engagement concerns Influence decision making by providing balanced, objective perspectives and practical recommendations. Policy & Compliance Interpret and apply company policies while ensuring consistency, fairness, and legal compliance. Support policy governance efforts by identifying gaps, recommending enhancements, and contributing to policy development. Maintain strong knowledge of federal, state, and international employment laws and emerging workplace trends. ER Operations & Insights Manage employee relations cases through case management systems and ensure accurate documentation and tracking. Analyze employee relations data and trends to identify systemic issues and opportunities for organizational improvement. Develop dashboards, reporting, and insights that inform HR and business leaders regarding workplace risk and employee experience trends. Culture & Organizational Impact Act as a steward of organizational culture and employee experience. Identify recurring themes and emerging workforce risks and escalate insights to HR leadership. Recommend proactive interventions, manager training, and process improvements to strengthen workplace culture and accountability. Help shape scalable employee relations practices as the function continues to evolve and modernize. Qualifications Required Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business, Psychology, Organizational Development, Employment Law, or related field. 8-12+ years of progressive HR or Employee Relations experience, with a minimum of 3-5 years of Employee Relations focus. Significant experience conducting complex workplace investigations independently. Strong knowledge of: Employee relations practices Employment law Workplace compliance HR policies and procedures Demonstrated ability to influence senior leaders and navigate highly sensitive situations. Excellent interviewing, investigation, analytical, and report-writing skills. Exceptional judgment, discretion, and ability to manage confidential information. Preferred Experience within highly regulated industries such as: Pharmaceuticals Biotechnology Medical Devices Healthcare Financial Services Other regulated environments Experience supporting global organizations and cross-border employee relations matters. Experience implementing or optimizing employee relations case management systems such as ServiceNow or similar platforms. HR certification (SPHR, SHRM-SCP, AWI-CH, or equivalent). Critical Success Factors The successful candidate will demonstrate: Deep expertise in workplace investigations Ability to proactively identify facts, ask insightful questions, and uncover root causes Strong storytelling and influence skills when presenting findings and recommendations Objectivity and sound judgment in ambiguous situations Emotional resilience and composure under pressure Ability to balance employee advocacy with organizational risk management Strong collaboration across HR, Legal, Compliance, Privacy, and business stakeholders Commitment to creating a fair, respectful, and accountable workplace Impact of the Role This role significantly influences employee trust, workplace culture, risk mitigation, and leadership effectiveness. The Employee Relations Senior Manager serves as a critical connector across HR functions and business stakeholders, ensuring employees are treated fairly, organizational values are upheld, and leaders are equipped to address workplace issues consistently and effectively. #HYBRID #LI-MF1 At Vertex, we embrace continuous learning and encourage employees to stay informed on advances in AI, technology, automation, and industry trends. We seek talent who bring an external perspective, demonstrate curiosity and sound judgment, and thoughtfully adopt new capabilities that improve decision-making, drive innovation, increase efficiency, and help deliver better outcomes for patients. Pay Range: $121,100 - $181,700 Di