Why should you join Upbring?

Why work at Upbring? It’s quite simple – when you go to work surrounded by people just as passionate as you, it doesn’t feel like work.

At Upbring, we’re changemakers determined to create a world where all children are loved, protected and cherished. Inspired by faith, we are both warriors and servants for children and families. We’ve been helping children thrive for more than 135 years, and we’re not stopping. Our mission is to break the cycle of child abuse by empowering children, families and communities. And as we accomplish this mission, we have an opportunity to shape not only the way we deliver our programs and services but the way Texas treats children.

The children we serve have dreams, talent and so much potential – but they need dedicated, skillful and compassionate individuals to help them succeed. Our employees are champions for Texas children who give their all to create brighter futures. When you work at Upbring, you’re not just collecting a paycheck; you’re playing a key role in breaking the cycle of child abuse.  To find out more, please visit us online at www.upbring.org.

As a member of the Human Resources department, the Employee Relations Manager is responsible for design, implementation, management and evaluation of Upbring’s  performance management and employee engagement programs. Strategic partner, providing consultative approach to employee relations, problem/solution coaching, performance management, recognition and retention strategies that align with Agency’s strategy. The Employee Relations Manager creates and deploys strategies to equip Upbring leaders with tools and resources to effectively support, coach, recognize and develop staff. Position promotes Agency-wide values, mission and vision to ensure engagement and inclusion of all members of the Upbring family. Position ensures the compliance with laws and regulations in line with Affirmative Action, EEOC, DOL and other employment related compliance programs.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES

• Strategically assesses the effectiveness of current programs in achieving organizational objectives; identifies best practices and benchmarks; and develops recommendations for modifications to align to People Operations strategy and business goals
• Determines and recommends employee relations practices as necessary to establish a positive employer-employee relationship and promote a high level of employee morale and motivation
• Manages, administers and advises management in the progressive discipline system and acts as a SME throughout the implementation of a performance improvement process with non-performing employees
• Acts as an ambassador of Upbring’s cultural values and foster an environment where employee suggestions, concerns, and requests are handled with proper discretion, objectivity and fairness
• Encourages positive employee relations and employee satisfaction through early intervention, proactive action and promotion of the Upbring culture
• Responsible for the resolution of employee and management inquiries, field investigations, one-on-one coaching, performance management, and conflict resolution
• Conduct investigations; assures prompt investigation, resolution and response to all complaints, allegations of wrong-doing or violation of employment law
• Ensures all investigations are closed with appropriate recommended action steps and appropriate follow-up, inclusive of detailed and accurate written investigation reports
• Interprets policies and procedures, incorporating knowledge of state and federal employment laws and practices and provides recommendations to resolve complex employee relations issues
• Tracks and analyzes metrics, to include key trends, root causes, and cycle times, and use the data to create a monthly Executive Summary and maintain internal database for all cases
• Provides ongoing consultation and coaching to executives and middle managers to deliver constructive coaching and mentoring to employees
• Provides talking points, templates, coaching and guidance, and advice to managers in the completion of People Operations processes, working to ensure robust and equitable outcomes
• Ensures the training of supervisors and managers in partnership with the Growth & Development Manager in effective performance management techniques including the development of performance appraisals
• Participates in the annual employee engagement survey process including securing vendors, survey content, launch, and compilation and analysis of results
• Leads and manages the assessment and dissemination of results and oversees the development of post-survey action plans; re-assesses surveys during off-years to identify and recommend new strategies and tools to reflect Upbring climate and perspective
• Conducts periodic surveys including employee focus groups or other engagement tools as needed, to complement engagement survey, to measure employee satisfaction and employee engagement
• Assists in the design, development, implementation of a performance-based performance management system and program; integrate core competencies that align with the expected performance outcomes of the position and the Agency’s retention and succession planning goals
• Monitors and administers the agency’s performance management program
• Conducts Exit Interview process to provide trend analysis, feedback and recommendations 
• Collaborates with Growth & Development Manager on training supervisors on communication of expectations, effective feedback, proactive conflict resolution, and other employee relations issues 
• Responds to unemployment claims for assigned cases; educate and train program management on process; coordinate and represent employer at unemployment hearings
• Manage data in accordance with the agency’s record retention policies and procedures and local, state and federal laws and regulations
• Other duties and special projects as assigned

WORKING RELATIONSHIPS

• Develop and maintain strong working relationships and partnerships with the People Operations team, internal and external clients, program leadership and staff, and vendors. 
• Work as People Operations professional and team player and exhibit professional behavior and a positive attitude with both internal and external clients that reflect positively on the Agency and is consistent with Agency policies and practices.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS & WORK CONDITIONS

• This position requires sitting and looking and using a computer for long periods of time
• Position may make program visits to child facilities and have limited exposure to children
• Position may require long hours, inclusive of weekends based on business or project needs
• Lift, push, pull, move up to 25 lbs

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree required and/or a combination of education and relevant experience in lieu of degree. Degree in People Operations, Organizational Effectiveness/Development, Business Administration or other People Operations related field preferred. 
• 5 years of relevant and progressive experience in employee relations handling complex cases, inclusive of EEOC or other legal cases
• 2 years managing employee engagement and recognition programs 
• 2 years managing full-cycle performance management programs
• Strong conflict resolution and decision-making skills with a strong ability to view situations from different perspectives and strategically present solutions
• Advanced knowledge of current state and federal legal and regulatory legislations in Employment law
• Strong verbal communication and presentation skills with the ability to build positive working relationships with all levels 
• Demonstrated ability to gather and analyze information and translate into empirical data (metrics, structured reporting, data driven analysis); ability to create scorecard and dashboards with relevant information to influence strategic planning, decision making, and meet department and Agency goals and objectives
• Strong time management and organizational skills with the ability to manage competing priorities and meet deadlines
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to work independently, within a team environment and with a diverse group of people at all levels of the agency
• Proficient with Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook) and HRIS 
• Ability to travel based on business needs approximately 25%

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Current professional HR certification issued by HRCI (PHR or SPHR) or SHRM (SHRM-CP or SHRM-SCP) 
• Bilingual Spanish speaking/writing

CAREER PROGRESSION
This position is eligible for promotion/transfer if appropriate position is available, the employee meets minimum qualifications, the promotion/transfer eligibility guidelines are met, and the employee is not on a Performance Improvement Plan (PIP).