As a not-for-profit organization, Mass General Brigham HealthCare is committed to supporting patient care, research, teaching, and service to the community by leading innovation across our system. Founded by Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital, Mass General Brigham HealthCare supports a complete continuum of care including community and specialty hospitals, a managed care organization, a physician network, community health centers, home care and other health-related entities. Several of our hospitals are teaching affiliates of Harvard Medical School, and our system is a national leader in biomedical research.

We’re focused on a people-first culture for our system’s patients and our professional family. That’s why we provide our employees with more ways to achieve their potential. Mass General Brigham HealthCare is committed to aligning our employees’ personal aspirations with projects that match their capabilities and creating a culture that empowers our managers to become trusted mentors. We support each member of our team to own their personal development—and we recognize success at every step.

General Summary of Position:

Under the direction of the Director of Human Resources—Employee Relations, the Employee Relations Partner is responsible for advising managers and HR Business Partners (HRBPs) at Brigham & Women’s Hospital (BWH) regarding employee relations situations and the interpretation of personnel policies, State/Federal and employment laws. The incumbent will provide comprehensive internal employee consultation throughout BWH, may be asked to prepare responses to internal and external complaints, conduct investigations, write reports and present findings and recommendations. The incumbent will develop and evaluate overall employee relations trends/themes and proactively make recommendations to address root cuses. The incumbent will assess and conduct training on employee relations and will partner with the HRBPs to implement recommendations to address employee relations issues. The incumbent may need to partner with MGB Centers of Execellent (COEs) including the Employee Relations/ Labor Relations team as well as the Office of General Counsel, as needed.

PRINCIPAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: Indicate key areas of responsibility, major job duties, special projects and key objectives for this position. These items should be evaluated throughout the year and included in the written annual evaluation.

1. Advises HRBPs, Managers and Executives system wide concerning employee relations issues around concerns in scope of workplace violence, discrimination, harassment, substance abuse, abusive conduct, reductions in force, diversion, privacy breach etc.

2. Conducts sensitive, confidential, objective and thorough investigations. Prepares reports of the findings, presents findings to specific audiences, and makes recommendations to address root cause issues.Consults, as needed and/or directed, with ER/LR COE, HRBPs, and HR Leadership as appropriate.

3. Partners with Sr. Employee Relations Consultant to develop and evaluate overall employee relations trends/themes across organization and system to understand and address root causes.

4. Works with HRBPs, Learning & Organizational Development, Employee/Labor Relations, and local Employee Relations colleagues to address root causes. Educates employees, managers, and leaders at all levels about effective management practices and leadership styles.

5. Using data and analytics, provides guidance and direction to managers to enhance diversity and inclusion efforts, support workplace culture, and improve employee engagement

6. Partners with system ER/LR COE and Office of General Counsel to assist with the preparation of a response to complaints filed with the MCAD, EEOC or other relevant agencies. May be required to attend and/or testify at hearings and arbitrations as appropriate.

7. Consults with HRBPs and managers concerning the processing of problem resolution cases, assists with gathering all required documentation and takes lead on problem resolution cases directly related to investigations that the ERP conducted, as necessary.

8. Partners with ER/LR Center of Excellence to creates, customizes, and presents workshops concerning employee relations issues, such as Harassment, Progressive Discipline, Employment and Labor Laws, Workplace Violence and ADA/FMLA to managers and HR professionals.

9. Conducts complex climate surveys to assess the general environmental tone within a department or between departments to determine areas of employee concern. Partners with ER/LR, HRBP and Manager to develop action plans to address issues.

10. Manages Interactive Dialogue for requests for Reasonable Accommodations in partnership with Occupational Health, HRBPs, and Operational leadership, and partners with ER/LR as necessary on complex cases.

11. Maintains a current body of knowledge of employment and labor laws.

12. Assists with the development, updating, and interpretation of employee relations policies and procedures.

13. Develops and maintains positive and effective working relationships with all colleagues.

14. May be asked to support and partner in HRBP responsibilities as needed including, but not limited to, areas of Organizational Change and Development, data analytics and dashboard management, intervention and coaching, policy interpretation and communications, training development, committee participation, etc.

15. Using independent judgment, escalates issues to senior leadership as needed.

16. Performs other duties and projects as assigned

QUALIFICATIONS : (Must be realistic, neither overstated nor understated, and related to the essential functions of the job.)

Bachelors degree or equivalent experience, plus two to three year’s in Employee Relations/Labor Relations Consultant or Human Resources Business Partner Level role or equivalent experience to be qualified for Senior Employee Relations/Labor Relations Consultant or Senior HR Business Partner. Must have experience with employee relations issues and/or investigations.

Case management system experience is preferred.

SKILLS/ABILITIES/COMPETENCIES: (Must be realistic, neither overstated nor understated, and related to the essential functions of the job.)

Skills/Abilities/Competencies Required:

Core Competencies:

Ethical Practice – The ability to maintain confidentiality and appropriate levels of transparency in ways that balance the needs of employees and the organization.

Relationship Management – The ability to manage interactions that balance organizational and employee needs. The ability to manage interactions to provide service and support to the organization, to build and maintain effective working relationships.

Critical Evaluation – The ability to interpret employment and labor activity information and data for making appropriate decisions about the organization’s response to employee concerns or third-party representation. The ability to interpret information and data to make HR & business decisions and recommendations, and to translate data into action. Must be knowledgeable and resourceful. Good data analytic skills and capability. Ability to think critically.

Consultation – The ability to provide guidance to leaders, to be a forward thinker & to be solution oriented. Strong conflict-resolution & problem-solving skills.

Communication – The ability to effectively exchange information with stakeholders. Strong communication and influencing skills. The ability to have excellent listening skills, to have empathy & trustworthiness.

Business Acumen – the ability to understand and apply information to develop the department’s/division’s action plan. Must have business-savvy to offer relevant and value-adding advice and recommendations.

Leadership and Navigation – The ability to direct and contribute to initiatives and processes within the department/division.

Change Management – The ability to be open, adaptive and to drive change

Must have functional expertise in:

Talent Acquisition & Engagement

Workforce Planning

Learning & Development

Workforce Management

Employee Relations/Diversity & Inclusion

Technology and Data/People Analytics

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY: List the number of FTEs supervised.

This position has no supervisory responsibilities

FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY: Indicate financial “scope” information, i.e.: size of budget, volume, revenue, etc.

No direct budgetary responsibility

Demonstrates fiscal responsibility by effectively using Partners resources

WORKING CONDITIONS: Describe the conditions in which the work is performed.

Local travel to Brigham Health and Partners sites
Working location may be flexible with remote and on-site responsibilities
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to sit; talk; or hear; use hands to finger; handle; or feel; reach with hands and arms. The employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; and stoop; kneel; or crouch. The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 5 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 20 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision and depth perception.
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Normal office working conditions. The noise level in the work environment is quiet to moderate.
Schedule flexibility as needed to meet specific project, negotiation or investigatory timelines

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