Employee Relations Senior Specialist

Job Description Job Title: Employee Relations Senior Specialist Location: Hyderabad Job Summary: The Employee Relations Senior Specialist, based in the Employee Relations (ER) Center of Excellence in Hyderabad, is responsible for driving complex and sensitive employee relations matters (including investigations, progressive discipline, performance management, and termination procedures) across the assigned regions in India. The role involves consultation with senior business leaders and HR, implementation of employee relations strategies, escalation management, and development of ER tools and resources. The role requires subject-matter expertise, business acumen, and a strong ability to lead with fairness, consistency, and legal compliance, while fostering a positive work environment. Key Responsibilities: - Lead and conduct comprehensive employee relations investigations, including high-risk and complex cases. Ensure accurate fact-finding, root cause analysis, and legally sound conclusions. Prepare detailed reports and maintain timely documentation in internal tools. - Serve as a strategic consultant and escalation point for complex or business-sensitive matters, providing expert guidance to managers, HR Business Partners, and senior leaders on disciplinary actions, performance issues, and conflict resolution. - Oversee the implementation of assigned employee relations processes, including progressive discipline, terminations, performance improvement plans, and attendance matters. Ensure fair, consistent, and compliant application of company policies across geographies. - Proactively address employee relations concerns, resolving issues with analytical and critical thinking. Provide professional issue handling and guide managers and employees on appropriate actions and resolution strategies. - Identify trends and emerging risks in employee relations and translate insights into proactive solutions. Partner with legal counsel, HRBPs, and business leaders to mitigate risks and align with business priorities. - Deliver employee relations training and capability-building sessions for HR teams and people managers. Support the rollout of corporate ER initiatives and tools, and contribute to policy and process enhancements. - Foster a culture of trust, fairness, and ethical behaviour by ensuring that employment practices and decisions are transparent, consistent, and unbiased. Uphold confidentiality and share information judiciously on a need-to-know basis. - Demonstrate strong business acumen and interpersonal skills, engaging stakeholders effectively and ensuring ER actions support broader business outcomes. Typical Years of Experience: Typically requires 8-12 years of progressive experience experience in Employee Relations, HR Business Partner, or related roles. Minimum Education and Certifications: Undergraduate degree or equivalent combination of education and work experience in an Employee Relations, Generalist, or HR Business Partner role. Skills: Proven experience in coaching leaders and employees on performance, conduct, and leadership development, with strong facilitation and presentation skills. Ability to influence leaders at all levels and build trust-based partnerships, using advanced interpersonal, negotiation, and conflict resolution skills. Deep understanding of Indian employment laws and regulatory practices, with extensive experience conducting workplace investigations, including sensitive cases and/or ICC-led sexual harassment matters. Experienced in leading organizational design, development initiatives, and managing complex change and transformation projects across functions. Skilled in managing multiple priorities and effectively supporting culturally diverse, geographically dispersed teams in dynamic environments. Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities, with expertise in root cause analysis, data-driven decision-making, and developing strategic ER solutions. Proficient in designing and enhancing employee relations policies, tools, and processes that promote fairness, consistency, and operational efficiency. Fluent in English and local languages, with excellent communication skills and a high level of emotional intelligence and professionalism in sensitive situations. Physical Requirements/Working Conditions: Ability to perform general office requirements. Must be able to perform essential responsibilities with or without reasonable accommodations. Occasional travel, including rare possibilities of overnight outstation trips, may be required based on official needs.