Senior Specialist, Employee Relations

In this position... 

The Senior Specialist, Employee Relations serves as a critical strategic partner and hands-on HR leader, deeply embedded within our automotive manufacturing plants and parts depots. This role is responsible for supporting the hourly and salaried workforce, collaborating closely with leadership to drive business objectives through a comprehensive HR lens. The HRBP will foster a positive and productive work environment, manage all aspects of the employee lifecycle, ensure compliance, and champion talent development, employee engagement, and effective labor relations directly on the production floor. This position requires strong business acumen, a proactive approach to problem-solving, and an unwavering commitment to ethical practice and continuous improvement.
The Senior Specialist, Employee Relations, working without any appreciable supervision, is responsible for the resolution of employee relations issues, such as conflicts, disputes, and disciplinary matters, with fairness and consistency in a timely manner. This role designs standard operating protocols and benchmarks to be implemented for investigations, cases, and mediations, to improve employee motivation. Additionally, the role is a subject matter expert on matters pertaining to employee relations. The role advises leaders and consults with teams on performance management, feedback mechanisms, and delivery, goal setting, workplace conduct, employee retrenchment, etc. to ensure a positive work environment across the organization.

 

What you'll do...

HR Business Partnership

• Strategic Business Partnership & Business Acumen: Serve as a trusted advisor to plant leadership, translating business strategy into impactful HR initiatives that optimize organizational effectiveness and elevate the employee experience. Leverage deep operational acumen, gained through immersive Gemba walks and direct engagement with leadership, to proactively identify and address human capital needs within our lean manufacturing and logistics environments, delivering strategically aligned HR solutions that directly accelerate business success and cultivate a high-performance culture. 
• Talent Management & Workforce Transformation: Design and execute advanced talent management strategies, encompassing performance optimization, leadership development, robust succession planning, strategic compensation, and integrated talent acquisition. Proactively analyze future workforce needs and capabilities, implementing innovative hourly talent programs (e.g., apprenticeship pathways, reskilling initiatives, strategic placements) that build a high-performing, engaged, and resilient workforce pipeline essential for future growth and our organizational transformation. 
• Data Storytelling and Workforce Planning: Champion a data-first approach, leveraging HR analytics platforms (e.g., Visier, Voice) to extract critical insights, predict workforce trends, and inform strategic decision-making at the operational leadership level. Lead complex change management initiatives across diverse stakeholder groups, effectively shifting organizational mindsets and mitigating risks to successfully achieve critical business objectives during our ongoing lean and organizational transformation.
• Culture Development & Employee Advocacy: Champion a high-performance, inclusive culture, fostering open communication, trust, and mutual respect in alignment with our 7 Proactive Leadership Standards. Act as a visible and influential HR leader, spearheading employee recognition, diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, and cultural events to significantly boost engagement and drive continuous organizational improvement. Maintain a proactive presence on the plant floor, conducting regular engagements to build strong employee relationships, ensure HR accessibility, and proactively address general workplace concerns.
• External Relations & Community Stewardship: Orchestrate strategic interactions with local governmental agencies and lead impactful charitable initiatives, significantly strengthening the plant's community engagement and enhancing its positive external brand reputation.

Labor Relations Expertise

• Strategic Labor and Positive Employee Relations & Negotiation: Lead strategic engagement with labor unions and employee representatives, fostering a proactive and high-trust partnership essential for operational stability and continuous improvement. Play a pivotal role in collective bargaining, negotiating innovative and mutually beneficial agreements that advance long-term business objectives and enhance labor-management relations within our highly dynamic unionized landscape. This strategic leadership directly contributes to stable labor environments, supports sustainable business growth, and ensures employee well-being.
• Grievance Management & Dispute Resolution: Master the resolution of complex, high-volume union grievances, arbitrations, and disciplinary actions, serving as a critical architect of fair, consistent, and timely outcomes central to our operational environment. Conduct incisive and impartial investigations into sensitive union-related matters, applying advanced conflict resolution and critical thinking to mitigate risk, uphold equity, and safeguard organizational interests.
• Ethical Practices and Contractual Compliance and Interpretation: Demonstrate expert command of local and national collective bargaining agreements, ensuring precise interpretation and application across all operational facets. Collaborate proactively with operational leaders and union representatives to drive consistent and ethical implementation of contractual terms, proactively resolving inquiries and ensuring fair application. Ensure meticulous adherence to contractual obligations for representative compensation, mitigating financial risks and upholding operational continuity through rigorous compliance and ethical stewardship.

HR Operations

• Strategic Risk Mitigation: Lead comprehensive HR compliance and risk management, proactively identifying, assessing, and mitigating legal, reputational, and operational exposures across all employment laws and company policies. Champion an ethical culture, collaborating with legal counsel and corporate investigatory teams on sensitive ethics and compliance matters to reinforce integrity and transparency. This strategic oversight builds a robust compliance framework, safeguards organizational integrity, and protects our brand reputation.
• Employee Lifecycle Expertise: Optimize critical HR operational processes, including payroll, attendance management, and vacation tracking, ensuring accuracy, compliance, and seamless efficiency. Administer complex leave of absence programs (FMLA, WC, ADA), leveraging HRIS systems for meticulous tracking and compliance, ensuring comprehensive employee support and adherence to regulatory requirements.
• Workplace Wellness & Safety Leadership: Drive initiatives with safety and occupational health leaders to foster a proactive culture of employee well-being, supporting strategic safety audits and promoting innovative wellness programs that enhance a healthy, safe, and compliant workplace.

You'll have...

• Bachelor’s degree in human resources, Organizational Development, or any other related discipline or commensurate work experience required.
• Minimum 8 years of relevant HR and labor work experience with a bachelor’s degree, preferably in a manufacturing setting.

Even better, you may have...

• Master’s degree in human resources, Organizational Development, or any other related discipline or commensurate work experience required.
• Minimum 5 years of relevant HR and labor work experience with a bachelor’s degree, preferably in a manufacturing setting.
• PHR or SHRM-CP certification
• Certified Labor Relations Professional (CLRP)

Work Requirements…
This role requires onsite presence at the manufacturing plant to fulfill job responsibilities. Involves occasional (defined as one-third or less of the time) lifting of no more than 10 pounds at a time. Work is performed primarily in a seated position and entails no significant stooping, climbing, etc. Role does require time walking and standing on plant manufacturing floor at least 20% of the time. Many sedentary jobs require good use of the hands and fingers for repetitive hand-finger actions. Working conditions occur within low to moderate noise levels related to the use of standard office or classroom equipment.

Skills...
• Strategic Partnership
• Data Storytelling
• Talent Management
• Employee Lifecycle Expertise
• Business and Operational Acumen
• Positive Employee and Labor Relations
• Risk Management
• Change Management
• Ethical practice
• Labor Relations and Negotiation
• Contractual Compliance and Interpretation
• Grievance Management
• Workforce Planning

This description outlines the general nature and scope of work typically performed in this job. It is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, knowledge, skills, work requirements, etc. It may vary slightly based on business or geographic needs and is subject to being reviewed and updated periodically.   

You may not check every box, or your experience may look a little different from what we've outlined, but if you think you can bring value to Ford Motor Company, we encourage you to apply!

As an established global company, we offer the benefit of choice. You can choose what your Ford future will look like: will your story span the globe, or keep you close to home? Will your career be a deep dive into what you love, or a series of new teams and new skills? Will you be a leader, a changemaker, a technical expert, a culture builder…or all the above? No matter what you choose, we offer a work life that works for you, including:

• Immediate medical, dental, vision and prescription drug coverage
• Flexible family care days, paid parental leave, new parent ramp-up programs, subsidized back-up childcare and more
• Family building benefits including adoption and surrogacy expense reimbursement, fertility treatments, and more
• Vehicle discount program for employees and family members and management leases
• Tuition assistance
• Established and active employee resource groups
• Paid time off for individual and team community service 
• A generous schedule of paid holidays, including the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day 
• Paid time off and the option to purchase additional vacation time. 

This position is a salary grade 8 and ranges from $99,100-$166,200.      
Final determination of salary grade will be based on candidate's skills and experience, and base salary will be set within the applicable range according to job scope, responsibility and competitive market value.

For more information on salary and benefits, click here: New Hire Benefits

Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.

Candidates for positions with Ford Motor Company must be legally authorized to work in the United States. Verification of employment eligibility will be required at the time of hire.

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, age, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability status or protected veteran status. In the United States, if you need a reasonable accommodation for the online application process due to a disability, please call 1-888-336-0660.

#LI-Onsite   #LI-LP3