Employee Relations Partner, Campus Dining

The Employee Relations Manager oversees facilitating employee relations with a focus on conflict resolution in a high paced food service environment for Vanderbilt Campus Dining. This role will be responsible for progressive discipline and performance management adherence, and a wide range of human resources management and personnel administration, including Oracle Cloud Human Capital Management operations.

Overall, the Employee Relations Manager plays a critical role in ensuring relationships between employees and management is healthy, positive, and productive and strives to increase engagement in the workplace.

The Employee Relations Manager works as a member of the Auxiliary Services administrative team. This team specializes in administrative and human resources operations for a department of 500+ FTEs. The Employee Relations Manager will be responsible for progressive discipline and performance management, review of disciplinary documentation, monitoring and advising on leaves of absences, workforce accommodations and the development of procedures, guidelines, training materials and presentations.

Key Functions and Expected Performance:

Employee Relations:

• Supports Investigations, works with central Human Resources to determine facts through interviews, witness statements and documentation review to thoroughly investigate workplace concerns and employee actions.
• Provide guidance and counseling to employees on various issues such as workplace stress, health and wellness, and potential conflicts of interest.
• Advises and trains managers in employee relations practices and strategies. Oversees employee grievance investigations and timelines. Develops guidelines and training as needed.
• Coordinate annual performance review processes and submissions.
• Resolves employee issues that arise between employees and management, this includes addressing complaints, investigating complaints, and communicating with union leadership and stewards.
• Work directly with central Human Resources and Employment Opportunity & Access to coordinate leave types, work accommodations and investigations.
• Work closely with department managers to facilitate performance management and progressive discipline to improve communication, improve job performance and prevent the recurrence of undesirable employee actions.
• Assist team members in understanding University policies and procedures, as appropriate, and ensures that departmental operations follow policies and standard practices.
• Oversee performance management which include, coaching, letters of expectations, performance improvement plans and progressive disciplinary steps/letters outlined in the collective bargaining agreement.

Human Capital Management:

• Maintain an extensive understanding of Oracle HCM processes, actively participate in ongoing training, and help identify process improvements related to HCM operations.
• Monitor compliance for weekly timesheet population, including communication and oversight to ensure timesheets are submitted and approved by university deadlines.
• Monitor employee compliance with all mandatory University and division trainings, activities, and/or policies, including communications and reminders to ensure completion by assigned deadlines.
• Serve as an HCM specialist for Auxiliary Services and process assignment changes, recruiting, hiring, transfers, reclassifications, leaves, and other employment and payroll actions.
• Facilitate employee focus groups and exit interviews with the intention to improve work culture and emphasis the employee’s voice.
• Serve as an administrative contact for payroll processing, timecard submissions, and absence reporting, and assist staff with self-service transactions, as needed.
• Maintain an extensive knowledge of HR policies and procedures and serve as a point of contact for all leave of absences cases.

Other Duties:

• Demonstrate a willingness to support initiatives across the division to encourage the implementation and completion of divisional goals and strategic priorities.
• Participate in University, division, and departmental committees and task forces, as assigned.
• Maintain an understanding of institutional and departmental financial policies related to areas such as travel, procurement, expense, and time reporting to ensure compliance and proper stewardship of university resources.
• Participate in department/division wide events, as needed, to support colleagues and ensure these events run smoothly.

Supervisory Relationships:

• The position may supervise one professional staff member: this position reports administratively and functionally to Auxiliary Services HR team.

Education and Certifications:

• A Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution of higher education is required

Experience and Skills:

• Ability to make administrative/procedural decisions and judgments is necessary.
• Ability to perform complex tasks and to prioritize multiple projects is necessary.
• Ability to remain tactful, calm, and persuasive in controversial and/or confrontational situations is necessary.
• Records maintenance skills is necessary.
• Commitment to maintaining confidentiality of payroll and employee personal data is necessary.
• At least 5 years of directly comparable experience in HR management experience is necessary.
• Thorough understand of dispute resolution and grievance procedures is necessary.
• Ability to comprehend, interpret, and apply the appropriate sections of applicable laws, contract guidelines, regulations, and policies is necessary.

Commitment to Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion

At Vanderbilt University, we are intentional about and assume accountability for fostering advancement and respect for equity, diversity, and inclusion for all students, faculty, and staff. Our commitment to diversity makes us who we are. We have created a community that celebrates differences and lets individuality thrive. As part of this commitment, we actively value diversity in our workplace and learning environments as we seek to take advantage of the rich backgrounds and abilities of everyone. The diverse voices of Vanderbilt represent an invaluable resource for the University in its efforts to fulfill its mission and strive to be an example of excellence in higher education.

Vanderbilt University is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer. Women, minorities, people with disabilities and protected veterans are encouraged to apply.

Please note, all candidates selected for an offer of employment are subject to pre-employment background checks, which may include but are not limited to, based on the role for which they have been selected: criminal history, education verification, social media review, motor vehicle records, credit history, and professional license verification.

About Us

Vanderbilt is a community of talented and diverse staff & faculty!

At Vanderbilt University , our work - regardless of title or role - is in service to an important and noble mission in which every member of our community serves in advancing knowledge and transforming lives on a daily basis. Located in Nashville , Tennessee, on a 330+ acre campus and arboretum dating back to 1873, Vanderbilt is proud to have been named as one of “America’s Best Large Employers” as well as a top employer in Tennessee and the Nashville metropolitan area by Forbes for several years running. We welcome those who are interested in learning and growing professionally with an employer that strives to create, foster and sustain opportunities as an employer of choice through:

• Working and growing together as a community of communities... we are One Vanderbilt.
• Encouraging development, collaboration, and partnership both internally and externally while fostering the value that every member of the Vanderbilt community can lead and grow regardless of title or position.
• Providing a work environment where every staff and faculty member can be their authentic and best self, while providing the resources and opportunities to learn and grow.

We understand you have a choice when choosing where to work and pursue a career. We understand you are unique and have a story. We want to hear it. We encourage you to apply today so that you might become a part of our story.

Vanderbilt University has made the health and safety of our students, faculty and staff and our surrounding communities a top priority. As part of that commitment, the University may require employees to comply with any testing or health and safety measures which the University may require.