HR Risk & Relations Director

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership

• Design and execute a comprehensive HR risk and associate relations strategy aligned with organizational values and long-term growth objectives.
• Serve as a trusted advisor to senior leadership, offering insights that link risk mitigation and associate relations to improved business performance and associate engagement.
• Lead enterprise-wide efforts to shape a consistent, high-integrity associate experience across business units and geographies.

HR Risk Management

• Oversee a proactive HR risk management framework that identifies, mitigates, and monitors risks across the associate lifecycle (e.g., hiring, performance management, separation).
• Partner with Legal, Audit, Compliance, and business leaders to assess emerging risks and design practical solutions.
• Lead sensitive internal investigations with integrity, consistency, and discretion, ensuring appropriate action plans and root cause resolution.
• Establish enterprise risk dashboards to inform HR and executive leadership on key trends, insights, and corrective actions.

Associate Relations Leadership

• Set the strategic direction for associate relations, focusing on preventive practices, trend analysis, and scalable investigation and resolution frameworks.
• Lead a high-performing team of associate relations professionals, fostering capability-building and a service mindset.
• Act as an executive-level escalation point for complex, high-risk associate matters requiring nuanced judgment.
• Promote a speak-up culture by designing accessible, trusted channels for associate feedback and concerns.

Policy Governance and Capability Building

• Oversee development, governance, and communication of HR policies that drive fairness, transparency, and compliance.
• Partner with Legal to ensure timely integration of new regulatory requirements into policy and practice.
• Deliver enterprise-wide training and leadership briefings on workplace ethics, policy updates, and risk awareness.
• Facilitate culture-building workshops that reinforce expected behaviors and values.

Analytics, Reporting & Executive Communication

• Develop a data-informed reporting strategy that tracks key HR risk and associate relations metrics aligned to business outcomes.
• Maintain accurate documentation and case tracking to ensure legal compliance, trend visibility, and internal accountability.
• Present actionable insights to executive and board-level stakeholders to inform strategic decisions and culture health.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Employment Law, Business Administration, or a related field. Master’s degree or professional HR certification (e.g., SHRM-SCP, SPHR) preferred.
• Minimum of 6–8 years of progressive experience in HR compliance, associate relations, or employment law.
• Demonstrated ability to lead strategic risk and associate relations initiatives that drive organizational impact.
• Advanced knowledge of U.S. employment laws and workplace investigations; global exposure a plus.
• Skilled in leveraging data, technology, and systems (HRIS, case management tools) to optimize risk mitigation efforts.
• Strong executive communication, facilitation, and consultative skills with the ability to influence at all levels of the organization.