The Employee Relations and Engagement Generalist supports an equitable and compliant workplace by serving as a trusted resource to employees on employee relations, engagement, compliance, policy application, and union-related practices. This role plays a key role in fostering positive labor-management relationships, strengthening the employee experience, and ensuring the consistent application of policies, collective bargaining agreements (CBAs), and employment laws.

Working in close partnership with the Senior Director of Human Resources, leaders, and union representatives, this position balances relationship-building with strong documentation, process integrity, and a trauma-informed, people-centered approach aligned with our mission.  This role also supports the core functions of Human Resources, including agency audits, compliance, HRIS management, data management, recruitment, onboarding, and offboarding, as needed.

FLSA Status: Non-Exempt, hourly

Union Status: Non-union

Reports To: Senior Director of Human Resources

Pay Range: $30-$37.50

essential duties   

Employee Relations

1. Serve as the primary point of contact for employee relations concerns, including workplace conflicts, policy questions, performance issues, and complaints.
2. Support fair, consistent, and timely application of HR policies and collective bargaining agreements. Including follow-up to ensure employee acknowledgment and employee file placement
3. Participate in union-management interactions, including meetings, information requests, and issue resolution.
4. Assist in investigations, corrective action processes, and grievance response, ensuring compliance with union contracts, organizational policies, and employment law.
5. Maintain accurate, confidential documentation related to employee relations matters.

Engagement & Employee Experience

1. Support organization-wide employee engagement initiatives (e.g., surveys, recognition programs)
2. Drive participation in Human Resource engagement activities
3. Update, input, and review reports on the survey platform.
4. Analyze survey feedback and assist in developing action plans.
5. Track and provide employee rewards, including acknowledgements, anniversary gifts, and bonus awards

Compliance & Policy Support

1. Assist with the development, revision, and implementation of HR policies and procedures, employee handbook, ensuring alignment with CBAs and employment law
2. Monitor trends in employee relations to identify risks, training needs, or systemic issues.
3. Conduct and assist in developing training with leaders on a regular basis on labor relation fundamentals, documentation, and process standards.
4. Provide guidance to supervisors on employee relations best practices, performance management, and union-aware leadership
5. Support leaders in navigating challenging conversations with empathy, clarity, and consistency
6. Conduct file audits to ensure employee files are complete, updated, and compliant.

HR Operations Support

1. Assist with onboarding, offboarding, and employee transitions to ensure a positive employee experience.
2. Maintain HRIS records and support process improvement opportunities.
3. Contribute to special projects, strategic HR initiatives, and organizational development efforts
4. Assist with Human Resources Information System (HRIS). maintenance, troubleshoot user issues and compile reports as needed.
5. Participate in developing and improving Human Resources forms, goals, processes, and resources.
6. Assist in the maintenance of the Human Resources division sections of SharePoint.
7. Develop and nurture relationships across the organization in support of a trauma-informed, equitable, multicultural, and inclusive work environment.

Other Duties

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

job requirements

a. Education and Experience

1. Bachelor’s degree in human resources or related field preferred.
2. HR certification (PHR or SHRM-CP).
3. Minimum of 4 years of experience in human resources with a focus on HR compliance and/or performance management.
4. Knowledge of local, state, and federal labor laws.
5. Experience working in a unionized environment or strong working knowledge of CBAs and labor management practices.
6. Proficiency with ADP, Human Resources Information Systems (HRIS).
7. Experience in a nonprofit environment preferred.
8. Demonstrated working knowledge of MS365 Power Platform and Adobe.  

b. Additional Requirements 

1. Must satisfactorily pass criminal history check.   
2. Must satisfactorily pass tuberculosis (TB) test.   
3. Must have reliable transportation and a valid Washington State driver's license (or be able to obtain one by date of employment).
4. Employees and volunteers who operate their own or Friends of Youth vehicles on Friends of Youth business, must have a safe driving record as defined by Friends of Youth.  
5. Employees and volunteers who operate their own vehicle(s) on Friends of Youth business must carry auto liability insurance that complies with the requirements of Friends of Youth.  

c. Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

1. Able to engage with diverse populations in a culturally responsive manner.  
2. Demonstrate a commitment to the values of diversity, equity, and inclusion by honoring and celebrating diverse characteristics and expressions of personal identity.
3. Strong commitment to Friends of Youth’s mission, vision, and values.  
4. Excellent verbal and written communication skills.   
5. Ability to handle sensitive matters with discretion, neutrality, and sound judgment.
6. Able to work effectively with employees at all levels and across all departments and divisions of the agency.
7. Able to learn new software, including Human Resource Information System (HRIS) and other software as it applies.
8. Excellent interpersonal and conflict resolution skills.
9. Strong analytical skills, detail oriented, organized, and adaptable.
10. Excellent time management skills and able to meet deadlines.
11. Able to act with integrity, professionalism, and maintain confidentiality.
12. Able to define problems, collect data, establish facts and draw valid conclusions.

d. Physical Demands and Work Environment

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. 

Compensation details: 30-37.5 Yearly Salary

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