Employee Relations Manager - Office of Human Resources

Purpose

Your next big opportunity starts here! Submit your application today to join the City of Savannah Office of Human Resources as the Employee Relations Manager. The Employee Relations Manager develops employee relations programs and is involved in complex employee relations issue resolution in order to maintain employee engagement while minimizing costs and risks. This position performs administrative and supervisory duties in support of the Office of Human Resources.

The Opportunity
This is a unique opportunity for an individual to build and shape the Employee Relations function for the City of Savannah. The Employee Relations Manager will serve as a strategic leader and advisor responsible for designing, building, and implementing the organization’s employee relations (ER) framework. This role is a foundational, program-building position with no direct reports initially, focused on establishing the structure, policies, systems, and programming necessary to ensure consistent, compliant, and effective employee relations practices across the organization.

Why This Role Matters
This individual will assess current ER needs, define enterprise and divisional approaches, andprovideexpert guidance to leaders and HR partners on employee relations matters, risk mitigation, and policy alignment. The Employee Relations Manager will play a critical role in fostering a fair, respectful, and compliant workplace while positioning the ER function for future growth.

What You’ll Build and Lead

• Design and build the enterprise-wide employee relations strategy, framework, and operating model.
• Assess current employee relations practices, risks, and gaps across divisions and recommend a scalable structure and direction.
• Establish ER programming, processes, and governance to ensure consistency, fairness, and alignment with organizational values.
• Define the role of employee relations at both the enterprise and divisional level, ensuring clarity of accountability and execution.

Shaping Policy& Compliance

• Develop, review, and refine employee relations policies, procedures, and guidelines to ensure legal and regulatory compliance.
• Partner with Sr. Director of Human Resources and HR leadership to identify, assess, and mitigate employee relations risks.
• Ensure ER practices align with employment laws, internal policies, and best practices.
• Serve as a key escalation point for complex or high-risk employee relations matters.

Trusted Advisor to Leadership

• Act as a trusted advisor to HR leaders and senior management on employee relations issues.
• Provide expert consultation and guidance on investigations, performance issues, conflict resolution, workplace concerns, and corrective action.
• Influence leadership decision-making through data, risk analysis, and sound ER judgment.

Building the Tools, Systems and Infrastructure

• Design and implement ER systems, tools, and documentation standards to support case management, reporting, and trend analysis.
• Establish consistent processes for tracking, analyzing, and reporting employee relations data and outcomes.
• Recommend technology or system improvements to enhance ER effectiveness and compliance.

Preparing the Function for What’s Next

• Define the long-term ER operating model, including future staffing, roles, and capabilities.
• Build scalable programs and processes that support future team growth and organizational needs.

• Develops and leads the implementation of employee relations programs, policies, and procedures in compliance with relevant employment laws and regulations.
• Advises and coaches managers on the resolution of complex employee relations issues, including compliance and application of employment laws and regulations and conflict resolution
• Conducts investigations into complex employee relations issues that have been escalated by managers and/or Employee Relations Specialists
• Ensures administrative tasks are completed (e.g. documentation for investigations) and delivers other HR projects (e.g. deliver harassment training) in a timely manner.
• Oversees and supervises assigned staff, including processing concerns, providing training, delegating tasks, monitoring work, offering…