Director, Employee Relations and Performance Management

Lehigh University

$83K — $102K *
Education, Government & Non-Profit
5 - 7 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree in HR Management or related field; advanced degree or certifications preferred
  • 5-8 years of relevant work experience, particularly in employee relations
  • Strong experience in a higher education or complex institutional environment
  • Ability to confidently advise senior leaders on sensitive matters
  • Experience in designing and delivering training programs for multiple managerial levels
  • Understanding of US employment law and HR compliance frameworks
  • History of fostering trust within a diverse workforce

Responsibilities

  • Serve as the go-to expert on employee relations across all university divisions
  • Partner strategically with the Chief HR Officer on workforce issues
  • Manage sensitive and complex employee relations cases with discretion
  • Design and facilitate management development initiatives to enhance employee relations skills
  • Analyze employee relations trends to inform targeted improvement strategies
  • Oversee the performance management system from design to continuous improvement
  • Deliver training that empowers supervisors and employees in performance discussions

Benefits

  • Partial remote work arrangement
  • Opportunity to impact university-wide HR goals and initiatives
  • Active participation in the HR Leadership Team
  • Supportive work culture that values equity and inclusion
  • Development opportunities for personal and professional growth
Full Job Description
Director, Employee Relations and Performance Management

Job no: 504049
Work type: Exempt Staff Full-time
Location: Partial Remote, Bethlehem
Categories: Human Resources

Position Number: S87550

This position is a Grade: 11 - 40 with an approximate salary range of $83,910-$102,080 and is subject to change based on experience, skills and qualifications.

Your Scope and Impact

  • Serving as the University's subject matter expert on employee relations, providing authoritative guidance to leaders across Lehigh's schools, colleges, and administrative divisions
  • Acting as a strategic partner to the Chief Human Resources Officer, contributing informed perspective on workforce matters that intersect with institutional priorities
  • Leading direct intervention and case management for sensitive, complex, or escalated employee relations matters with sound judgment and discretion
  • Designing and facilitating management development programs and workshops that build proactive employee relations capability at all levels of the organization
  • Identifying systemic employee relations trends through data and case analysis, and developing targeted strategies to address root causes
  • Owning the University's performance management system end-to-end, including process design, documentation standards, and continuous improvement
  • Delivering training and workshops to supervisors and employees that build confidence and consistency in performance conversations and documentation
  • Partnering with Legal, Compliance, and Equity and Inclusion colleagues to ensure employee relations practices align with applicable employment law and University policy
  • Serving as an active member of the HR Leadership Team to co-develop and implement University-wide HR goals, initiatives, and strategy
  • Supporting a culture of accountability and respect that reflects Lehigh's commitment to an equitable, inclusive, and high-performing workplace

What You Bring

  • Bachelor's degree in Human Resources Management or a related field; advanced degree or SHRM-SCP/SPHR certification preferred
  • Five to eight years of work related experience
  • Substantial progressive experience in employee relations, ideally within higher education or a complex institutional environment
  • Demonstrated ability to advise and influence senior stakeholders on sensitive workforce matters with confidence and discretion
  • Experience designing and delivering training or development programs for managers at multiple levels
  • Working knowledge of US employment law, HR compliance frameworks, and performance management best practices
  • A track record of building trust across a diverse workforce, reflecting Lehigh's commitment to an equitable and inclusive campus community

Special Considerations

  • The duties of this position may allow the employee to work partially remote as deemed appropriate by their supervisor.

Advertised: September 23, 2026 Eastern Daylight Time
Applications close:

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