Salary: $84,346.00 - $139,750.00 Annually
Location : City Hall, 900 East Broad Street, Richmond, VA
Job Type: Full-Time Permanent
Remote Employment: Flexible/Hybrid
Job Number:
Department: Human Resources
Opening Date: 09/17/2026
Closing Date: 10/1/2026 11:59 PM Eastern

Description
The Senior Employee Relations Consultant serves as a strategic partner providing expert guidance on complex employee relations matters, workplace investigations, and policy interpretation. This role is responsible for ensuring fair, consistent, and legally compliant resolution of employee issues while fostering a respectful and productive work environment across City departments.

This position plays a critical role in mitigating organizational risk, promoting accountability, and supporting a culture aligned with the City of Richmond's values and administrative regulations.

Duties include but are not limited to

• Serve as a trusted advisor to department directors, managers, and supervisors on employee relations matters.
• Provide guidance on disciplinary actions, performance management, conflict resolution, and workplace concerns.
• Ensure consistent application of City policies, administrative regulations, and employment laws.

• Lead and conduct complex, high-risk, and sensitive workplace investigations.
• Prepare detailed investigative reports, including findings of facts and recommendations.
• Ensure investigations are conducted in a timely, impartial, and legally defensible manner.
• Interpret City Administrative Regulations, and applicable federal/state laws (e.g., FLSA, FMLA, ADA, Title VII).
• Partner with HR leadership to recommend policy updates and enhancements based on trends and case outcomes.
• Advise leadership on progressive discipline and corrective action strategies.
• Review and recommend disciplinary actions to ensure consistency and equity across departments.
• Assist with drafting disciplinary documentation.
• Provide support during audits, litigation, and external agency inquiries.

Qualifications, Special Certifications and Licenses

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Knowledge of best practice procedures used to investigate and resolve employee or workplace concerns including best practices as they relate to reducing bias during the investigation process.
• Extensive experience ensuring compliance with applicable laws and regulations such as ADA, FMLA, etc.
• Sound judgment, high integrity and the ability to handle complex, highly sensitive and confidential information relating to HR.
• Experience conducting fact-finding and tracking/reporting employee relations grievances using a case management system.
• Excellent communication skills (verbal and written)
• Flexibility and ability to balance conflicting priorities.
• Works with a high degree of confidentiality, autonomy and accountability for decisions
• Collaborative team player
• Advanced Microsoft Office experience, including virtual team platforms for meetings, shared team documents, and instant messaging communications.

Minimum Qualifications:

• 5+ years of progressive experience in one or more of the following fields: Human Resources, Behavioral or Social Science or Organizational Psychology
• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources Business, Business Administration, Public Administration or related field

Preferred Qualifications:

• 5+ years of progressive experience in one or more of the following fields: Human Resources, Behavioral or Social Science or Organizational Psychology
• Certification in Human Resources: SPHR, PHR, SHRM-SCP, SHRM-CP, or equivalent in HR field preferred

01

10-point compensable veteran. You must have an existing compensable service-connected disability of 10 percent or more. Other 10-point veteran include disabled veteran or a veteran who was awarded the Purple Heart for wound or injuries received in action, veteran's widow or widower who has not remarried, wife or husband of a veteran who has a service-connected disability, widowed, divorced or separated mother of an ex-service son or daughter who died in action, or who is totally and permanently disabled. Do any of these apply?

• Yes
• No

02

5-point veteran's must have been discharged under honorable conditions and had one of the following:Active duty in the Armed Forces of the United States, in a war, or during the period 4/28/52-7/1/55 or active duty for more than 180 consecutive days other than for training, any part of which occurred during the period beginning 2/1/55 and 10/14/76 or active duty during the Gulf War sometime between 8/2/90 - 1/2/92 or active duty in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized or active duty for which more than 180 consecutive days other than for training, any part of which occurred during the period beginning 9/11/2001 and ending on the date prescribed by the Presidential proclamation or by the law as the last date of operation Iraqi Freedom. Do any of these apply?

• Yes
• No

03

How many years of experience do you have working in a Human Resources environment conducting investigations?

• One to two years of experience
• Two to four years of experience
• Five or more years of experience
• No experience conducting investigating in human resources

04

How familiar are you with applicable employment laws and regulations ( ex. EEOC, ADA, FMLA) ?

• Very familiar - I regularly consult these laws in my day-to-day work
• Somewhat familiar - I have knowledge but may need occasional support or reminders
• Not Familiar - I would need training and guidance
• I have a basic understanding of these laws but no experience applying them
• I have no experience with employment laws and regulations

05

How comfortable are you with making recommendation for disciplinary action?

• Very comfortable - I have a depth of experience making recommendations
• Somewhat comfortable - I can make recommendations but prefer to collaborate with senior leaders
• Not comfortable - I prefer to leave decisions on disciplinary action to management
• I have never been involved in making such recommendations

06

Do you have previous experience conducting employee relations investigations within the public safety sector (e.g., law enforcement, fire services, or emergency medical services)?

• Yes
• No

07

How many years of experience do you have working with collective bargaining agreements, civil service rules, or other legal and regulatory frameworks that govern public safety employees?

• One to two years of experience
• Two to four years of experience
• Five or more years of experience
• No experience working with collective bargaining agreements, civil service rules, or other legal and regulatory frameworks

08

Which best describes your years of experience working with public safety?

• One to two years of experience
• Two to four years of experience
• Five or more years of experience
• No experience working in public safety

Required Question