About the Role

The Senior HR Manager / Senior Human Resources Business Partner (HRBP) serves as a trusted advisor to business leaders, managers, and employees, providing practical and strategic HR guidance that supports business priorities, workforce effectiveness, employee engagement, and organizational performance.

This role will support a workforce consisting of both union-represented and non-union employees and requires demonstrated experience in labor and employee relations. The Senior HR Manager will advise leaders on complex employee matters, grievances, performance and conduct issues, organizational change, and the consistent application of company policies and collective bargaining agreements.

The role partners closely with specialized HR teams including Talent Acquisition, Employee Experience, Talent Development, Total Rewards, Employee Relations, Legal, and HR Operations to deliver integrated HR solutions. The successful candidate will combine strong business acumen with hands-on HR expertise and will be comfortable operating in a complex, fast-paced environment. The role requires sound judgment, strong negotiation and influencing capabilities, and the ability to build trusted relationships with business leaders, employees, union representatives, and HR stakeholders.

Key Responsibilities

Business Partnership
• Partner with business leaders and managers to understand business priorities and translate them into practical people plans and HR solutions.
• Provide coaching, consultation, and HR guidance to leaders and managers on workforce, talent, performance, organizational, and employee matters.
• Use workforce data and HR insights to identify trends, risks, and opportunities and support informed business decision-making.
• Support organizational changes, restructures, workforce initiatives, and business transformation efforts.
• Partner with HR Centers of Excellence to implement enterprise and regional programs while adapting solutions to meet local business and workforce needs.
• Promote AI fluency and support adoption of AI-enabled ways of working across the workforce.
• Identify opportunities to strengthen workforce skills and capabilities in support of evolving business needs.

Labor & Employee Relations
• Serve as a key HR partner for a workforce that includes both union-represented and non-union employees.
• Provide day-to-day labor relations guidance and counsel to leaders and managers regarding interpretation and application of collective bargaining agreements, workplace policies, practices, and employment requirements.
• Manage and support the grievance process, including investigating concerns, gathering and evaluating relevant information, advising management, preparing responses, and partnering with Employee Relations and Legal as appropriate.
• Build and maintain productive working relationships with union representatives while balancing employee, business, and organizational needs.
• Participate in and support labor negotiations, requiring demonstrated negotiation skills and the ability to prepare for and navigate complex labor discussions.
• Support contract administration and the consistent application of collective bargaining agreement provisions.
• Partner with leaders on employee relations matters involving performance, attendance, conduct, conflict resolution, workplace investigations, and policy interpretation.
• Coach managers on effective employee relations practices and appropriate documentation.
• Identify potential employee and labor relations risks and escalate significant compliance, litigation, or business risks to Employee Relations, Legal, or senior HR leadership as appropriate.
• Promote fair, consistent, and compliant employment practices across union and non-union employee populations.

Organizational Effectiveness & Change Management
• Support organizational design and workforce structure initiatives aligned with business priorities.
• Advise and coach leaders through organizational change, restructures, workforce transitions, and evolving operating models.
• Develop and implement change management approaches that support effective communication, employee understanding, and adoption.
• Assess organizational and employee trends and recommend solutions that strengthen engagement, effectiveness, and performance.
• Partner with leaders and HR colleagues to support a positive employee experience during periods of change.

Workforce Planning & Talent Strategy
• Partner with leaders to assess current and future workforce requirements and identify talent and capability needs.
• Support workforce planning activities to align staffing, skills, and organizational capabilities with business objectives.
• Partner with Talent Acquisition on hiring strategies and workforce needs.
• Support talent reviews, succession planning, and development planning for key roles and employee populations.
• Identify talent risks and opportunities and work with leaders to develop appropriate action plans.

Talent Management & Leadership Development
• Facilitate and support performance management, talent review, and employee development processes.
• Coach managers and leaders to strengthen leadership capability, team effectiveness, and employee performance.
• Partner with Talent Development and other HR Centers of Excellence to implement programs that build critical workforce and leadership capabilities.
• Advise leaders on performance improvement, employee development, retention, and career planning.
• Support managers in addressing complex employee performance and conduct matters.

Engagement, Culture & Inclusion
• Partner with leaders to foster a high-performance, inclusive, and engaging workplace aligned with company values.
• Support employee engagement initiatives, including employee survey analysis and action planning.
• Identify workforce trends and recommend actions to strengthen employee engagement, retention, and organizational health.
• Partner with leaders and HR colleagues to promote inclusive talent and employment practices.
• Support fair and consistent application of compensation and reward practices in partnership with Total Rewards.
• Build trusted relationships across union and non-union employee populations and promote constructive employee-management relationships.

HR Programs, Compliance & Continuous Improvement
• Implement HR programs, policies, frameworks, and tools in alignment with business requirements and enterprise HR practices.
• Ensure HR practices comply with applicable employment and labor requirements, company policies, and collective bargaining agreements.
• Lead or contribute to HR projects and initiatives that improve organizational effectiveness and employee experience.
• Identify opportunities to improve HR processes, tools, and ways of working.
• Partner effectively across HR, Employee Relations, Legal, Compliance, and business teams to resolve complex workforce matters.
• Maintain current knowledge of HR practices, employment and labor relations trends, and evolving HR technologies.

Qualifications
• 5+ years of progressive Human Resources experience, with significant experience operating as an HR Business Partner, HR Manager, or comparable role in a complex organization.
• Bachelor's degree in human resources, Business, Organizational Development, Labor Relations, or a related field preferred; equivalent relevant experience will be considered.
• Demonstrated experience supporting union-represented employees is required.
• Demonstrated experience handling employee and labor relations matters, including grievances, investigations, performance, conduct, and workplace concerns.
• Strong negotiation skills and experience working effectively with union representatives and management.
• Experience interpreting and administering collective bargaining agreements.
• Experience participating in union/collective bargaining agreement negotiations is preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to support both union and non-union employee populations.
• Experience advising and coaching managers on complex HR and employee relations matters.
• Demonstrated experience with organizational change, performance management, workforce planning, and talent management.
• Strong understanding of employment practices, labor relations principles, and HR compliance requirements.
• Strong business acumen with the ability to connect people priorities to operational and business outcomes.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to use workforce data and insights to identify trends and recommend solutions.
• Excellent verbal and written communication, interpersonal, negotiation, and stakeholder management skills.
• Demonstrated ability to influence, build credibility, and establish trusted relationships across multiple levels of an organization.
• Ability to exercise sound judgment, manage sensitive and confidential matters, and navigate complex employee situations.
• Proven ability to manage multiple priorities and HR initiatives in a fast-paced, evolving environment.
• Demonstrated use of AI and HR technology to improve effectiveness, productivity, and employee or manager experiences.
• Curiosity and commitment to continuous learning and improvement.
Primary Location Base Pay Range: Home based-New York $126,900 - $211,500. If performed in New York City, the base pay range is $138,400 - $230,700.If performed in Rochester, NY, the base pay range is $115,400 - $192,300.This job is eligible for an annual incentive bonus.
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