We are seeking a Senior Employee Relations Specialist to be part of a dynamic HR team to provide support, guidance, and coaching for our US staff and managers. Based in our vibrant Austin, TX office, this role will support EF’s Texas, California and West Coast locations. EF’s HR team is responsible for supporting employee lifecycle activities (including onboarding, employment changes, wage & hour compliance, and benefits administration) as well as working closely with staff and managers to support employee relations issues, including performance management and conflict resolution. This role will work collaboratively with HR colleagues in our Boston and Denver offices. The ideal candidate will possess a strong understanding of multi-state employment law and be able to work independently and as part of a team.
What You Will Do:

• Serve as the primary point of contact for HR related matters for our newest US EF office in Austin, Texas as well as our campus locations, predominantly in California.
• Provide in-person guidance, support, and coaching to staff and managers, navigate a variety of sensitive concerns, including performance and conflict resolution.
• Help prevent and resolve problems or disputes between employees and management.
• Administer leave of absence programs and ensure compliance with all relevant regulations.
• Conduct interactive processes with employees to determine ADA compliance and reasonable accommodations.
• Lead investigations into employee complaints and conduct disciplinary actions as needed.
• Communicate and enforce company policies.
• Help our people managers in TX and CA navigate hiring with offer letters, new hire paperwork, wage and hour laws, benefits offerings and more.
• Support the employment lifecycle including role or classification changes, promotions, relocations to offices abroad, and more for staff in TX and CA.
• Support the centralized exit process, including conducting exit interviews and ensuring final pay compliance, and provide support to employees and internal teams, as needed.
• Evaluate, improve and implement systems and processes to ensure timely execution and company compliance.
• While this role sits in Austin, it requires travel to California to support business needs during peaks (estimated to be 6-8 trips per year, more if desired).

Who you are: You love what you do and want to collaborate and grow with a team who is passionate about creating an environment where employees can thrive. You are looking to immerse yourself in supporting EF people, and work in a setting that has the opportunity and growth of a large company with the flexibility and camaraderie of a small, private one. Additionally, you have:

• Prior HR experience; at least 7 years required, with at least 5 years focused on employee relations and coaching managers.
• Strong ability to build credibility among management and peers.
• Experience and desire to have have ownership over full cycle employee relations and leaves of absence administration
• A drive for excellence in the service provided to our most important customers: our staff!
• A passion for interacting and supporting staff members through consultation and guidance.
• Strong interpersonal and strategic communication skills.
• Comprehensive understanding of, and experience with, US employment law, including employee classification, pay, wage and hour compliance.
• Comprehensive understanding of, and ideally experience with, California employment law and compliance.
• Strong attention to detail and consciousness in managing confidential information.
• Experience working with FMLA, ADAAA, SDI, and CFRA.
• Experience with ADP Workforce Now, ADP Global View and Oracle HCM preferred.

Why you’ll love working here: Work in our beautiful Austin office where you'll enjoy comprehensive professional development, frequent social programming, and employee-run DEIB Resource Groups and clubs. You can expect:

• Robust professional growth opportunities including monthly trainings, workshops, and inspiring talks with global leaders and experts.
• Four weeks paid vacation and twelve paid holidays
• 25% match on your 401(k) contributions.
• Excellent medical, dental, and vision coverage.
• Dependent care, healthcare, and commuter flexible spending accounts (FSAs).
• Discounts at local venues and businesses.
• EF program discounts including travel, language schools, childcare, and more.

About EF Education FirstAt EF we believe that the world is better when people try to understand one another. Since 1965, we have helped millions of people see new places, experience new cultures, and learn new things about the world and about themselves. Our culturally immersive education programs—focused on language, travel, cultural exchange, and academics—turn dreams into international opportunities.
When you join EF, you join a multicultural and diverse community working across more than 600 schools and offices in 50 countries, all with one shared mission of opening the world through education. Whoever you are, whatever you are passionate about—we welcome you and want you to bring that to work every day. EF is proud to be an equal opportunity employer and we are committed to inclusion and belonging across race, ethnicity, gender, age, religion, caste, parental status, identity, experience and everything else that makes you unique.
Founded in Sweden in 1965, EF has schools and offices around the world, including hubs in Boston, London, Mexico City, São Paulo, Shanghai, Stockholm, Zürich, and more. Learn more at https://www.ef.com.