Are you ready to make a real difference in people's lives? Join the Harris Center for Mental Health and IDD as a HR Employee Relations and Engagement Manager. Designs, plans, and implements a company’s employee relations programs, policies, and procedures. Maintains effective communication and positive relationships with employees to promote employee engagement. Guides department managers and employees throughout the performance management and goal setting process. Identifies and analyzes issues with employee relations infractions. Also provides recommendations for resolutions. Responsible for leading initiatives to create a better employee experience by identifying ways to make employees feel valued and engaged in their work, with high priority on employee communications, recognition, and voice of the employee.

Your role in action:

• Analyzes information and data necessary to define and discern cost and policy implications of negotiations and disputes. This may include management pay scales and wages, benefits, working conditions, and other mitigating circumstances.
• Uses surveys, interviews, and other studies to conduct research regarding human resource policies, compensation, and other employment issues. After analyzing the information, makes recommendations on changes.
• Researches and explains laws and legal affairs concerning employment to managers, supervisors, and employees.
• Advises and trains managers and supervisors in best employee relations practices and strategies for managing supervisor problems and employee grievances. Develops further training as needed.
• Provides advice and counsel to supervisors on employee issues as they relate to compliance with regulations and laws.
• Administers The Harris Center progressive disciplinary program. Partners with Managers to prepare disciplinary notices, conducts personnel investigations, attends discipline meetings (as needed), and prepares discipline decision letters, including but not limited to separation notices, severance agreements, and related documentation.
• Fosters and promotes use of internal and external training offered by the agency to develop and grow leaders and high-potential staff.
• Collaborates with leadership on matters of policy and terms of memoranda of understanding before and throughout negotiation process. Helps identify legal requirements and government reporting regulations affecting human resources functions and ensures policies, procedures and reporting are compliant.
• Collaborates with legal counsel and departments in the preparation for and participation in negotiation with employee(s)
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

What qualifications you will need:

Education:

• Bachelor's degree in Employee Relations, Human Resources or related field required.
• Master’s Degree preferred but not required
• SHRM-CP/PHR or SHRM-SCP/SPHR preferred.

Experience:

• Five years of professional human resources administration, including two years in employee relations.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:

• Functional knowledge of Title I and Title II of the ADA, Title VI, and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA), Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and related state and federal regulations.
• Working knowledge of the principles and practices of human resource administration and employee relations; word processing, spreadsheet development and design, human resources, database, and internet software.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills. Thorough understanding of state and federal laws concerning labor relations. Ability to comprehend, interpret, and apply the appropriate sections of applicable laws, guidelines, regulations, ordinances, and policies. Thorough understanding of negotiation techniques
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with employees, management, and various agencies at all levels of the organization; use reason and de-escalation skills to manage difficult or emotional situations; present facts and recommendations verbally and in writing; plan, design, implement, and conduct trainings to a diverse level of management, and employees; maintain strict confidentiality

What else you should know:

• This posting is associated with position #1108-2877.
• This position will be located at 9401 Southwest Fwy. Houston, TX 77074.

What we have to offer:

The HARRIS CENTER offers competitive salary, excellent benefits package, retirement plans with company matching, prior service credit towards generous PTO accrual, outstanding wellness programs and professional development. Employees can also take advantage of business casual dress code, corporate discounts, and gym memberships. New hire referral bonus, discounts are also available on an optional basis. These include mobile phone service, fitness centers and other wellness amenities.

About us:

The HARRIS CENTER is the state-designated Local Mental Health Authority and Local Intellectual and Developmental Disability (IDD) Authority serving Harris County, Texas. As the largest behavioral and developmental disability care center in Texas, The HARRIS CENTER provided care to over 79,000 people in fiscal year 2019 and has an annual budget of over $275 million. As part of its mission to transform the lives of people with behavioral health and IDD needs in the third largest county in the United States, The HARRIS CENTER provides a full continuum of services at 86 different sites across Harris County. In addition, services are provided in more than 42 different languages as well as sign language in order to better serve what is one of the most diverse and multi-cultural communities in the nation.