Employee Relations Business Partner at American Water Works Service Company Inc in Charleston, West Virginia

Job Description:

Founded in 1886, American Water is the largest and most geographically diverse publicly traded U.S. water and wastewater utility company. With headquarters in Camden, NJ, the company employs over 6,800 dedicated professionals who provide regulated and market-based drinking water, wastewater and other related services to an estimated 15 million people in 46 states.  To learn more about American Water and additional career opportunities, visit www.amwater.com.

Primary Role

• Responsible for providing guidance, support, and recommendations on various levels of employee relations issues. Will build strong partnerships and work closely with all levels of leadership, HR Business Partners, Legal and other internal teams with a goal of driving a consistent, equitable, and positive experience for our employees in line with our company values.


• Responsible for providing thought leadership, coaching, guidance and support on varying levels of employee relations issues.


• Responsible for effective service delivery, process improvements and system utilization. Demonstrates AWK’s values by collaborating with key stakeholders and building strong partnerships across all levels of leadership, HRBP’s, Labor, HR COE’s, Legal, etc. to drive a consistent, fair, compliant and stellar employee experience and corporate culture.


• This position is part of the HR Operations COE. The position will support numerous locations in multiple states or businesses across American Water. Must possess the ability to form fast, effective relationships, both with leadership, and with union-represented employees.


• Preferred candidate may have flexibility in terms of reporting location.

Key Accountabilities

• Responsible for investigations, employee questions, issues tracking, employee discipline,


• Builds effective business relationships through exceptional service delivery and communication.


• Ensures a stellar employee experience that aligns with AWK’s values.


• Serve as an ER expert, providing guidance on employee concerns and conducting investigations, demonstrating effective listening, probing, and investigatory skills with the ability to clearly and objectively synthetize information in a timely manner


• Partner directly with, HR Business Partners Labor, and Legal on recommendations to resolve inquiries, concerns, and investigations in line with our company values


• Act as a champion for compliance, helping to interpret company policies and processes, ensure consistent application, alignment with company priorities, and educate team members and other stakeholders as needed


• Own assigned ER cases, documenting investigation findings according to best practices


• Analyze and track employee relations trends to proactively identify and address areas of opportunity and improve employee engagement


• Ensures a stellar employee experience that aligns with AWK’s values. Responsible for employee and manager communications and education.


• Contributes to the development of the ER strategy


• Serves as subject matter expert on complex issues and appropriately escalates


• Leads projects effectively, including initiating, planning, analyzing, Executing, measuring and communicating progress as assigned.


• Manages assigned caseload


• Partner with HR business partners to champion and promote a positive and open culture.


• Supports a culture of passionate, values-driven, customer-obsessed people

Continued

• Delivers fluid and timely people processes that allow for quick action and flexibility


• Uses technologies to operate at the pace of the customer


• Offers foundational practices that can be personalized with focus on business need and impact


• Provides proactive solutions through synergies and collaboration across the business


• Customize business specific solutions

Knowledge/Skills

• Direct experience handling all aspects of ER issues, including intake, review, and resolution


• Advanced knowledge of workplace investigations


• Understanding of the employment law and the ability to apply this knowledge to any challenging or sensitive situations.


• Exceptional coaching, facilitation, and conflict resolution skills Strong influencing skills with the ability to advise HR Business


• Partners and all levels of management around recommendations to resolve employee concerns and issues


• Able to work independently and with a sense of urgency


• Capable of applying sound judgement and discretion when handling Knowledgeable in equal opportunity and affirmative action requirements Confidentiality and sensitivity, particularly when making judgments on specific issues


• Ability to navigate existing AW technologies. Ability to quickly learn emerging technologies.


• Ability to proactively engage with the team and business on necessary data and business critical deadlines.


• Openness to change and risk-taking (outside of compliance/safety); enthusiastic learners.


• Agility; Continued/expanded use of pop-up teams.


• True collaboration within the function and across the business. Ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing with excellent usage of grammar, spelling and punctuation.


• Must have the ability to deal with highly confidential information.


• Detail oriented to conduct through analysis and evaluations. Good skills for planning, organizing and communicating.

Experience/Education

• Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent in Human Resources, Business Management, or related field preferred.


• 7+ years of experience as an HR professional. Experience in labor relations preferred.

Travel Requirements

Approximately 30%

Licenses & Certifications

SHRM certification, PHR/SPHR and/or SRHM-CP preferred.

Competencies

Champions safety

Customer obsessed

Cultivates innovation

Nimble learning

Drives Results

Collaborates

Join American Water...We Keep Life Flowing™

American Water is firmly committed to Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) and prohibits employment discrimination for employees and applicants based on his or her age, race, color, pregnancy, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, religion, marital status, citizenship, or because he or she is an individual with a disability, protected veteran or other status protected by federal, state, and local laws.

 

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