Senior Associate Relations – Bibibop

Position Overview

The Senior Associate Relation serves as the primary employee relations (ER) specialist and point of contact for brand leadership. This role manages employee relations matters, including policy interpretation, conflict resolution, performance management, disciplinary processes, and terminations. Key responsibilities include conducting internal investigations, ensuring compliant and fair resolutions, overseeing ADA accommodations, managing unemployment claims, and supporting HR audits. The Senior Associate Relation also partners with senior HR leadership and Legal on complex cases, provides coaching and training for managers, supports organizational change initiatives, and contributes to employee engagement and retention strategies through data-driven insights.

Primary Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary contact for employee relations matters, providing guidance to leadership on policies, performance management, conflict resolution, disciplinary processes, and terminations.
• Conduct and document internal investigations related to workplace concerns, including policy violations, discrimination, or harassment, in collaboration with HR leadership and Legal.
• Ensure timely, fair, and compliant resolution of employee relations issues, maintaining impartiality in all matters.
• Maintain accurate and confidential records in accordance with company and legal standards.
• Track and analyze employee relations trends, recommending proactive strategies for improvement.
• Lead the ADA interactive process, collaborating with leadership and Legal to ensure compliance and reasonable accommodations.
• Manage unemployment insurance claims, including documentation, responses, and hearing participation.
• Support HR audits to ensure practices align with policies, laws, and regulations.
• Partner with Legal, Compliance, and Risk teams on complex cases and regulatory issues.
• Coach and support managers on people management, team effectiveness, and employee engagement.
• Identify training needs, create and deliver programs, and assess training effectiveness.
• Provide training on employee relations topics, including respectful workplace practices.
• Assist with organizational changes, restructures, and change management.
• Support employee engagement and retention initiatives, including conducting exit interviews and analyzing results.
• Partner with HR on analyzing trends and metrics to influence policies and workforce planning.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or related field.

Experience:

• 7+ years of HR experience, including 3+ years in employee relations.
• Experience in restaurant, retail, or hospitality industries within multi-state, multi-location environments preferred.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Knowledge of labor laws and employment regulations (e.g., ADA, FMLA, FLSA, EEO, AA).
• Experience with employee investigations and employee relations best practices.
• Ability to handle sensitive matters with confidentiality and professionalism.
• Strong communication, interpersonal, and conflict resolution skills.
• Ability to exercise sound judgment and initiative in complex situations.
• Proficiency with HRIS, ATS, and Microsoft Office applications.
• Strong organizational, multitasking, and follow-through skills.
• Ability to build effective partnerships across teams, departments, and locations.
• Bilingual skills (English/Spanish) are a plus.

Total Rewards

• Competitive salary + bonus
• Health, dental, and vision insurance
• 401(k)
• Paid vacation and personal days
• Short-term disability and voluntary life insurance
• Tuition and wellness reimbursement
• Ongoing professional development