Employee Relations Advisor in Atlanta, Georgia at Lifeline Animal Project Inc

Position: Employee Relations Advisor

Department: Human Resources

Reports To: Chief People Officer

Location: Hybrid

Summary:

LifeLine Animal Project is committed to the care and welfare of pets and the people who love them. The values we exhibit as an organization show the strength of our staff, our leadership and our community. We expect all employees to exhibit LifeLine’s core values as we complete daily tasks, provide services to clients and care for our animals.

The Employee Relations Advisor serves as the organization's subject matter expert on employee relations and partners with leaders across all locations to foster a fair, respectful, and high-performing workplace. This role provides strategic guidance and day-to-day coaching to department managers, supervisors, and HR Managers on employee relations matters, performance management, corrective action, workplace investigations, and conflict resolution.

The Advisor's primary purpose is not simply to resolve employee relations issues, but to strengthen the organization's ability to manage them effectively. By coaching leaders, identifying organizational trends, and promoting consistent employment practices, this role helps create a workplace where employees trust that concerns will be handled fairly and where leaders possess the confidence and skills to manage performance and workplace challenges effectively.

Essential Job Functions:

This represents a list of essential job duties. Other duties or special projects may be assigned as needed.

Uphold the standards and values of LifeLine Animal Project:

Save Lives -- Build Community -- Be Exceptional Stewards -- Be Courageous --

Be Compassionate -- Take Responsibility -- Respect, Embrace and Celebrate Diversity

Employee Relations Consulting & Coaching:

• Serve as the organization's primary advisor on employee relations matters.
• With compassion, coach department managers, supervisors, and HR Managers through employee relations situations to strengthen their confidence and capability.
• Provide practical guidance on conflict resolution, employee concerns, policy interpretation, workplace conduct, and corrective action.
• Promote consistent employee relations practices across all organizational locations.
• Build leadership capability by equipping managers to independently handle routine employee relations matters.
• Respect, embrace, and celebrate diversity by championing a positive, inclusive, and high-performance culture, always focused on LifeLine’s mission to save lives.

Compliance & Risk Management:

• Ensure employee relations practices comply with federal, state, and local employment laws.
• Promote consistent application of organizational policies.
• Maintain confidential employee relations records and documentation.
• Identify potential organizational risks and recommend proactive solutions.

Performance Management & Corrective Action:

• Advise leaders on employee performance issues and appropriate corrective action.
• Review disciplinary actions to ensure fairness, consistency, documentation, and compliance with company policy.
• Guide managers through performance improvement conversations and documentation.
• Partner with leaders on performance improvement plans and employee development strategies.
• Provide guidance regarding employee separations and performance-based terminations.

Workplace Investigations:

• Courageously conduct formal workplace investigations involving employee complaints, policy violations, harassment, discrimination, retaliation, workplace misconduct, and other sensitive employee relations matters.
• Interview employees and witnesses while maintaining neutrality and confidentiality.
• Take responsibility to prepare comprehensive investigation reports and recommendations.
• Ensure investigations are thoroughly documented and completed in a timely manner.
• Escalate matters requiring legal review or external employment counsel to the Chief People Officer.

Employee Relations Strategy & Organizational Insights:

• Analyze employee relations trends across departments and locations.
• Identify recurring workplace issues, emerging risks, and organizational patterns.
• Prepare reports summarizing employee relations metrics, trends, and recommendations.
• Recommend improvements to policies, procedures, and leadership practices that strengthen employee relations.

Employee Engagement & Organizational Health:

• Support the administration and analysis of employee engagement surveys.
• Partner with leadership to develop action plans addressing identified opportunities.
• Recommend initiatives that strengthen employee engagement, trust, communication, and workplace culture.
• Help build a community of animal welfare advocates by supporting and engaging volunteers who aid LifeLine’s mission.

Leadership Development Support:

• Identify organizational learning needs based on investigations, employee concerns, grievances, engagement surveys, and performance trends.
• Recommend training topics to address recurring employee relations challenges.
• Coach managers on incorporating employee development into performance management discussions.

Qualifications:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily.

• Extensive knowledge of employee relations principles and best practices.
• Strong understanding of employment law and workplace investigations.
• Ability to interpret and apply HR policies consistently.
• Exceptional coaching and consultation skills.
• Ability to influence leaders without direct authority.
• Comfortable navigating difficult conversations with professionalism and empathy.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.
• Ability to identify organizational patterns and recommend practical solutions.
• Sound judgment and decision-making skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Skilled facilitator of difficult conversations.
• Ability to present recommendations to senior leadership.
• Ability to maintain the highest level of confidentiality.
• Demonstrates professionalism, objectivity, and sound ethical judgment.
• Must pass a background check.

Education and/or Experience:

Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Organizational Leadership, or related field required.

Five or more years of progressive Human Resources experience.

Minimum of three years specializing in Employee Relations.

Experience conducting workplace investigations.

Experience coaching managers through complex employee situations.

SHRM-CP, SHRM-SCP, PHR, or SPHR certification preferred.

Work Environment:

Work is primarily performed in an indoor office setting with occasional travel between our various LifeLine locations across the Atlanta area.