Employee Relations Manager

About Ardurra

At Ardurra, we’re more than an engineering and consulting firm—we’re a team dedicated to shaping the future through smart solutions and strong partnerships. Our mission is simple: empower our people to deliver innovative, sustainable projects that make a real impact on communities. Guided by our core values—Client Driven, Uniquely Nimble, Low Bureaucracy, Team Collaboration, Unlimited Opportunities, Relationship Focused, and Entrepreneurial Spirit—we foster a culture that puts people first.

Overview:

The Employee Relations Manager leads employee relations initiatives and retention efforts across multiple functions, serving as a trusted advisor to employees and leadership. This role handles employee disputes, grievances, and concerns with professionalism, discretion, and fairness. The Employee Relations Manager promotes engagement, resolves conflicts, and maintains focus on delivering a positive employee experience.

Primary Duties:

• Provide guidance, education, and support to managers and employees on HR policies, procedures, and employment practices.
• Fosters a positive employee relations culture through programs, which include qualitative strategies and quantitative measures, that align with the organizational strategy.
• Tracks and analyzes employee relations trends, including turnover, to identify areas for improvement.
• Develops and implements retention efforts across the organization.
• Ensures compliance with federal, state, and local labor laws leading initiatives and team members on compliance efforts.
• Partner with legal, leadership, HR Business Partners, and broader HR teams to mitigate risk and maintain alignment with best practices.
• Supervises the HR Compliance support role(s) which includes immigration support.
  
  

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Advanced knowledge of HR laws, regulations, and strategic HR practices, with the ability to design, implement, and oversee programs in employee relations, compliance, talent management, and organizational development across diverse business environments.
• Excellent communication, negotiation, and conflict resolution skills, with the ability to navigate sensitive issues, lead high-impact investigations, manage regulatory matters, and foster a culture of fairness, engagement, and accountability.
• Ability to deliver HR counsel, integrating deep expertise in business operations, organizational effectiveness, and people strategy to support enterprise-wide goals and decision-making.
• Skilled in leadership, coaching, and talent development with the ability to foster collaboration, promote inclusion, delegate effectively, and support open, transparent communication.
• Ability to demonstrate managerial courage and resilience by addressing challenges directly, navigating conflict with fairness, and maintaining focus on key priorities under pressure.
  
  

Education and Experience Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources or related field.
• 8+ years of experience as an HR employee, with significant experience in senior HR roles such as HR Manager or Generalist with emphasis in Employee Relations. Equivalent education and experience may be considered.
• Experience in applying exceptional mentorship, coaching, project management, and time management skills.
• Experience with sensitive and confidential information while maintaining strictest confidentiality
• Experience in complex and technical work environments
• Excellent verbal, non-verbal and facilitation communication skills
  
  

Competencies:

• Client Focus
• Developing Others
• Fostering Communication & Collaboration
• Leading Others
• Managerial Courage
  
  

Working Environment/Physical Requirements:

Work is generally conducted in a standard office administrative setting with limited exposure to physical hazards. This role involves minimal to moderate physical activity, including handling items weighing up to 20 pounds. It may require occasional standing or walking but primarily focuses on working at a keyboard, workstation, or desk.

Preferred Qualifications

• Deep understanding of labor laws and regulations at both the state and federal level laws combined with resourcefulness to research with provided toolsets.
• Demonstrated professional maturity in dealing with variety of employee relations situations
• Excellent analytical, quantitative, project management, communication, problem solving, and influence skills.
• A demonstrated ability to form excellent working relationships with the business and within HR.
• Demonstrated achievements as an HR professional such as employee program development including Employee Resource Groups.
• Knowledge of employee development, immigration support, and Affirmative Action Plans.
• Experience facilitating new hire orientations, supervisor/manager education and other trainings as needed and/or partnering with HR team on understanding training needs within the business
• Collaborative, experienced with supporting stakeholders and team members in a matrixed environment.
• Strong experience in interfacing with employee management and operational leadership.
• Significant experience working with interdependent HR teams to develop and implement transformative growth solutions.
• In-depth knowledge of employee relations and hiring strategies including negotiation tactics.
• Strong familiarity with HR management and people management.
• Ability to participate in or lead acquisition support activities
• Experience integrating employees into existing or new operating structures successfully.
• Business acumen with entrepreneurial mindset.
• Certified HR professional with a robust HR skillset and/or experiences in a high-growth environment.
• Experience in the AEC industry operating as a business partner.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, including strong relationship building and change management capabilities.
• Ability to work independently as well as interdependently with others to deliver exceptional results.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office tools such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Teams.
• Good working knowledge of HR Systems (HRIS), creating and using spreadsheets (Excel), and having an “eye for detail.”
• Demonstrated ability to apply coaching and counseling skills.
• Excellent project management and organizational skills, with a proven ability to meet tight deadlines.
• Demonstrated ability to successfully multitask and maintain a high level of accuracy.
• Ability to work in the office as needed with flexibility to work extended hours for projects.
• A driving interest to perform at the highest level, continually looking for better answers & new solutions.
• Passion for learning about competitors and applying insights to inform HR recommendations for our business.
• Must prefer to be on a “winning team” as opposed to a comfortable routine that never changes.
• Willingness to travel as needed.
• The right candidate could be located to work remotely with light travel needs.
  
  

Why Ardurra?

While Ardurra offers competitive compensation and rich benefits programs, it is our culture that truly sets us apart from our peers. We nurture a family-like culture, striving to create a work environment that is enjoyable, challenging and rewarding but also fun. We are acutely focused on developing our staff, whether through our internal Ardurra Academy or through our industry-leading Leadership program. We have made a deliberate and focused commitment to nurture a people-centric culture where people are: valued as individuals; supported in their professional and career development with multiple, varied career paths; provided the tools and resources to be successful, engaged, and satisfied in their work; and positive benefits, time-off programs, and flexibility to help maintain a healthy balance between work and home.Ardurra is an Equal Opportunity/ Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, gender identity or sexual orientation.

NOTICE TO THIRD PARTY AGENCIES:

Ardurra does not accept unsolicited resumes from recruiters or employment agencies. In the absence of a signed Agency Agreement, Ardurra will not consider or agree to payment of any referral compensation or recruiter fee. If a resume or candidate is submitted to any hiring manager without a previously signed agreement, Ardurra reserves the right to pursue and hire those candidate(s) without any financial obligation to the recruiter or agency. These candidates will be considered property of Ardurra. We’re not currently looking to add any more agencies to our list of approved vendors, so please do not contact any of our managers or recruitment team with sales calls or details of your candidates.