Director, Employee Relations

It's fun to work in a company where people truly BELIEVE in what they're doing!

We're committed to bringing passion and customer focus to the business.

Public Partnerships LLC supports individuals with disabilities or chronic illnesses and aging adults, to remain in their homes and communities and “self” direct their own long-term home care. Our role as the nation’s largest and most experienced Financial Management Service provider is to assist those eligible Medicaid recipients to choose and pay for their own support workers and services within their state-approved personalized budget.  We are appointed by states and managed healthcare organizations to better serve more of their residents and members requiring long-term care and ensure the efficient use of taxpayer funded services. 

Our culture attracts and rewards people who are results-oriented and strive to exceed customer expectations. We desire motivated candidates who are excited to join our fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment, and who want to make a difference in helping transform the lives of the consumers we serve. (learn more at www.pplfirst.com).

Job Summary

The Director of Employee Relations (ER) is responsible for leading the organization’s employee relations strategy, with a primary focus on overseeing and conducting complex workplace investigations. This role also leads the organization’s reasonable accommodation program, ensuring a consistent, compliant, and employee-centered approach to accommodations. The Director serves as a trusted advisor to senior leadership and partners closely with HR, Legal, Compliance, and business leaders to ensure fair, consistent, and legally compliant handling of employee concerns while fostering a positive workplace culture and mitigating organizational risk. The Director collaborates cross-functionally across Human Resources and business functions to deliver proactive ER strategies, effective investigations, and compliant accommodation practices that enhance both business outcomes and employee experience.

Key Responsibilities

Investigations Leadership

• Lead and oversee all internal workplace investigations (e.g., harassment, discrimination, retaliation, ethics violations, policy breaches)
• Conduct complex, high-risk, or executive-level investigations
• Ensure investigations are timely, thorough, impartial, and well-documented
• Provide findings, risk assessments, and recommendations to senior leadership
• Maintain investigation protocols and standards aligned with legal and regulatory requirements

Employee Relations Strategy & Consultation

• Develop and implement ER strategies, policies, and practices that foster a respectful and inclusive workplace
• Identify trends and root causes of employee concerns and recommend proactive solutions
• Partner with HR Business Partners and leaders on complex employee issues and conflict resolution
• Drive consistency in disciplinary actions and corrective measures across the organization

Accommodation Program Leadership

• Lead and oversee the organization’s reasonable accommodation process (e.g., ADA, PWFA, religious accommodations, and related state/local requirements)
• Ensure a consistent, compliant, and timely interactive process across all functions and locations
• Provide guidance on complex or sensitive accommodation requests, including those involving medical restrictions, leave intersections, and return-to-work scenarios
• Partner with Legal, HR, and business leaders to assess undue hardship and organizational risk
• Oversee documentation, tracking, and reporting of accommodation requests and outcomes
• Develop policies, procedures, and training to ensure effective and equitable accommodation practices
• Monitor trends and recommend proactive solutions to improve accessibility and reduce risk

Risk Management & Compliance

• Ensure compliance with employment laws and regulations (e.g., EEO, ADA, FMLA, PWFA, and state/local laws)
• Partner with Legal on litigation risk and external agency matters (EEOC, DOL, etc.)
• Maintain documentation and reporting for audits and compliance requirements
• Mitigate legal and reputational risks through sound employee relations and accommodation practices

Leadership & Team Development

• Lead and develop a team of employee relations professionals and/or investigators (and accommodation specialists, if applicable)
• Establish performance goals, provide coaching, and build investigative and case management capabilities
• Create scalable processes, tools, and training