Manager, Employee Relations

In this position... 

Join us as the Manager - HRBP for Chicago Assembly Plant – where you'll lead a transformative HR organization in a dynamic and unionized environment. This is an assembly facility dedicated to the advancement of Ford Motor Company with 4500 people. You will align HR functions with strategic business objectives, working closely with Plant Leadership and central HR teams to deliver advanced HR solutions that enhance the employee experience and drive business success. Your expertise in union relations and employee engagement will be crucial in developing a high performing workplace that enhances both employee satisfaction and operational excellence. You will work closely with Plant Management and union leadership to drive transformational and strategic initiatives, ensuring our workforce is empowered and equipped to achieve our production goals.

What you'll do...

Business Partnership

• Provide strategic HR leadership as the trusted advisor for the manufacturing facility, owning the full scope of HR functions including employee relations, union relations, benefits, compensation, training, organizational development, and communications.
• Build strong relationships with manufacturing operations leadership to provide valuable consulting and strategic guidance on HR matters that drive sustainable cultural change and support production objectives.
• Establish and maintain strong operator relationships grounded in respect for people to prevent small issues from becoming costly escalations while building the engagement and trust essential for operational excellence.
• Partner with leadership to implement standardized recruitment processes with thorough background checks and cultural fit assessments, while designing comprehensive onboarding programs that include structured manager meetings and enhanced support during adjustment periods.
• Coach manufacturing leaders on effective communication practices, visibility, accessibility, and maintaining consistent leadership practices that demonstrate reliability and promote honest, timely dialogue with employees.
• Apply lean methodologies with progressive HR practices to drive operations to best-in-class levels while establishing equitable practices in wages, PTO, overtime, job postings, and management attention across all employees.
• Implement comprehensive recognition and reward systems, workforce planning strategies, and initiatives that promote employee engagement, diversity, and professional development in an inclusive, high-performance culture.

People Leadership

• Lead and inspire a diverse HR team by fostering an inclusive, collaborative environment that emphasizes continuous development and strategic alignment with organizational and HR-specific goals while modeling visibility, accessibility, and consistent leadership practices.
• Champion HR initiatives that drive performance excellence, employee engagement, and organizational culture. Ensure open communication and innovation, empowering team members to contribute effectively as strategic business partners in advancing the company's success.

Employee & Union Relations

• Enhance collaborative communications by developing and maintaining a robust communication framework that facilitates regular, transparent, and constructive dialogue between union representatives and management while fostering respectful relationships and correct implementation of collective bargaining agreements.
• Maintains regular floor presence to proactively identify and address employee concerns before they escalate, seeking opportunities to improve overall employee experience through methodical uncovering of root causes and corrective actions by starting at Gemba to uncover issues at their point of origin and preventing small problems from becoming larger organizational challenges through rigorous PDCA implementation and early intervention
• Collaborates closely with Operations Leadership and union representatives to ensure correct implementation and accurate interpretation of the collective bargaining agreement, addressing inquiries, grievances, and other union-related issues for consistent application.
• Oversee resolution of employee and union issues including conflicts, disputes, and disciplinary matters, ensuring fairness, consistency, and proportionate responses while maintaining follow-through on commitments.
• Co-create and manage innovative labor agreements to ensure the evolving needs of the workforce and business are met. Inclusive of local contract negotiations and administration of existing agreements to maximize the company’s value of said contract, while minimizing contractual leakages and disputes.
• Oversees and conducts investigations, ensuring that all disciplinary issues, grievances, and arbitration matters are handled in a timely and effective manner. Assesses the severity of each case and escalates significant concerns to the HR Director and/or the Regional HR Sr. Director, as required.
• Responds to and resolves all types of discrimination charges and complaints and works with legal counsel on lawsuit discovery and litigation preparation. Coordinates with specialists, HR teams, people leaders, and employees for appropriate and fair implementation of people policies ensuring compliance and consistency.
• Prepares reports and analytics to monitor employee relations trends and identify areas for improvement or intervention.
• Executes corporate designed products and services impacting both the hourly and salaried populations.
• Fosters a positive and inclusive hourly and salaried employee experience through proactive initiatives based on feedback through employee opinion surveys, suggestions, and open-door policies to boost engagement and address areas for improvement.
• Works closely with health and safety leads to address employee health and wellness concerns, implement wellness programs, and partner to improve safety performance for a healthy and safe work environment.

You'll have...

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Organizational Development, or any other related discipline or commensurate work experience.
• 8-10 years of progressive or equivalent combination of relevant education and experience.
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Even better, you may have...

• Master’s degree in Human Resources, Organizational Development, or any other related discipline or commensurate work experience.
• SPHR or SHRM-SCP certification 

You may not check every box, or your experience may look a little different from what we've outlined, but if you think you can bring value to Ford Motor Company, we encourage you to apply!

As an established global company, we offer the benefit of choice. You can choose what your Ford future will look like: will your story span the globe, or keep you close to home? Will your career be a deep dive into what you love, or a series of new teams and new skills? Will you be a leader, a changemaker, a technical expert, a culture builder…or all the above? No matter what you choose, we offer a work life that works for you, including:

• Immediate medical, dental, vision and prescription drug coverage
• Flexible family care days, paid parental leave, new parent ramp-up programs, subsidized back-up childcare and more
• Family building benefits including adoption and surrogacy expense reimbursement, fertility treatments, and more
• Vehicle discount program for employees and family members and management leases
• Tuition assistance
• Established and active employee resource groups
• Paid time off for individual and team community service 
• A generous schedule of paid holidays, including the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day 
• Paid time off and the option to purchase additional vacation time. 

This position is leadership level 6 and ranges from $115,500-$218,100.     

Final determination of salary grade will be based on candidate's skills and experience, and base salary will be set within the applicable range according to job scope, responsibility and competitive market value.

For more information on salary and benefits, click here: New Hire Benefits

Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.

Candidates for positions with Ford Motor Company must be legally authorized to work in the United States. Verification of employment eligibility will be required at the time of hire.

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, age, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability status or protected veteran status. In the United States, if you need a reasonable accommodation for the online application process due to a disability, please call 1-888-336-0660.

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