Employee Experience and Relations Manager
POSITION OVERVIEW
Harbor Health is seeking a Manager of Employee Experience & Relations to serve as a trusted advisor and strategic partner in cultivating a positive workplace culture across our growing organization. Supporting a workforce of 650+ employees across 32+ clinic locations in four Texas markets (Austin, San Antonio, El Paso, and Dallas), this role handles complex employee relations matters spanning our diverse workforce—from physicians and clinical staff to front-line operations teams—while proactively building systems and cultural initiatives that support organizational health. The ideal candidate brings strong employment law knowledge, excellent judgment, and a culture champion mindset to help Harbor Health scale its people practices during this dynamic growth phase.
POSITION DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES
Employee Relations & Investigations
- Manage varied and complex employee relations issues across physician, clinical, and front-line staff populations with sophistication and situational awareness
- Conduct thorough, fair, and impartial workplace investigations including harassment, discrimination, retaliation, policy violations, and workplace conduct concerns
- Investigate and resolve matters unique to healthcare environments, including scope of practice concerns, credentialing-related issues, and member safety-adjacent situations requiring coordination with clinical leadership
- Lead the ADA interactive process for accommodation requests, partnering with managers and legal counsel to evaluate and implement reasonable accommodations while maintaining compliance
- Synthesize complex situations into clear, actionable recommendations and resolution plans for leadership
- Partner with legal counsel as needed on sensitive matters and maintain appropriate documentation throughout all ER cases
Performance Management & Manager Support
- Coach and support managers through performance management processes, corrective actions, and difficult conversations
- Provide practical, real-time guidance to leaders on employee relations best practices and risk mitigation
- Translate complex legal and compliance requirements into clear, actionable business guidance for non-HR leaders
- Build manager capability through training, toolkits, and hands-on support across all four Texas markets
Proactive Culture Building
- Proactively identify and implement cultural initiatives that minimize employee relations issues before they arise
- Support culture harmonization efforts related to mergers and acquisition activity, including integration of newly acquired employee populations
- Champion initiatives that strengthen employee experience and organizational culture across a multi-site, multi-market environment
- Partner cross-functionally with clinical operations, talent acquisition, and leadership to create an inclusive and engaging work environment
Data, Reporting & Systems
- Own and manage turnover and attrition reporting, identifying trends by market, department, tenure, and role type to inform retention strategies
- Build and maintain dashboards and reporting on organizational health metrics including employee relations case volume, resolution timelines, and repeat-issue patterns
- Use data analytics to identify early warning indicators and opportunities for preventive intervention across the employee lifecycle
- Scale employee relations practices, policies, and systems to support organizational growth and post-acquisition integration
- Continuously improve ER processes for efficiency and effectiveness as the organization scales
DESIRED PROFESSIONAL SKILLS & EXPERIENCE
Required
- 5+ years of progressive HR experience with significant focus on employee relations
- Strong working knowledge of employment law including ADA (including the interactive accommodation process), FMLA, FLSA, Title VII, and Texas employment regulations
- Proven experience conducting workplace investigations and managing complex ER cases across diverse employee populations
- Multi-site or multi-location HR experience with demonstrated ability to manage employee relations remotely and in person
- Demonstrated ability to work independently with excellent judgment in ambiguous situations
- Strong negotiation, influence, and conflict resolution skills
- Experience coaching managers on performance management and employee relations matters
- Understanding of when to be flexible versus when to draw hard lines on policy and practice
- Comfort with data analysis and ability to translate workforce metrics into actionable insights
- Culture champion mindset with focus on creating the best possible work environment
Preferred
- Experience in high-growth or M&A environments, including post-acquisition workforce integration
- Healthcare industry experience, particularly with physician and clinical staff populations
- SHRM-CP, SHRM-SCP, PHR, or SPHR certification
- Comfort operating with limited structure and high flexibility in a startup-like environment
- Experience with HRIS platforms and ER case management systems
WHAT WE OFFER
- Opportunity to shape Harbor Health's culture and employee experience during a critical growth phase—this is a build-it role, not a maintain-it role
- Collaborative and dynamic work environment where HR has a true seat at the table
- An organization made of people who are passionate about transforming healthcare in Texas
- Competitive salary and benefits package
- Professional development and growth opportunities
- A transparent and unique culture
About Harbor Health
At Harbor Health, we're transforming healthcare in Texas through collaboration and innovation. We're seeking passionate individuals to help us create a member-centered experience that connects comprehensive care with a modern payment model. If you're ready to make a meaningful impact in a dynamic environment where your contributions are valued, please bring your talents to our team!