Manager Employee Relations

Job Function Summary

Serves as a strategic advisor to HR and business leaders by aligning employee and organizational objectives. Provides guidance on HR and employee relations matters, ensuring equitable, consistent, and legally compliant employment practices that support PGE's culture and business goals.

Key Responsibilities

Employee Relations Management

Serves as the primary resource for employee relations consultation and support. Partners with HR Business Partners, Labor Relations, Legal, and business leaders to address workplace issues, ensure consistent policy application, and promote an equitable and compliant work environment. Provides expert guidance on employee relations matters, including performance management, corrective actions, and conflict resolution. Leads or supports internal investigations, owning complex or high-risk cases from intake through resolution. Ensures that investigations are conducted objectively, consistently, and in compliance with legal and company standards. Identifies trends and insights from case data to inform proactive strategies that strengthen engagement and workplace culture. Contributes to the design and delivery of employee relations policies, tools, and training that build organizational capability and reduce risk.

Financial Management

Monitors and manages expenditures, ensuring that all financial targets are met, and examines any areas where budgets / expenditures vary from plan; assists with the definition and operation of effective financial controls and decision making.

Resourcing

Partners with HR and business leaders to assess resourcing needs for employee relations work. Contributes to recruitment, selection, and development of HR talent with ER capability. Supports workforce planning and workload prioritization across the HR function.

Professional Development

Maintains up-to-date knowledge of employment law, HR practices, and organizational policies. Builds capability among HR Business Partners and leaders through consultation, coaching, and knowledge sharing. Pursues ongoing professional development to stay current on trends in investigations, employee relations, and workplace culture.

Education / Experience / Certifications

Education

Typically a bachelor's degree in business, psychology, sociology, finance, human resources, law or other related field or equivalent experience. A law degree is desirable.

Experience

Typically eight or more years in multiple areas of human resources, such as benefits plan administration, investigations, employee relations, or equivalent combination of experience with three or more years of management.

Certifications, Licenses and Training

PHR, SPHR, SHRM-CP or SHRM-SCP preferred. Other HR certifications are advantageous (e.g., CEBS, CBP, CCP).

Competencies (Knowledge, Skills, Abilities)

Functional Competencies

• Deep expertise in employee relations, including investigations, corrective action, conflict resolution, and policy application
• Proven ability to conduct complex or high-risk workplace investigations objectively and effectively, ensuring thorough documentation and legally sound outcomes
• Strong understanding of federal and state employment and labor laws, including discrimination, harassment, and retaliation standards
• Broad HR knowledge, including organizational effectiveness, change management, and employee engagement
• Ability to translate business needs into people strategies that balance risk, compliance, and organizational culture
• Skill in identifying and interpreting employee relations trends and using data to drive preventive strategies
• Strong project management and process improvement skills with the ability to design and execute ER programs and initiatives
• Advanced facilitation, mediation, and presentation skills to influence and educate leaders at all levels
• Proficiency with HR information systems, case management tools, and data reporting platforms

General Competencies

Leader Practices

Physical and Cognitive Demands

Cognitive Level

Substantial : Consistent use of logic or scientific thinking to define problems, collect information, establish facts and draw valid conclusions (for example, engineer, HR director, plant manager, etc.).

Cognitive

Schedule / Attendance

Physical Capabilities

Environment - Indoor / Outdoor

Compensation Range : $119,840.00 - $222,560.00 Actual total compensation, including a performance based incentive bonus, is commensurate with experience, skills, qualifications, education, training, and internal equity. While we anticipate the selected candidate for this position will fall towards the middle or entry point of the compensation range, the decision will be made on a case-by-case basis.

PGE believes in rewarding dedicated performance. We provide a total rewards package that is designed to reward your contributions to the company, and, at the same time, support your well-being and professional development, both now and into the future.

Join us today and power your potential! Assisting with storms or other Company emergencies is a part of all positions at Portland General Electric. PGE is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to fostering a workplace where employees feel connected, valued, and empowered to thrive. PGE does not discriminate on the basis of disability. We recognize individuals have a variety of abilities to offer and we believe there is much to value and celebrate by incorporating different abilities into the work we do. One very important way we live this out is in our application and interview process. We work hard to support individuals who may need an accommodation to fully participate in these processes. If you feel you may need an accommodation, or would like to request one, please notify the Recruiter associated with the job posting. You may also make this request by contacting talentacquisition@pgn.com or by calling 503-464-7250. The Recruiter will provide information and next steps for the accommodation process.

To be considered for this position, please complete the following employment application by the posting close date. Posting closes at midnight (Pacific Time) on the closing date below. If no date is listed, job is open until filled.