Employee & Labor Relations Manager

Manager, Employee and Labor Relations

Reporting to the Director, Employee and Labor Relations, the Manager, Employee and Labor Relations serves as a trusted advisor and subject matter expert on complex workplace investigations, labor relations and grievance management. Leads a team of HR professionals responsible for the resolution of sensitive employee relations matters, overseeing the administration of the collective bargaining agreements, and ensuring consistent application of policies and practices across the enterprise.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

1. Manages the investigation lifecycle thorough impartial investigations into employee complaints, workplace misconduct, and policy violations, ensuring timely resolution, confidentiality, and compliance with all applicable laws and company policies. Conducts complex investigations in consultation with the Director.

2. Manages labor relations activities to include grievance and arbitration process under collective bargaining agreements, contract interpretation, case preparation, documentation, and grievance meetings to resolve disputes effectively.

3. Provides strategic consultation to leaders on disciplinary actions, corrective measures, and performance management concerns, ensuring consistency, fairness, and mitigation of organizational risk.

4. Provides support (coaching, counseling, education) to managers on employee relations. Educates, advises, and informs on managers and employees on employment laws, labor relations, and workplace policies. Works closely with inside and outside counsel in areas of employment law or labor relations as required. Provides training, support, and guidance as related to contractual obligations, anticipated "hot spots," and grievance processes.

5. Assists with developing and updating policies and procedures to ensure compliance with applicable law, collective bargaining agreements, and tribal ordinances.

6. Tracks and analyzes employee relations trends and metrics to identify patterns, assess program effectiveness, and continuous improvements opportunities.

7. Partners with HR Business Partner team on systemic cases, work collaboratively to identify root cases and develop sustainable, strategic solutions that address underlying issues and enhance organizational effectiveness.

8. Performs other duties as assigned to support the efficient operation of the department.

Supervisory Responsibilities

Carries out supervisory responsibilities in accordance with the organization's policies and applicable laws. Responsibilities include interviewing, hiring and training employees; planning, assigning reviewing and directing work; evaluating and appraising performance; rewarding and disciplining employees; addressing complaints and resolving problems. Make hiring decisions and designs individual development plans with succession planning in mind for all key roles.

Education, Experience and Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration, Human Resources, Organization Development, Psychology, or related field is required.
• Minimum seven (7) years of relevant and progressive experience in Human Resources, with a minimum of three (3) years of direct experience in employee and labor relations within an organization of 2000 or more team members is required. Experience working with Tribal Government and Casino-Hospitality, specifically Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation is preferred.
• Minimum of three (3) years of supervisory experience is required.
• Related, relevant, and/or direct experience may be considered in lieu of the minimum educational requirements indicated above.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSA)

• Must be able to work flexible hours, including evenings, weekends, and holidays.
• Proficient in drafting formal communications, investigation reports, disciplinary notices, and grievance responses.
• Extensive knowledge of employee relations, labor law, grievance procedures, and arbitration.
• Skilled in conducting impartial, confidential, and legally compliant workplace investigations.
• Strong understanding of employment laws and the ability to apply them to complex workplace scenarios.
• Adept at evaluating employee issues, assessing risk, and providing practical, business-focused recommendations.
• Exceptional communication skills, with the ability to present findings, guide leaders, and influence decisions.
• Effective in mediating disputes, resolving sensitive concerns, and promoting positive labor-management relations.
• Experienced in coaching managers to handle employee and labor relations matters consistently and confidently.
• Collaborative partner to HR, legal, and business leaders to ensure alignment and achieve strategic goals.
• Confident in offering independent, well-reasoned recommendations to senior leadership.
• Maintains high levels of discretion, professionalism, and ethical judgment in handling sensitive information.
• Adaptable and resilient in fast-paced environments, responsive to changing organizational needs.

Licenses, Certifications and Registrations

• At the discretion of the San Manuel Tribal Gaming Commission, you may be required to obtain and maintain a gaming license.
• Certification as a Professional Human Resources (PHR), Senior Professional Human Resources (SPHR), or Global Professional Human Resources (GPHR) preferred.
• Driving Responsibilities: Role requires regular commuting between locations. A valid driver's license and vehicle insurance with minimum liability limits is required. Role will not operate or drive Tribe-owned vehicles or patron vehicles.

Physical Requirements/ Working Conditions Environment

The physical demands and working environment described here are representative of those that an employee encounters and must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.

• Primary work environment is in a climate-controlled office setting.
• Work requires travel to attend meetings, trade shows, and conferences.
• Incumbents may be required to work evening, weekend and holiday shifts.
• Must be able to work in a fast-paced, high-demand environment.
• Strength sufficient to exert up to 10 pounds of force occasionally and/or a negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects and/or move up to 40 pounds occasionally.
• Sedentary work: involves sitting most of the time. Constantly operates a computer and other office productivity machinery, such as a calculator, copy machine, and computer printer.
• Physical activities that apply to the essential functions of the position are balancing, stooping, kneeling, crouching, reaching, pushing, pulling, lifting, grasping, talking, hearing, and repetitive motions.
• Hearing sufficient to hear conversational levels in person, via videoconference and over the telephone.
• Speech sufficient to make oneself heard and understood in person, in front of groups, in meetings, via videoconference and over the telephone.
• Visual acuity that meets the requirements of the position: The worker is required to have close visual acuity to perform an activity such as preparing and analyzing data and figures; transcribing; viewing a computer terminal; expansive reading and visual inspection of employees, visitors or facility.
• Mobility sufficient to safely move in an office environment, walk, stoop, bend and kneel, and enter, exit and operate a motor vehicle in the course of travel to promotional events, meetings, conferences, trade shows and San Manuel properties.
• Endurance sufficient to sit, walk and stand for extended periods, and maintain efficiency throughout the entire work shift and during extended work hours.
• The employee may be exposed to fumes or airborne particles including secondhand smoke.

Reasonable accommodation will be made in compliance with all applicable law.

As one of the largest private employers in the Inland Empire, San Manuel deeply cares about the future, growth and well-being of its employees. Join our team today!