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Colleague Relations Manager
The Colleague Relations Manager will evolve and execute the Labor Relations strategy for retail stores in the US market. This role will focus on maintaining a fair and equitable work environment for all colleagues. This role will further advocate for a pro-colleague work environment where we put people first in everything we do. This role will collaborate closely with the area Employee Relations Managers and in-store leadership teams.
Reports to: Senior Colleague Relations Manager
This role will:
Act as a Primark brand ambassador and role model in furthering our People First culture and always pushing to enhance our Colleague Experience. Help create an open, honest, fair, and transparent working environment. Act as a trusted advisor to the wider Retail Leadership Team and P&C function. Provide strategic and consultative advice and insights within the Labor Relations functional area with particular focus on:
Colleague Engagement & Wellbeing
Learning and Development
In-Store Consultation and Guidance
Employment and Legal Compliance
Investigations
External Environment
Reporting & KPIs
Business Alignment & Change
Qualifications
Role Requirements
The Colleague Relations Manager will evolve and execute the Labor Relations strategy for retail stores in the US market. This role will focus on maintaining a fair and equitable work environment for all colleagues. This role will further advocate for a pro-colleague work environment where we put people first in everything we do. This role will collaborate closely with the area Employee Relations Managers and in-store leadership teams.
Reports to: Senior Colleague Relations Manager
This role will:
Act as a Primark brand ambassador and role model in furthering our People First culture and always pushing to enhance our Colleague Experience. Help create an open, honest, fair, and transparent working environment. Act as a trusted advisor to the wider Retail Leadership Team and P&C function. Provide strategic and consultative advice and insights within the Labor Relations functional area with particular focus on:
Colleague Engagement & Wellbeing
- Develop and encourage the growth of the Primark Culture, protecting and evolving the Primark DNA
- Reinforce and participate in colleague engagement events
- Reinforce existing colleague recognition programs and partner with in-store teams on future recognition opportunities
- Establish relationship with US market EHS leadership and ensure all in-store safety related concerns are addressed properly
- A strong focus on EAP availability and other colleague wellbeing resources
Learning and Development
- Facilitate in-store leadership training as needed
- Provide insights on trends, patterns and translate into proactive actionable steps
- Create and facilitate labor relations presentations to inform senior leadership and/or management regarding Labor Relations issues
- Coach and develop in-store P&C Manager capability and confidence to allow them to identify serious colleague concerns and escalate these concerns appropriately
- Coach in-store leadership teams on how to effectively build colleague relationships leading to an overall positive colleague experience
- Create and evolve as needed hourly colleague training as part of colleague induction
In-Store Consultation and Guidance
- Consult on expertise and experiences with in-store leadership and the People & Culture function
- Review in-store current risk assessment with store manager and P&C manager
- Provide solutions to resolve store engagement concerns such as proposed listening sessions, in-store surveys, global colleague engagement survey analysis, more frequent engagement events, and other actions
Employment and Legal Compliance
- Ensure in-store leadership teams are aware of management obligations under the NLRA, Taft Harley Act, and any new law being proposed or passed by the NLRB
- Partner with the Employee Relations Manager the investigation, response, and resolution of all state/federal agency charges or alleged violations, civil action lawsuits, and internal complaints as needed
- Assess and evaluate the People Risks in the US Market and present appropriate solutions to de-risk any issues to the Senior Colleague Relations Manager
- Liaison between in-store leadership and legal counsel on labor relations issues
Investigations
- Partner with Employee Relations Manager and legal counsel on investigating any internal and external complaints alleging violations of state and federal laws affecting the workplace
External Environment
- Stay up to date on new case law interpreting the NLRA and memorandum issued by the General Counsel of the National Labor Relations Act.
- Monitor the external labor relations landscape both locally and nationally
Reporting & KPIs
- Monitor the KPIs that most impact the running of the business across the Area and take action as appropriate with insight led decision-making
- Communicate with US P&C LT and US Leadership Team insights on people matters that may require country-wide intervention
Business Alignment & Change
- Support the Senior Colleague Relations Manager in aligning the Labor Relations support to our retail and broader P&C partners as the Primark US brand rapidly grows and evolves
- Support effectively various business stakeholders through revised global ways of working and US specific P&C alignments
- Lead the delivery of organisational change and act as a champion for change in business projects.
- Take a Global and Country perspective (as well as store) to partner with key stakeholders on the delivery of the people agenda and alignment to the direction set in the P&C Strategy and Purpose
- Use data, insights and research to influence decision making and alignment of P&C priorities to the business Future Amazing strategy
- Support P&C projects being developed and rolled out to the retail stores.
- Performs other duties as assigned or requested
Qualifications
- Minimum of 7-10 years Human Resources and/or Labor Relations experience with at least 4 years of Labor Relations experience
- Extremely knowledgeable of the National Labor Relations Act and other federal laws and regulations affecting the workplace
- Preferably having worked as a multi-site HR Manager, Employee Relations Manager, or Labor Relations Manager in the retail sector
- Preferably having conducted and managed internal investigations
- Strong consultative skills and highly effective in communicating clearly and persuasively with the ability to influence at all levels
- Excellent interpersonal, communication and influencing skills
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
- Independent decision maker and strategic thinker with the ability to collaborate on decision making if needed
- Knowledge of the principles and practices of labor and employee relations
- Knowledge of state and federal labor and employment laws.
- Ability to work independently and with ambiguity, and to take initiative as needed to accomplish labor relations strategy
- Exceptional organizational skills and demonstrated thoroughness and follow through on all assigned tasks
- Ability to set goals and exercise direction
- Ability to maintain a high level of confidentiality
- Associate’s or bachelor’s degree preferred (preferably in industrial and labor relations or human resources management)
- SHRM-CP or SHRM-SCP preferred
Role Requirements
- This role will have oversight for a assigned area of retail stores within the US market and will require a significant amount of travel (50% travel requirements)
- Area of responsibility will evolve as the Primark US business grows rapidly over the next few years
