MEDC Corporate: Employee Relations & Performance Manager

Full Job Description

NOTE: THIS IS A MEDC CORPORATE POSITION - THIS IS NOT A STATE OF MICHIGAN CLASSIFIED POSITION.

At MEDC, we help Michiganders prosper by investing in our businesses and communities, enabling the growth of good jobs, and promoting Michigan’s reputation as a world-class business location and travel destination. By joining our team, you will play an integral role in directly supporting Michigan’s success, where you work, live and play. Come be part of the team as the Employee Relations & Performance Manager.

Position Summary:

This position serves as a strategic human resources partner responsible for advancing a consistent, fair, and high-performing workforce through leadership of performance management, employee and labor relations, and support of compensation administration. The role works closely with leadership, managers, and employees to strengthen accountability and ensure people practices align with organizational goals, policies, collective bargaining agreements, and applicable employment laws.

The position provides both advisory and hands-on support across the employee lifecycle, guiding leaders through performance expectations, corrective action, investigations, and workforce decisions. The role supports employment law compliance through policy and employee handbook review, interpretation, and implementation, and provides guidance on compensation-related processes consistent with established procedures. The position also advises on labor contract interpretation and manages disciplinary matters and investigations. The role balances compliance, sound judgment, and empathy to support a respectful, legally sound, and results-driven workplace culture.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities:

• Manages performance management program(s) for both state and corporate staff; evaluates program effectiveness, develops enhancements to performance management program and advises managers and leadership on strategies to correct performance problems.
• Serves as a primary resource for employee relations matters, including conducting investigations, managing disciplinary processes, resolving workplace issues, and providing guidance on corrective action in accordance with policy, collective bargaining agreements, and applicable laws.
• Serves as a trusted advisor and coach to leaders on performance expectations, coaching strategies, documentation standards, and performance improvement plans.
• Investigate employee complaints, including discriminatory harassment complaints; conduct fact-finding, and recommend actions for disputes, misconduct, or policy violations; ensures recommended actions are focused on organizational defensibility.
• Partners with HR leadership to direct and execute employee discipline and discharge activities; collaborates with internal and external counsel to ensure compliance with legal, policy, and regulatory requirements.
• Serve as agency labor relations specialist responsible for labor relations activities including, but not limited to, the interpretation and application of collective bargaining agreements; representing MEDC at labor management meetings, serves as lead negotiator for MEDC secondary bargaining agreements.
• Represents the MEDC’s interest in grievances, arbitrations, unfair labor practice charges, and civil rights hearings.
• Drafts, reviews, and updates HR policies, procedures, and employee handbook content to ensure clarity, consistency, and legal compliance; recommends revisions in response to regulatory changes or organizational needs.
• Serve as MEDC’s Drug & Alcohol Testing Coordinator (DATC), ensuring all policies and procedures are followed; responsible for reasonable suspicion and follow up testing.
• Monitors and coordinates unemployment insurance activities, including tracking claims, responding to agency requests, preparing required documentation, and partnering with internal stakeholders to ensure timely, accurate, and compliant claim management.
• Supports compensation administration activities by providing guidance on pay placement and performance-related pay decisions in alignment with established compensation philosophy and policies.
• Partners with Learning & Organizational Development team to support talent development initiatives, including providing back-up support for talent planning; Collaborates with all People Services functional areas to ensure performance outcomes inform development plans, succession planning, and pay-related decisions.
• Maintains accurate and thorough documentation related to employee relations and performance matters; identifies trends or risks and provides recommendations to HR leadership to improve practices and reduce organizational exposure.
• Handles sensitive and confidential employee information with a high degree of discretion and professionalism, ensuring HR systems and records remain accurate and compliant with applicable laws and requirements.
• Serves as an expert in and keeps abreast of a wide variety of complex Human Resource laws, Civil Service Rules/Regulations, policies and procedures, and best practices with regard to organizational policy administration.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

View the full position description HERE

This position is based at MEDC Headquarters in Lansing and may work a hybrid schedule with a minimum of 2 days of in-office work required.

Requirements

Education:
This position requires a bachelor’s degree from a four-year college or university in Business, Administration, Human Resources, Organizational Development, or related field; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Certification in SHRM-CP, SHRM-SCP, PHR, or SPHR is preferred.

Experience:
5 years of related experience.

Progressive experience in human resources with a strong focus on performance management and manager coaching.

Demonstrated experience developing or revising performance management processes or frameworks. Strong knowledge of employment law considerations related to performance, discipline, and documentation.

Experience in a public sector, quasi-public, or highly regulated environment is preferred.

Additional Information

For more information on MEDC and other career opportunities, please visit www.michiganbusiness.org/careers. Discover Pure Michigan at www.michigan.org.