Senior Employee Relations Specialist at RTI International

Position Description

• The Global Human Resources team within RTI is looking for a Senior Employee Relations Specialist to serve as a member of the RTI Employee Relations Center of Excellence (ERC) and a key contributor to the RTI Ethics Office. The primary responsibility will be to serve as an extension of the ERC overseas, while also supporting advancement of the Ethics Office, by fulfilling the duties outlined below.
• In consultation with, and at the direction of, the ERC leads investigations related to allegations occurring outside of the US in the Employee Relations domain, including allegations of workplace conflict, failure to demonstrate Respect for the Individual (a core RTI Value), and violations of our Code of Conduct.
• The Senior Employee Relations Specialist will report to the Director, Employee Relations. This position will be based in sub-Saharan Africa. This role will require international travel 25% of the time. Candidates must be eligible to work in their country of residence without sponsorship.

Responsibilities

• Under the direction of ERC and the Ethics Office, ensures Ethics and Employee Relations inquiries and concerns are promptly and appropriately escalated and responded to, to help ensure timely resolution, in collaboration and coordination with HR team members and business leaders in the field.
• Conducts and/or contributes to sensitive workplace investigative interviews related to employee concerns and allegations of ethics violations, interpersonal conflicts, and disciplinary matters, ensuring a fair and thorough process while upholding confidentiality and impartiality, and promptly escalating any notable concerns or risks as necessary.
• Offers specialized expertise, assistance, and resolution on specific ER matters, such as policy interpretation, conflict resolution, and behavior-related issues, with minimal supervision from leadership, while escalating any significant concerns or risks in an appropriate and timely manner.
• Under the guidance of the ERC and Ethics functions, coordinates and facilitates ER and Ethics outreach activities, including training sessions, workshops, and communication initiatives, to foster a positive work culture.
• Maintains accurate and confidential records and documentation, ensuring compliance with data protection regulations, legal requirements, and internal policies.
• Remains updated on evolving employment laws, regulations, and industry best practices related to Ethics and ER, and contributes to their incorporation into policies and practices.
• Works closely with a wide range of collaborators including the Ethics and ER teams, HR Business Partners, Legal, Management, and other stakeholders, collaborating effectively to address workplace issues while building effective working relationships.
• Contributes to fostering a diverse, inclusive, and respectful work environment by promoting open communication, cultural sensitivity, and fairness among employees and managers.
• Continuously assesses and contributes to the enhancement of processes, practices, and policies, identifying opportunities for improvement and providing innovative solutions.
• Provides routine updates on investigations to members of management and maintains well-organized and complete internal investigation case files.
• Writes clear and objective internal investigation reports.
• Contributes to preventive discussions arising from substantiated violations of RTI policy and identifies opportunities for process improvements.
• Supports other initiatives of the ERC and Ethics Office as assigned.
• Leverages understanding of cultural dynamics and diversity within the regions for effective assessment and enhancement of practice.
• May support the resolution of certain Ethics issues such as alleged breaches of internal policies, laws or regulations, and conflicts of interest.
• In coordination with ERC and Ethics, coordinates outreach and education initiatives to staff outside of the US to:
  • Ensure expectations related to ethical and respectful behavior are clearly communicated and understood.
  • Raise awareness of RTI’s Values and Code of Conduct, promote positive working relationships among staff, proactively avoid and/or resolve workplace conflict, and help ensure compliance with applicable employment laws and RTI expectations.
  • Proactively address priority issues as identified by incident trend analysis.
• Actively responds to, or escalates, employee and management inquiries related to RTI’s Code of Conduct and employee relations, including providing performance management guidance.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree and 12 years of relevant experience or master’s degree and 10 years of relevant experience.
• Significant experience in employee relations, including policy interpretation, conflict resolution, and behavior-related issues; preferably with an international organization.
• Previous experience working with regional, international and/or global organizations.
• Experience coordinating and facilitating ER-related training sessions, workshops, and/or communication initiatives.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Working knowledge of local labor laws, employment laws and legal resources in sub-Saharan Africa.
• Familiarity with international development systems and policies.
• Ability to prioritize issues and make recommendations to policies.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with project staff, leaders, HR stakeholders as well as RTI clients.
• Critical thinker, able to identify issues and opportunities, provide solutions and reach consensus with multiple stakeholders.
• Ability to communicate effectively in a multi-cultural environment.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills in English (additional fluency in French strongly preferred), with strong attention to detail and accuracy.
• Must be detail oriented and highly organized, with ability to work in a fast-paced environment and be able to meet unexpected demands.
• Must exhibit a flexible work attitude, with ability to work independently, in a team environment and within a matrix organization.
• Excellent knowledge of MS Word, Outlook, PowerPoint, Excel.