Lead Employee Relations Partner

About the role

This position serves as the primary escalation point for complex employee relations matters across the organization. You will join the People Partner team to balance risk management and compliance while maintaining a fair and inclusive workplace culture. In this capacity, you will act as a strategic advisor to leaders at every level, translating nuanced employment regulations into practical workplace solutions. You will own the full lifecycle of high-stakes cases, from initial concern through resolution and follow-up. The role requires a consultative mindset, where you challenge assumptions and guide stakeholders toward legally sound and culturally aligned decisions. You will be responsible for standardizing practices across a rapidly evolving environment to reduce future risk and enhance employee trust. Success in this position is measured by the quality of investigations, the fairness of outcomes, and the strength of partnerships with business stakeholders. You will continuously refine the employee experience during sensitive situations to reinforce confidence in the People organization.

Key facts

What you'll do

• Manage the intake, investigation, and resolution of sensitive workplace conflicts, misconduct, and performance issues.
• Provide guidance on investigation strategy and risk exposure for high-risk or ambiguous cases.
• Conduct unbiased investigations, ensuring thorough documentation and alignment with Legal standards.
• Consult with business leaders and People Partners on employment law, corrective actions, and decision-making.
• Analyze ER data and complaint trends to identify systemic risks and preventative solutions.
• Coach managers on conflict resolution and performance management.
• Update employee handbook policies to ensure compliance with laws such as EEO, FMLA, and ADA.
• Manage the severance program and handle external state reporting requirements.
• Improve investigation frameworks, tools, and training resources.
• Partner with cross-functional teams to design and roll out training that mitigates future risk.
• Serve as a subject matter expert on employee relations metrics for executive leadership discussions.
• Drive process improvements to reduce cycle time for case resolution without compromising quality.
• Synthesize complex legal jargon into clear action plans for non-HR business stakeholders.
• Support the implementation of new HR systems related to case tracking and documentation.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of interventions and adjust strategies based on outcome data.
• Lead root cause analysis for recurring issues and recommend long-term policy changes.
• Act as a change agent to foster a transparent and accountable culture across the organization.
• Maintain strict confidentiality in all interactions involving sensitive employee information.
• Represent Chime in external discussions with regulatory bodies or legal counsel when necessary.
• Continuously benchmark employee relations practices against industry standards to ensure competitiveness.

Requirements

• 8+ years of experience in employee relations or HR business partnering within high-growth or matrixed organizations.
• Deep knowledge of employment law and HR compliance.
• Strong skills in mediation, investigation, and problem-solving.
• Ability to influence senior leadership and drive cross-functional alignment.
• Data-driven mindset for identifying trends.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Bachelor degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field.
• Demonstrated experience managing complex investigations from start to finish.
• Familiarity with FMLA, EEO, ADA, and other relevant employment regulations.
• Proven ability to maintain neutrality and fairness in sensitive situations.
• Experience with case management systems and HRIS platforms.
• Track record of building trust with leadership at all levels.
• Comfort working in a fast-paced, high-priority environment.
• Commitment to upholding ethical standards in all professional interactions.
• Ability to manage multiple concurrent investigations with competing deadlines.
• Strong judgment in recommending corrective and disciplinary actions.
• Experience partnering with Legal and Compliance teams on active matters.
• Willingness to participate in on-call rotations for urgent employee relations needs.
• Demonstrated success in coaching managers on performance improvement plans.
• Understanding of at-will employment principles and their application in practice.

Nice to have

• Bachelor degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field.

Practical notes

• This is a hybrid role.
• Compensation includes a base salary, bonus, and equity package.
• Benefits include health, financial, and wellbeing support, 1% time off for community service, an annual wellness stipend, and parental leave (up to 22 weeks for birthing parents, 12 weeks for non-birthing parents).
• Perks include backup child, elder, and pet care, subsidized commuter benefits, and family planning reimbursement.
• This role is based in San Francisco, California, and requires compliance with local work authorization requirements.
• All employment is contingent upon passing background checks and verifying eligibility to work in the United States.
• The annual review cycle includes performance feedback and compensation adjustments based on company and individual contributions.
• Training and development opportunities are provided to support continuous growth in the employee relations field.
• This position requires regular interaction with executive leadership and cross-functional stakeholders.
• Travel is not required for this role, but flexibility to support global teams across time zones may be necessary.
• Candidates must be able to demonstrate previous experience with employment law compliance in the United States.
• This role reports to a senior leader within the People organization and operates at the intersection of employee experience and risk management.
• The successful candidate will be expected to contribute to the ongoing refinement of HR policies and procedures.
• This is a full-time position eligible for benefits immediately upon hire, subject to standard onboarding requirements.
• Chime is an equal opportunity employer and encourages applicants from diverse backgrounds to apply.