Associate Director, People & Culture Partner, Employee Engagement & Relations at Human Rights Watch

Responsibilities

People & Culture - Employee Engagement and Relations

• Serve as liaison with global Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBAs), European Works Councils and union partners, in coordination with the Global Director of People & Culture, the General Counsel’s Office, and other key senior leaders.
• Collaborate closely with our Global Staff Council and other staff bodies to improve staff-management relationships and communication, increasing a sense of shared purpose and engagement with multi-year global strategy.
• Act as a strategic People & Culture partner to designated teams, strengthening global connectedness among our dispersed and remote/hybrid staff, and fostering an inclusive and effective manager and leadership culture.
• Champion organizational values and positive culture through initiatives that improve morale, engagement, and cross-functional cohesion (e.g. stay interviews, recognition programs).
• Build and maintain relationships with union leaders and representatives to facilitate open communication and cooperation.
• Contribute to internal People & Culture transformation projects.

Global Employee & Labor Relations

• Serve as the primary point of contact for complex employee relations (ER) cases, including formal complaints, conflicts, grievances, and investigations—ensuring consistency, fairness, and psychological safety.
• Advise managers and leaders on policy application, interpersonal issues, and conflict resolution practices with empathy and clarity.
• Coach leaders on performance management, change leadership, and team dynamics toward higher productivity and trust.
• Support managers in navigating sensitive personnel issues, implementing equitable practices, and fostering team culture.
• Collaborate with legal counsel to mitigate potential legal risks by ensuring timely and thorough handling of employee and labor relations cases and participating in legal proceedings when necessary.
• Log and track ER trends, surface systemic challenges, and partner with colleagues to develop proactive solutions and risk mitigation strategies.
• Create, implement, and update People and Culture policies and procedures to ensure legal compliance and best practices with all applicable laws, regulations, and internal standards.
• Conduct exit interviews, track ER data trends, and deliver insights to leadership on organizational health and risk mitigation.
• Perform other tasks, as may be required.

Qualifications

• Education: A bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience is required. 
• Experience: A minimum of seven years of People and Culture experience including employee relations, organizational culture, and People Partner responsibilities.