Employee Relations Specalist

At Community Financial System, Inc. (CFSI), we are dedicated to providing our customers with friendly, personalized, high-quality financial services and products. Our retail division, Community Bank, N.A., operates more than 200 customer facilities across Upstate New York, Northeastern Pennsylvania, Vermont and Western Massachusetts. Beyond retail banking, we also offer wealth management, investment management, insurance and risk management, and benefit plan administration.

Just as our employees are committed to helping our customers manage their finances, we're committed to our employees. After all, they make it happen for our customers every day.

To ensure our people can enjoy long and successful careers here at CFSI, we offer competitive compensation, great benefits, and professional development and advancement opportunities. As an equal-opportunity workplace and affirmative-action employer, we celebrate and support a diverse workplace for the benefit of all: our employees, customers and communities.

The Employee Relations Specialist manages relationships between managers and employees, ensuring a positive work environment. They investigate employee concerns, mediate conflicts, interpret policies, and provide guidance to both management and employees. They also play a key role in ensuring compliance with labor laws and company policies.

Essential Duties:

As a member of the Human Resources Team, responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Investigating and resolving employee concerns:
  • This handling grievances, complaints, and other issues related to employee relations.
• Mediating conflicts:
  • Acting as a neutral party to resolve disagreements between employees or between employees and management.
• Providing guidance and advice:
  • Offering support to employees and managers on a range of employee relations issues, including policy interpretation and compliance.
• Developing and implementing employee relations programs:
  • This might include training programs, policy updates, or initiatives to improve employee morale and engagement.
• Ensuring compliance with labor laws and regulations:
  • Staying up-to-date on legal requirements and ensuring that the company's policies and practices are compliant.
• Collaborating with other HR professionals, management and legal counsel:
  • Working as part of a team to support the overall HR function and address employee relations needs.
  • Acting as liaison with legal counsel on complex or high-risk matters as needed.
• Maintaining accurate records:
  • Keeping detailed documentation of all employee relations activities.
• Training managers and supervisors:
  • Educating them on employee relations best practices and policies.
• Performing general HR Administration:
  • Other duties as needed.
• Maintain proficient knowledge of, and demonstrate ongoing compliance with all laws and regulations applicable to this position, ensure ongoing adherence to policies, procedures, and internal controls, and meet all training requirements in a timely manner

Ancillary Duties:

As requested by manager or needed for moving business purposes along.

Education, Training and Requirements:

• Successful completion of an undergraduate degree, preferably in Employee/Labor Relations, Human Resources or related field or equivalent combination of education, training and experience.
• Minimum of 6-8 years' experience working in employee relations or labor relations.
• HR Certification to include CLRP, Employee Relations and Investigations Certificate, SHRM-CP or PHR preferred.
• All applicants must be 18 years of age or older.

Skills:

• Strong communication skills: The ability to communicate effectively with employees and management.
• Conflict resolution skills: Expertise in mediating disputes and finding mutually acceptable solutions.
• Knowledge of labor laws and regulations: A thorough understanding of employment law and related regulations.
• Analytical skills: The ability to analyze data and identify trends in employee relations.
• Interpersonal skills: The ability to build rapport and trust with employees and managers.
• Problem-solving skills: The ability to identify and resolve employee relations issues effectively.
• A high degree of flexibility: To adapt to and effectively manage diverse priorities across multiple services and locations.
• Ability to handle sensitive and complex situations: With sound judgment, tact and discretion.
• Strong computer skills and proficiency: To include Microsoft Office programs (Word, Excel) and HR software and systems.
• Valid Driver's License: Ability to drive to geographical locations within the Company's footprint as needed.

Compensation: Commensurate with experience plus potential for annual merit increase. In addition to your competitive salary, you will be rewarded benefits including: 11 paid holidays, paid vacation, Medical, Vision & Dental insurance, 401K with generous match, Pension, Tuition Reimbursement, Banking discounts and the list goes on!

Travel: Travel up to 20% within the company's footprint.

Location: Can sit anywhere within the company's footprint.

Physical Requirements:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee may be required to stand, walk or sit. Use hands and fingers, handle or feel, reach with hands or arms, and speak and hear. The employee may occasionally be required to lift and or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, and the ability to focus.

The Company is an Affirmative Action, Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation and gender identity), national origin, citizenship status, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state or local law.

The Company will make reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with a disability. If you have a physical or mental impairment and would like to request an accommodation with respect to the application process, please contact the Human Resources Department.