Employee Relations Specialist

Partners closely with HR, leadership, and employees to build and sustain a fair, compliant, and high-performing culture within a regulated biopharmaceutical environment. This role sits at the center of performance management, coaching, investigations, and complex employee matters, including terminations and exits. The ideal candidate brings both strong employment law expertise and a clear understanding of the life sciences regulatory landscape.

This is a long-term contract with potential for direct hire.

Responsibilities

• Under the direction of the Director, Employee Relations, supports performance management processes, including coaching letters, corrective actions, and documentation.
• Partners with managers to address performance concerns, providing coaching on feedback delivery, documentation, and accountability.
• Supports managers on employee relations matters, including conflict resolution, team dynamics, and employee engagement.
• Conducts thorough, prompt, and impartial investigations into employee complaints, including misconduct, harassment, discrimination, and policy violations.
• Partners with Legal and Compliance as needed to ensure appropriate resolution and risk mitigation.
• Supports and advises on involuntary terminations, ensuring compliance with employment laws and internal policies.
• Ensures all termination documentation is complete, accurate, and legally sound.
• Conducts exit interviews to identify trends, risks, and opportunities for organizational improvement.
• Analyzes exit data and provides actionable insights to HR leadership and business partners.

Ideal Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or related field.
• 5+ years of progressive HR experience with a strong focus on employee relations.
• Deep knowledge of U.S. employment law and HR best practices.
• Demonstrated experience handling complex investigations and terminations.
• Strong interpersonal, coaching, and conflict resolution skills.
• Ability to manage sensitive and confidential information with discretion.

The Larko Group is a women-owned, premier staffing and recruiting firm based in Chicago with a nationwide reach. We specialize in Direct Hire, Temp-to-Hire, and Temporary/Project placements across a wide range of roles, including Executive Assistants, Administrative Assistants, Personal Assistants, Chief of Staff, Office Managers, Receptionists, General Office, Event Support, Project Management, and Customer Service.