Senior HR Business Partner

You + We = Team At First County Bank, You + We = Team YOU - Bring your talent, hunger to learn and desire to grow. WE - Will provide you with the training and experience you need to become a Trusted Advisor to your clients. TEAM - As part of the FCB team, you will share in the satisfaction of working for a respected 170‑year‑old institution with deep community roots and a tradition of giving back. First County Bank – It’s where you belong! We are currently looking for a Senior HR Business Partner to join our Human Resources team. This individual will serve as a trusted advisor to management and employees, providing expertise and guidance in employee relations, talent acquisition, leave administration, performance management, employment law compliance, and benefits administration. Other functions include utilizing AI to optimize efficiency and supporting HR leadership in related programs such as data analytics and metrics reporting. Work Hours: 8:30 am – 4:30 pm, Monday through Friday. Primary Responsibilities Employee Relations Serves as primary point of contact for employee relations matters across the Bank. Partners with managers to address performance gaps, including development planning, performance improvement plans, and progressive discipline processes. Conducts prompt, thorough, and impartial workplace investigations involving policy violations, misconduct, harassment, discrimination, retaliation, and other employee complaints; assesses findings, recommends actions, and ensures consistent application of policies and practices. Coaches managers on delivering difficult feedback, navigating sensitive conversations, and managing challenging workplace dynamics; partners with HR Director on complex, high‑risk, or sensitive employee situations. Provides guidance on employee separations, including performance‑based terminations and conduct‑related decisions, ensuring legal compliance and risk mitigation. Maintains accurate documentation and ensures all employee relations matters are handled in a timely, fair, and compliant manner. Employment Law Compliance Maintains knowledge of laws, regulations, and best practices in employment law, safety, and health practices, ensuring HR policies and practices comply with applicable employment laws, including EEO, wage and hour, and leave‑related regulations. Partners with outside legal counsel on complex employee relations matters, investigations, claims, immigration matters, and other employment‑related issues. Supports risk mitigation efforts related to employee relations and workplace compliance. Talent Acquisition Manages full‑cycle recruitment strategy, workforce planning support, and new‑hire orientation program. Conducts new‑hire orientation sessions for all employees, providing an overview of Bank policies, procedures, and programs. Serves as a point of contact for new employees during onboarding to support engagement and successful integration. Partners with hiring managers to define job requirements, sourcing strategies, and selection criteria. Coordinates candidate sourcing, interviewing, and selection; collaborates with other HR team members to ensure seamless execution of onboarding activities. Ensures hiring practices comply with applicable employment laws and equal employment opportunity requirements. Monitors best practices and emerging trends related to recruitment tools and methodologies; evaluates and recommends improvements as appropriate. Leave Administration Manages leave administration program, including FMLA, STD/LTD, ADA‑related accommodations, and workers’ compensation. Serves as primary HR resource for managers and employees regarding leave eligibility, processes, and expectations. Manages complex, sensitive, or high‑risk leave and accommodation cases in partnership with HR leadership as needed. Keeps abreast of state and local leave laws and recommends changes to company policies as required. Benefits Administration and Other Related Programs Assists in day‑to‑day operations of the Bank’s employee benefit, health, and welfare programs, including benefit design planning, communication, enrollment activities, employee education efforts, and addressing benefit inquiries and claim issues. Keeps abreast of regulatory changes regarding benefits. In partnership with outside consultants and HR leadership, supports the design and implementation of management development programs including new manager training, performance management, and coaching. Creates and distributes communication related to development programs; coordinates scheduling, follow‑up, tracking, and maintaining employee development plans. Collaborates with HR leadership in the execution and support of employee engagement and recognition initiatives, including supporting the rollout and communication of engagement and recognition programs, facilitating employee participation, and serving as a point of contact for related questions and feedback. Analytics and Reporting Analyzes employee feedback and workforce trends related to employee relations, talent acquisition, and employee engagement. Provides observations, insights, and recommendations to support workforce planning and HR leadership decision‑making. Participates in annual HR budget and scorecard development and monitoring process. Performs other related duties as assigned. Requirements / Qualifications Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or related field including 5‑7 years of progressive HR experience with a strong focus on employee relations, leave administration, and compliance. Experience working with HR data and interpreting basic workforce analytics; banking experience a plus. Strong knowledge of federal and state employment laws and HR compliance requirements. Demonstrated expertise in employee relations and conflict resolution. Exceptional communication, coaching, interpersonal, and analytical skills. Ability to conduct workplace investigations independently and objectively; strong judgement in handling sensitive and confidential matters. Proficiency in MS Office/Office 365 programs and proficiency in data analytics and utilization of AI. Wage Range: $115,000 to $135,000 #J-18808-Ljbffr First County Bank