Manager, Employee Relations

Manager, Employee Relations

The Manager, Employee Relations is a People & Culture (P&C) leader responsible for directing a high-volume of accommodations function that delivers guidance, services, and solutions to employees and leaders. This role provides strategic leadership across the accommodations process, ensuring decisions are timely, consistent, and aligned with company policy, culture, and applicable employment laws.

Key areas of focus:

• Lead and develop a team responsible for advancing the accommodations process, communicating policies and practices, and advising leaders and employees on workplace accommodation matters.
• Create and implement segment-wide strategies that promote compliant and practical accommodation outcomes.
• Enhance the employee experience during critical moments in the employment relationship, including workplace accommodations, workplace concerns, and complex employee relations matters.

Location requirement: This position is based in Lake Buena Vista, FL and requires an on-site and in-office presence to support meaningful engagement with employees, leaders, and other business stakeholders.

Responsibilities:

• Lead a team responsible for reviewing medical, pregnancy, and religious accommodation requests while ensuring timely, objective, and well-documented interactive process engagement with employees. Ensure accommodation outcomes and decisions are communicated clearly to employees, leaders, and appropriate partners.
• Serve as an escalation and consultation leader on complex accommodation matters.
• Advance organizational understanding and compliance with company policies, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), ADA Amendments Act (ADAAA), Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA), Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), and applicable state law equivalents through coaching, presentations, and training.
• Lead operation planning, training, process improvement, and project execution as needed to foster strong service delivery, accountability, and the employee experience.
• Set and reinforce expectations for detailed, accurate, and timely documentation of accommodation matters, including interactive process conversations, notes, outcomes, and supporting materials within the case management system.
• Develop and leverage reports, dashboards, and data summaries to identify trends, themes, case aging, and opportunities to improve process effectiveness.
• Champion a proactive, data-informed approach by analyzing metrics, themes, trends, and root causes and translating insights into integrated solutions with key partners. Translate data insights into strategic recommendations for leaders and cross-functional partners.
• Oversee the effective use of case management, reporting, and operational systems to monitor accommodation activity, case progression, team workload, and business outcomes.
• Partner closely with P&C Business Partners, Legal, Labor Relations, Safety, Operations, and other stakeholders.
• Manages employee relations programs to ensure compliance with policies and practices.
• Develops and implements policies and procedures including grievance procedures and exit interviews.
• Researches and responds to employee questions, concerns and grievances
• Maintains employee relations records.
• An employee at this level manages professional employees and/or supervisors of others. Responsible for adapting departmental plans/priorities to guide team objectives and accountable for performance/results in own area. Guided by policies, procedures and business plans that are overseen by their leader.

Required qualifications and/or skills:

• Minimum of 3 years of demonstrated leadership experience, people leadership experience, or professional-level experience.
• Experience leading, coaching, and developing a large team responsible for high-volume, complex case management work, while driving accountability.
• Demonstrated strategic and critical thinking with the ability to translate organizational priorities and complex concepts into operational plans, team priorities, and sustainable initiatives.
• Strong consultation, conflict resolution, problem-solving, judgment, and decision-making skills.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to influence, advise, and communicate effectively across all levels of the organization.
• Ability to manage competing, high-priority demands; establish clear priorities; lead projects; and oversee multiple responsibilities within strict deadlines.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively while developing highly effective and valued professional relationships with peers, colleagues, direct reports, and cross-functional partners.
• Ability to manage highly sensitive and confidential matters with discretion, sound judgment, objectivity, and professionalism.
• Demonstrated ability to leverage multiple case management systems and dashboards to assess workload and operational effectiveness.
• Strong analytical capability in interpreting data, insights, and trends to inform strategic recommendations; the ability to communicate insights clearly to senior leaders and cross-functional partners.

Preferred qualifications:

• Broad knowledge of workplace accommodations, employee relations, and federal and state employment laws and regulations, including ADA, ADAAA, PWFA, FMLA, Title VII, and related religious accommodation requirements.
• Demonstrated background and experience administering or advising on workplace accommodations, accessibility, and disability inclusion.
• Proven experience consulting with leaders and partners on workplace accommodations, employee relations, disability inclusion, accessibility, opportunity and inclusion, or related workplace matters.

Required education:

• Bachelor's degree in business, human resources, psychology, sociology, or a related field and/or equivalent work experience.

The hiring range for this position in Lake Buena Vista, FL is $132,500 to $161,900 per year. The base pay actually offered will take into account internal equity and also may vary depending on the candidate's geographic region, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience among other factors. A bonus and/or long-term incentive units may be provided as part of the compensation package, in addition to the full range of medical, financial, and/or other benefits, dependent on the level and position offered.

About Disney Experiences:

Disney Experiences brings the magic of Disney stories and franchises to life through theme parks, resorts, cruise ships, unique vacation experiences, products and more around the world. Disney shines in the travel industry with six resort destinations in the United States, Europe and Asia; a top-rated cruise line; a popular vacation ownership program; and an award-winning guided family adventure business. Plus, Disney's global consumer products operations include the world's leading licensing business; the world's largest children's publishing brands; one of the world's largest licensors of games across all platforms; and Disney store locations around the world and on the web.

About The Walt Disney Company:

The Walt Disney Company, together with its subsidiaries and affiliates, is a leading diversified international family entertainment and media enterprise that includes three core business segments: Disney Entertainment, ESPN, and Disney Experiences. From humble beginnings as a cartoon studio in the 1920s to its preeminent name in the entertainment industry today, Disney proudly continues its legacy of creating world-class stories and experiences for every member of the family. Disney's stories, characters and experiences reach consumers and guests from every corner of the globe. With operations in more than 40 countries, our employees and cast members work together to create entertainment experiences that are both universally and locally cherished.

This position is with Walt Disney Parks and Resorts U.S., Inc., which is part of a business we call Disney Experiences.

Walt Disney Parks and Resorts U.S., Inc. is an equal opportunity employer. Applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, ancestry, age, marital status, military or veteran status, medical condition, genetic information or disability, or any other basis prohibited by federal, state or local law. Disney champions a business environment where ideas and decisions from all people help us grow, innovate, create the best stories and be relevant in a constantly evolving world.