Human Resources Manager - Employee Relations & Leave Management

Human Resources Manager - Employee Relations & Leave Management
District Council of Madison Society of St. Vincent de Paul
Madison, WI
APPLY HERE

Description
Full-time Exempt | 40 hrs./week | $75,000 - $80,000 annually | Full-Time Benefits | Reports To: Sr. Human Resources Director | Location: Madison/Dane County (multi-site)

If you feel fulfilled by giving back to our community, you can feel confident that St. Vincent de Paul is a great place to work! We are an organization dedicated to serving our community, and we are looking for a candidate who is passionate about our core values. Come work in a fun, rewarding, and compassionate environment!

Job Summary

In this full-time role, you will serve as the primary lead for employee relations, workplace investigations, and leave management across St. Vincent de Paul-Madison, while providing critical operational support to the Sr. Director of Human Resources. We are looking for a candidate who can assume day-to-day responsibility for complex HR matters while supporting the organization's mission to serve neighbors in need with dignity and compassion.


The HR Manager works across a complex nonprofit organization that includes manufacturing-style processing operations, retail stores, food pantry services, pharmacy services, and administrative/program departments, applying consistent HR practices while adapting to the unique needs of each environment. This position requires strong judgment, discretion, and the ability to balance compassion with accountability in a mission-driven nonprofit setting.

What You'll Do

• Serve as the organization's primary point of contact for employee relation matters
• Lead and independently manage workplace investigations, including concerns related to conduct, performance, policy violations, retaliation, and workplace conflict
• Ensure investigations are timely, fair, well-documented, and legally compliant
• Advise managers on corrective action, documentation, performance management, and progressive discipline
• Escalate high risk or sensitive matters and provide formal recommendations to the Sr. HR Director
• Prepare documentation, summaries, and recommendations for senior-level review
• Maintain confidentiality, sound judgment, and professionalism in all employee relation matters
• Independently administer FMLA, WFMLA, ADA accommodations, and other statutory or organizational leaves
• Manage ADA interactive process and assess medical documentation and accommodation feasibility
• Track leave usage and ensure compliance with federal, state, and organizational requirements
• Interpret and apply federal and Wisconsin employment laws to complex employee situations
• Provide guidance to managers and employees regarding leave rights, responsibilities, and processes
• Identify leave-related risks and recommend corrective or preventive actions
• Manage day-to-day HR operational decisions within approved policy and authority
• Support implementation, interpretation, and enforcement of HR policies and procedures
• Ensure consistent application of policies across departments and locations
• Assist with organizational risk mitigation related to attendance, performance, and compliance
• Partner with payroll and leadership to ensure accurate HR-related communication and documentation
• Act as the Senior HR Director's designee on assigned HR matters
• Collaborate closely with the Sr. HR Director to ensure alignment, consistency, and continuity of HR practices
• Serve as a trusted HR resource to managers while maintaining appropriate boundaries and escalation protocols
• Collaborate in implementing effective strategies for attracting, sourcing, recruiting, and evaluating qualified job candidates
• Support recruiting efforts of store and department managers while maintaining a high standard for talent
• Partner with department and store managers to implement standardized onboarding and orientation programs that give new employees a sense of belonging and purpose, assimilate them into the community quickly, and set them up for long-term success with the organization.
• Ensure new employees are assimilated effectively, feel a sense of belonging, and are positioned for long-term success
• Assist in coordinating activities designed to promote and maintain a high level of employee morale, engagement and retention.
• In collaboration with the Sr. HR Director, develop and implement programs, practices, and policies that foster a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace
• Support an organizational culture grounded in respect, dignity, accountability, inclusion, and belonging
• Participate in teamwork and collaboration by listening, fostering dialogue, and facilitating joint problem solving
• Demonstrate cultural competence and inclusive practices across all interactions
• Oversee the employee Safeguarding Policy ensuring training enrollment, background checks, and ongoing trainings
• Adhere to the Safeguarding Policy by ensuring timely completion of mandatory training, staying updated on relevant training modules, and undergoing the necessary background checks to maintain compliance.
• Maintain working knowledge of applicable human resources laws and regulations
• Establish themselves as a positive resource by maintaining a regular presence at each of the SVdP locations
• Build strong working relationships with employees, managers, and leaders across diverse operational environments
• Adapt HR practices to varied work settings including processing/manufacturing, retail, food pantry, pharmacy, and administrative departments

This list of duties and responsibilities is not all inclusive and may be expanded to include other duties and responsibilities as management may deem necessary from time to time.

What You Can Bring

• A passion for the mission of SVdP and a commitment to achieving this agency's objectives
• Bachelor's degree in human resource management, business administration, or related field, or equivalent experience
• Minimum of 5 years of progressive HR experience with significant focus on employee relations and leave administration
• Experience working in an organization with widely varied staff positions for both nonexempt and exempt positions (i.e. production, retail, human services, administration)
• Demonstrated experience leading workplace investigations independently
• Demonstrated ability to analyze employee relations and leave trends and recommend proactive solutions
• Strong working knowledge of FMLA, WFMLA, ADA, and employment law fundamentals
• Demonstrate the ability to communicate and effectively interact with people across ranges of abilities, ethnicities, and races
• Demonstrate the implementation of best practices as required by the SVdP Safeguarding policy when interacting with children and vulnerable adults
• Experience supporting managers in complex employee situations
• HR experience in a nonprofit, manufacturing, retail, or human services environment
• Experience working in multi-site organizations
• Knowledge of Wisconsin employment law and state-specific leave and wage considerations
• Ability to handle confidential matters with discretion and professionalism
• For the safety of the clients SVdP serves and as per the Safeguarding Policy, this position requires the successful completion of a criminal background check and references.
• Proficiency with HRIS platforms (e.g. Paylocity, ADP, UKG, Workday, etc.) and HR data tracking
• Proficiency with Windows operating system, Microsoft Office products, Google applications, and a wide variety of HR applications
• Strong written documentation skills for investigations, corrective action, and compliance records
• Ability to listen effectively and address situations with a high level of emotional intelligence, solid judgment, and confidentiality
• Ability to effectively prioritize, work independently, work on many initiatives simultaneously, and demonstrate organizational skills
• Ability to function independently and thrive within a fast-paced and sometimes ambiguous environment
• Strong knowledge of human resources best practices (e.g., recruitment, development, and training; engagement; employee relations; performance management) and strong ability to assess the skills, abilities, knowledge, performance, and potential of employees
• Proven ability to maintain trust and credibility with employees at all levels in the organization
• Collaborative work style with the ability to identify opportunities for improvement, develop strategies, influence decision-makers, and implement solutions
• Self-starter that enjoys both shaping strategic direction as well as doing hands-on tactical work
• Strong communication skills, including the ability to influence and relate to employees at all levels, write competently for different audiences, and effectively present to small or large groups

What You'll Love!

• Working in a mission driven environment where your efforts make a difference
• Being part of a diverse community within our organization and Dane County
• Full-time benefits: health insurance, dental, vision, life insurance, voluntary long/short-term disability and a generous paid time off program

Daily assignments will rotate based on staffing and operational needs. An individual in this position must be able to successfully perform the essential duties and responsibilities listed above. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this position.


Requirements
PREFERRED SKILLS:

• SHRM-CP, SHRM-SCP, PHR or SPHR certification
• Experience supervising HR staff or serving as a lead HR partner
• Familiarity with trauma-informed workplace practices, particularly in human services or community-based organizations
• Experience working in mission-driven or faith-based nonprofit organizations while maintaining inclusive, legally compliant HR practices
• Experience developing or delivering manager training on employee relations, documentation, and leave processes
• Experience working in mission-driven, charitable, or community-focused organizations is highly desirable
• Strong analytical skills and ability to interpret and communicate data
• Experience with HR software implementation
• Strong business and financial acumen
• Ability to travel to multiple sites on a regular basis. Overnight travel on rare occasions
• Understanding of the role of a nonprofit board
• An understanding of and comfort level with working in a faith-based organization rooted in Catholic principles and values
• Ability to work well with a culturally and socially diverse population as represented by the organization's employees and clients

PHYSICAL AND MENTAL REQUIREMENTS

The mental and physical requirements described here are representative of those that must be met by an individual to

successfully perform the essential functions of this position. While performing the duties of this job:

• The employee is frequently required to stand, walk, talk, and hear, and use hands to finger, handle, or touch objects, tools, or controls.
• The employee must be able to follow instructions and work autonomously on assigned job duties
• The employee must have a valid driver's license and reliable personal transportation
• This position regularly works outdoors in all types of weather conditions
• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to sit, talk and/or hear, and/or use hands to type, handle, or touch objects, tools, or controls. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 20 pounds while moving files or small packages. The employee may have to drive to varying locations to meet with staff and/or partners. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision and the ability to adjust focus. The mental and physical requirements described here are representative of those that must be met by an individual to successfully perform the essential functions of this position.

NON-DISCRIMINATION POLICY

The District Council of Madison, Inc., Society of St. Vincent de Paul does not and shall not discriminate in our employment, services and volunteerism on the basis of age, race, color, disability, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, arrest record, conviction record, military service, or use or nonuse of lawful products off the employer's premises during nonworking hours, or any characteristic protected by applicable local, state and federal law. We are committed to providing an inclusive and welcoming environment for all members of our staff, clients, volunteers, and vendors. Although the District Council of Madison, Inc., Society of St. Vincent de Paul does not generally consider religion in either hiring or the services it provides, because we are a Catholic charity, requiring liaison with the Catholic Church and its members, certain positions involving such liaisons are reserved for members of the Catholic Church. The District Council of Madison, Inc., Society of St. Vincent de Paul reserves the right to consider whether the conduct reflected in a criminal conviction demonstrates an incompatibility with the responsibilities of the specific job for which an applicant is applying.

FULL-TIME JOB BENEFITS

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance options

• Employer-paid long-term disability and life insurance

• Voluntary short-term disability and voluntary life insurance coverage available

• 403(b) retirement plan and an employer-sponsored SEP-IRA

• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

• Generous paid time off (PTO) and sick time off leave policies

EQUITY

St. Vincent de Paul has a vision for a deeply inclusive environment for our membership, staff, and volunteers. To foster a culture of belonging while providing equitable service delivery above and beyond Equal Opportunity requirements, SVdP candidates must be committed to cultural competency growth and work within diverse teams. SVdP is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Salary Description
$75,000 - $80,000 annually
We Make it Easy

Founded in 1901, MRA is a nonprofit employer association that serves more than 4,000 employers, covering more than one million employees.

As one of the largest employer associations in the nation, MRA helps its member organizations thrive by offering the most comprehensive assortment of HR services, information, education, and resources to help build successful workplaces and a powerful workforce.

We partner with these companies working directly with their HR department and leadership to hire their talent. We are a direct line to the company, not an agency recruiter.