Employee Relations and Engagement Specialist

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Position: Employee Relations and Engagement Specialist Term: Full-time, salaried Pay: $85,000/annual + health insurance, paid time off, and other benefits Location: San Francisco, CA Reports To: Employee Relations and Engagement Manager Direct Reports: None Updated: November 20, 2025

Organization Description: Urban Alchemy is a nonprofit organization with the mission of transforming people and places through respect, compassion, and love to heal communities challenged by the intersection of extreme poverty, mental illness, addiction, and homelessness. The name Urban Alchemy references the process of spiritual and social transformation that our staff engage in - both internally and in practice with all members of the public. Since our founding in 2018, Urban Alchemy has grown into a thriving social enterprise with over 1,100 employees. We provide community outreach and engagement, temporary housing for people experiencing homelessness, mobile bathrooms and showers, and street cleaning services. Urban Alchemy currently operates in the San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles County, Austin, Texas, and Portland, Oregon. Over 95% of Urban Alchemy employees, including leadership, experienced incarceration and/or homelessness. For more information visit our website.

Position Summary: The Employee Relations and Engagement Specialist, in partnership with the Employee Relations and Engagement Manager, will play a crucial role in enhancing relationships between employees, their teammates, and supervisors. Their primary focus will be addressing and resolving workplace issues that follow the adherence of organization's policies and applicable employment laws. This includes, but is not limited to, responding to employee concerns, conducting workplace investigations, conducting conflict resolution sessions, and the preparation and delivery of related summary reports, which will need to include disciplinary recommendations to the Human Resources (HR) leadership team and other stakeholders, such as the Operations leadership team. This position will handle a wide range of employment situations for multiple regions. The Employee Relations and Engagement Specialist must be able to maintain themselves to the strictest level of confidentiality and be able to be poised in when faced with difficult situation and cases. They will need to be highly organized in keeping their day-to-day routines related to investigations and be able to absorb surprises. In partnership with other HR team members and business unit leaders, they are essential to nurturing a positive, inclusive work environment.

Position Duties and Responsibilities: Position Specific:

• First point of contact for receiving incoming employee relations calls, complaints, and grievances
• Investigate and manage cases involving interpersonal conflict and allegations of policy violations, such as harassment, retaliation, discrimination, etc. by conducting thorough interviews, evaluating the scope of allegations, researching veracity of findings, gathering documentation, analyzing data, summarizing findings, and escalating to the Manager of Employee Relations and Engagement as needed
• Document cases by drafting comprehensive yet concise reports summarizing evidence gathered, findings, and conclusions, which must include disciplinary recommendations
• Ensure that investigations and recommendations comply with organization's policies, practices, and applicable employment laws
• Facilitate restorative conversations between employees with an emphasis on repairing relationships
• Assist in the planning and developing employee engagement plan, including organizing diverse activities
• Provide logistical and operational support as directed for cases and employee engagement activities
• Work actively to help positively influence the organization's culture
• Maintain positive relationships with leaders and employees to promote our culture of open communication
• Collaborate directly with other HR team members to gather data, introduce new programs, and ensure the needs of employees and leaders are communicated to the relevant stakeholders
• Develop, review, and update employee relations policies and procedures
• Maintain confidential records within a shared case management tool
• Align and communicate with various departments, including Operations, Training, Payroll and Legal
• Acts as champion of HR department's mission, vision, and values
• Become immersed in Urban Alchemy's culture to assist in developing cultural moments and events that reinforce our organization's values

General :

• Will treat all Urban Alchemy guests, staff and stakeholders with compassion and respect
• Use emotional intelligence to effectively engage and connect with others
• Adhere to established procedures to provide a safe working environment including complying with OSHA, state, and local regulations as well as Urban Alchemy's policies
• Attend orientation and any additional training required by Urban Alchemy or our funders
• Follow all Urban Alchemy's policies and procedures
• Perform other duties as assigned by direct supervisor

Position Requirements: Position Specific:

• 3+ years of HR experience, which includes proven experience in employee relations
• Has broad knowledge of HR principles and best practices
• Has working knowledge of how HR workflows and systems work
• Has exceptional people skills and excellent judgement that allows you to remain neutral in the face of confidential, challenging, and sensitive information
• Has the ability to juggle multiple demands throughout the day and manage competing priorities
• Has excellent verbal, written, interpersonal communication skills
• Has conflict resolution skills
• Has outstanding follow-through skills, is self-directed and highly motivated with a strong sense of urgency
• Has in-depth knowledge of employment laws, regulations, and HR best practices
• Has excellent computer skills and knowledge of how to use office software programs, including HRIS systems and Google Suite
• Enjoys paying attention to detail and being meticulous
• Ability to be resourceful with strong analytical skills with the ability to think creatively to solve problems
• Ability to be a genuine team player with an interest in building community and authentic relationships
• Ability to be comfortable in startup environment with high ambiguity
• Ability to demonstrate personal attributes of being empathetic, approachable, objective, fair-minded, and ethical
• Values being kind to teammates, employees, guests, and others
• Bachelor's degree or equivalent preferred

General:

• You have genuine and demonstrated interest in Urban Alchemy's mission, values, and model
• You like to be a team player
• You like working in a dynamic environment and can adapt easily to change
• Must be able to work compassionately and respectfully with people from all backgrounds
• Must be prepared to deal with challenging circumstances related to serving people struggling with poverty, mental health, addiction, and/or homelessness
• Must be able to obtain and maintain background clearance based on Urban Alchemy's policies

Physical Requirements:

• Expected to work in all weather conditions
• Walking: 1+ hours
• Standing: 1+ hours
• Sitting: 7+ hours
• Bending at Waist: Less than 1 hour per day

Statement of Non-discrimination: Urban Alchemy shares a special bond with society's most vulnerable because we see ourselves in their struggle. When doing our work, we recognize the humanity in those who are struggling and treat them how we once wished others had treated us. People who have been incarcerated, experienced homelessness and/or come from marginalized communities are strongly encouraged to apply because we believe they have unique skills and abilities to engage with people who are struggling. Urban Alchemy provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws. Urban Alchemy prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type.

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