Senior HR Generalist, Employee Relations and Recruitment

Human Resources Generalist SeniorApplylocations: CATS Special Transportation: Charlotte-Mecklenburg Government Centertime type: At the Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS), we’re committed to delivering safe, reliable, and innovative transit services for our growing community, and we value employees who bring professionalism, passion, and a commitment to public service.**With the passage of the PAVE Act and last year’s sales tax referendum, CATS is preparing to transition from a City department to the newly created Metropolitan Public Transit Authority (MPTA). The MPTA was established to strengthen regional transit governance, improve accountability, and support long‐term investment in mobility. Employees hired into this role will remain City employees through December 31, 2026, and will transition to MPTA employment on January 1, 2027. Benefits and compensation will follow City provisions through 2026 and shift to MPTA provisions in 2027, with clear information shared in advance. Your core duties, reporting structure, and daily responsibilities will remain consistent, with no break in service. SUMMARY**The HR Supervisor, Employee Relations, provides operational leadership for employee relations activities across the Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS). The position ensures consistent application of policies and regulatory requirements across a 24/7 transit workforce. Reporting to the Manager of HR Risk & Employee Relations, the HR Supervisor leads a team of Employee Relations Specialists while serving as a primary resource for supervisors and managers addressing performance, conduct, attendance, and workplace concerns. The role combines staff supervision with hands‐on ER practice leadership, including coaching supervisors, reviewing corrective action documentation, overseeing investigations, and serving as the lead HR representative for grievance and ESC hearings. The HR Supervisor supports organizational accountability, promotes proactive issue resolution, and strengthens workforce stability in a safety‐sensitive, union‐influenced transit environment.**Employee Relations Operational Leadership*** Oversee daily employee relations operations and assign casework to ER staff.* Serves as primary escalation point for supervisors addressing workplace concerns.* Guides resolution strategies aligned with policies, and transit operational requirements.* Ensure consistent handling of ER matters across bus, rail, STS, maintenance, and administrative divisions.* Ensures consistent handling of employee relations matters across departments.**Grievance & ESC Hearing Administration (Lead Responsibility)*** Serves as the lead HR representative for all grievance and ESC hearings.* Prepares HR summaries, case briefs, and recommended outcomes.* Represents HR during hearings, ensuring consistent application of policies and processes.* Tracks outcomes, identifies trends, and recommends corrective actions or training needs.**Supervisor Coaching and Guidance*** Coaches’ supervisors and managers on performance management, corrective action, and documentation expectations.* Reinforces consistent application of policies and accountability standards.* Oversight and Participation*** Oversees workplace investigations conducted by employee relations staff.* Documentation Quality and Compliance Control*** Reviews disciplinary and investigative documentation for accuracy, consistency, and defensibility.* Ensure documentation supports sound organizational decisions and withstands grievance or legal review.* Identifies trends indicating inconsistent supervisory practices or compliance risks.**Workforce Consistency and Risk Awareness*** Identifies recurring workplace issues and organizational patterns.* Supports implementation of preventative employee relations initiatives.* Staff Supervision and Development*** Supervises Employee Relations Specialists, assigning workload priorities and monitoring performance.* Provides coaching to improve investigative, documentation, and case management practices.* Conducts performance evaluations and supports professional development.* Training and Organizational Support*** Assists in delivering supervisor training related to employee relations practices.* Supports rollout of updated procedures, guidance materials and ER tools.**Cross-Functional Collaboration*** Partners with HR Business Partners on division‐level workforce issues.* Coordinates with Safety, Security, Risk, Payroll, and Leave Administration when cases intersect functional areas.* Maintains collaborative relationships with operational leadership across bus, rail, STS, and maintenance.**Supports implementation of updated practices and procedures.**Core Competencies:****Employee Relations Practice Leadership:*** Guides supervisors and staff in resolving workplace issues consistently and effectively.* Apply policies and procedures practically and consistently.* Represents HR effectively during hearings.* Supervisory Coaching and Influence:*** Provides clear practical guidance.* Investigation Oversight:*** Ensuring investigations are thorough, objective, and well documented.* Supports defensible outcomes**Operational Supervision:*** Assigns work effectively and monitor workflow progress.* Maintain service standards and accountability* Supports staff development and capability building.**Documentation and Compliance Awareness*** Maintains documentation quality standards.* Identifies compliance risks and reinforces procedural consistency.* Organizational Awareness:*** Recognizes patterns affecting workforce culture and operations.* Supervision Given to:*** HR Specialists (Employee Relations**Minimum Qualifications*** Bachelor’s degree in human resources, Business Administration, Public Administration, or related field and four (4) years of professional HR experience with employee relations responsibilities, including lead or supervisory experience; Preferred Qualifications*** HR certification (SHRM-CP or PHR).* Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:**Knowledge of:*** Employee relations principles and workplace investigation practices.* HR policies and performance management processes.* Ability to:*** Apply policies consistently and fairly.* CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT**The City’s Background Check Policy requires background checks to be conducted on final internal or external candidate(s) applying for any position with the City of Charlotte. The type of information that will be collected as part of a background check includes, but is not limited to: reference checks, social security verification, education verification, criminal conviction record check, and, if applicable, a credit history check, sex offender registry and motor vehicle records check.and to properly store and dispose of information derived from such reports.The City of Charlotte is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, national origin, marital status, age, disability, sexual orientation, political affiliation or on the basis of actual or perceived gender as expressed through dress, appearance, or behavior.Our culture is to serve the community honorably.**HOW TO APPLY**Apply online.Federal law requires employers to provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities. You are welcome to visit the City of Charlotte Human Resources Department lobby, where self-service application kiosks are available. They are located in our office at 700 East 4th Street, Suite 200, Charlotte, NC 28202. We are open Monday through Friday, from 9:30 a.m. EST), excluding official City holidays.For questions about your application or the hiring process, please email View email address on click.appcast.io request, auxiliary aids, written materials in alternate formats, language access, and other reasonable accommodations or modifications will be provided.