Job Description

Job Description

The Principal, Employee Relations (ER) Program Management Optimzation is a pivotal role that serves as the strategic bridge between HR’s operational needs and the technical capabilities of the HR technology team. At its core, this position is about transformation: taking the complex worlds of Employee Relations and HR knowledge and turning it into a streamlined, data-driven, and efficient ecosystem. 

You will execute the strategic vision and technical administration of the ER case management framework, ensuring that every step—from the moment a case is opened to its final resolution—is handled with precision, legal defensibility, and operational excellence. By leveraging sophisticated dashboards and KPIs, you will move the organization from a reactive posture to a proactive one, identifying systemic trends that allow the business to mitigate risk before it escalates. 

Beyond the realm of ER, you will act as a curator and executor of HR operational knowledge.  Your goal is to create a "single source of truth" where policy interpretations, operational guides, and toolkits are easily accessible to the HR community. You will establish the governance that keeps this information fresh, ensuring that legacy documents are archived and that new processes are communicated clearly and consistently across the company. 

Key Responsibilities:  

Employee Relations (ER) Program Management & Strategy  

• Strategic Oversight: Lead the design and evolution of the Enterprise ER program framework, establishing standardized protocols for case intake, investigation, and resolution.  

• Systems Ownership: Serve as the primary administrator and strategic owner of the ER case management system, configuring advanced workflows, managing complex user permissions, and ensuring absolute data integrity.  

• Case Governance: Establish and audit quality control standards for case notes and documentation to ensure legal defensibility, consistency, and adherence to corporate policy.  

• Trend Analysis & Intelligence: Develop and maintain sophisticated ER dashboards and KPIs to identify systemic trends in employee relations; provide the Director II with proactive, data-driven insights to mitigate organizational risk.  

• Expert Training: Act as the lead technical and procedural expert for ER system users, developing comprehensive training modules on effective case documentation, evidence gathering, and reporting.  

• Cross-Functional Alignment: Partner with Legal and HR Business Partners to ensure the ER program aligns with current labor laws and internal corporate governance standards.  

• Workflow Optimization: Lead the optimization of HR technology workflows, identifying bottlenecks in current systems and partnering with IT to implement automated or streamlined solutions.  

HR Knowledge Management  

• Digital Workplace Leadership: Serve as the HR strategic lead and partner to communications on the implementation of the company intranet portal. 

• Knowledge Strategy: Lead the strategy for the capture, organization, and distribution of HR operational knowledge to prevent information silos across the COE.  

• Centralized Repository: Develop and maintain a centralized HR Knowledge Hub, ensuring all policy interpretations, operational guides, and "how-to" documents are current and searchable.  

• Governance: Establish a governance process for the review and archival of legacy HR documentation to ensure the organization relies on a "single source of truth."  

• Toolkit Development: Collaborate with other HR COEs and segment HR teams to translate complex operational requirements into simplified, user-friendly tools. 

Typical Education and Experience

Typically a Bachelor's Degree and 6 years work experience or equivalent experience

Required Skills and Education

• Education: Bachelor’s degree or an equivalent combination of education and experience.  

• Experience: Minimum of 6 years in HR, with experience specifically in Employee Relations program management, ER case law/documentation, and HRIS/HR technology. Proven track record of managing complex ER case systems in a corporate environment.  

• ER Expertise: Deep understanding of employee relations lifecycle, from case intake and investigation to resolution and documentation.  

• Analytical Thinking: Ability to analyze complex ER data to identify organizational trends and risks.  

• Project Management: Proven experience managing complex, cross-functional HR and/or technology projects.  

• Communication: Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with a customer-centric, collaborative approach.  

• Technical Proficiency: Advanced skills in the Microsoft Office Suite, Power BI, and proven experience managing enterprise ER case management e.g., ServiceNow.  

• Integrity: Unwavering commitment to ethical standards and the ability to handle highly sensitive, confidential information.  

Preferred Skills and Education

• Certification: HR certification (PHR/SPHR/SHRM) and/or a PMP are highly desirable.  

• Technical Translation: Ability to bridge the gap between business requirements and technical execution.  

• Digital Workplace Experience: Prior experience managing enterprise content management systems (CMS) or digital workplace platforms with a focus on employee engagement and knowledge distribution. 

About BAE Systems, Inc.

BAE Systems, Inc. is a defense, aerospace, and security company headquartered in Falls Church, Virginia, with more than 40,000 employees worldwide. We serve, supply, and protect those who protect us. As one of the most geographically diverse international defense companies, we deliver a full range of products and services spanning air, land, maritime, space, and cyber, including advanced electronics, intelligence solutions, and dedicated customer support.

Our culture is performance-driven and values-led, built on curiosity, creativity, and collaboration. Purpose isn't a tagline here. It's what drives us. We're developing breakthrough technologies that defend national security and make a lasting impact on our communities and our planet. When you join BAE Systems, you're not just building a career. You're contributing to a mission that truly matters.

This position will be posted for at least 5 calendar days. The posting will remain active until the position is filled, or a qualified pool of candidates is identified.