Job Details
Senior Employee Relations Specialist
Coastal Carolina University is currently accepting applications for the following full-time position: Senior Employee Relations Specialist in the Office of Human Resources.
Reporting to the Director of Employee Relations, the Senior Employee Relations Specialist serves as a lead investigator for complex employee relations matters within a higher education environment. This position is responsible for conducting thorough, timely, and legally sound investigations involving faculty and staff, ensuring compliance with applicable laws, university policies, and faculty governance frameworks. The position also leads the resolution of employee performance issues by advising managers on performance management, corrective action, and documentation, and by assisting in the administration and continuous improvement of the staff performance management system. The incumbent partners with senior administrators, deans, and managers to navigate complex personnel matters, applying strong investigative, analytical and organizational skills. The role requires strong proficiency in case management systems such as Maxient to maintain accurate, audit-ready records of investigations and performance-related actions.
Required Qualifications
Undergraduate degree in Human Resources, Higher Education, Business Administration, or a related field. At least five (5) years of progressively responsible experience conducting workplace investigations involving faculty and/or staff. Demonstrated experience conducting faculty and staff investigations, including interpretation of faculty manuals and employee policies. Experience collaborating with academic and administrative leaders (e.g., VPs, deans, department chairs, provost-level leadership, HR leaders).
Preferred Qualifications
Masters degree. Relevant professional certification (e.g., SHRM, PHR / SPHR, or workplace investigations certification). More than five (5) years progressively responsible experience conducting workplace investigations involving faculty and/or staff, preferably in a higher education or similarly regulated environment. Experience with Title IX, ADA, and EEO investigations affecting multiple employee groups. Direct experience using Maxient or similar higher education case management platforms. Strong expertise in investigative file management, documentation standards, and audit/compliance readiness.
Duties include, but are not limited to:
- Serves as the lead investigator for complex and sensitive employee relations matters involving both faculty and staff, including misconduct allegations, policy violations, and workplace disputes. Conducts thorough investigations and informal mediations, including interviews, evidence collection, and detailed findings. Provides expert guidance on employee relations and performance concerns, interpreting and applying university policies and faculty manuals, and applicable laws; collaborates with managers and leadership to ensure consistent, fair, and legally sound outcomes.
- Conducts analyses related to workplace policy reviews and investigations. Partners with University Counsel, Compliance, and Title IX/Protected Rights to ensure consistent application of policies and to mitigate institutional risk.
- Administer and support the implementation, administration, and continuous improvement of the staff performance management system to promote consistent, equitable, and effective performance evaluation practices across the organization.
- Manages and maintains all employee relations case files using Maxient or comparable systems, ensuring a high level of organization, accuracy, and confidentiality; produces clear, comprehensive, and audit-ready investigative and performance-related reports and documentation, ensuring compliance. Assists in fact gathering and responses for unemployment claims.
- Supports the development and continuous improvement of employee relations policies and practices impacting faculty and staff, identifying trends through case analysis and/or exit interviews, advising leadership on risk mitigation, and contributing to training initiatives for supervisors, academic leaders, and campus stakeholders.
Human Resources Manager II (AG15/61121493/ FTE -S01156P), full-time position with benefits. SC State Pay Grade: GEN11. Salary range: $66,400.00 – $92,900.00. Normal work hours are Monday through Thursday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Friday 8:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. May require evening and weekend work, to support the timely and successful completion of investigations and other employee relations matters. Out-of-state and/or in-state travel, to include overnight stays, to conferences or trainings may be required. Must be flexible to meet the special scheduling needs of the university.