Employee Relations Director (Lawyer), Americas
ARCADIS Group, Highlands Ranch, Colorado, United States
Overview
Employee Relations Director (Lawyer), Americas (Finance) Arcadis is the world's leading company delivering sustainable design, engineering, and consultancy solutions for natural and built assets. We are more than 36,000 people, in over 70 countries, dedicated to improving quality of life. Everyone has an important role to play. With the power of many curious minds, together we can solve the world's most complex challenges and deliver more impact together. Role description As Employee Relations Director, Americas, you will shape the future of how our organization connects with its people—leading the Employee Relations team for approximately 12,000 employees across diverse markets and cultures. You will be the driving force behind creating a fair, respectful, and legally compliant work environment that empowers our people, protects our business, and supports our growth. By balancing business needs with empathy and integrity, you\'ll champion a culture of trust, inclusion, and accountability—ensuring our values come to life in every employee experience, every day, around the world. Role accountabilities
Strategic Leadership
– Lead the employee relations function for Americas, support the Global Employee Relations Centre of Expertise vision, and assist with the execution of a globally consistent employee relations strategy that aligns with our values, empowers our people, and supports sustainable business success. Serve as a trusted advisor to senior leaders, helping them navigate evolving employee relations and employment law landscapes with clarity and confidence. Policy Innovation & Global Governance
– Design and oversee employee relations frameworks that balance global consistency and local relevance. Champion forward-thinking, inclusive policies that reflect our cultural aspirations and local labor realities, ensuring fairness, transparency, and long-term trust. Proactive Risk & Compliance Stewardship
– Anticipate challenges, identify emerging risks, ensure global compliance with labor laws and employment practices, and guide decisions that protect both people and the business. Labor & Union Relations Strategy
– Shape and influence our approach to union engagement and collective bargaining, building collaborative relationships with labor partners and works councils (as applicable). Ensure local HR teams are empowered with guidance, resources, and tools to lead with confidence. Complex Case Leadership & Resolution
– Be the escalation point for the most sensitive and high-impact employee relations and employment law cases and investigations globally. Model principled, fair decision-making that reflects our values and protects the integrity of our culture. Equip and coach HR leaders to build strong employee relations and employment law acumen at all levels. Change Leadership & Organizational Transformation
– Play a pivotal role in managing the people side of transformation (e.g., restructuring, M&A, cultural shifts) by providing strategic employee relations and employment law support, ensuring smooth execution and minimal risk. Ensure our people feel seen, heard, and respected during change. Stakeholder Engagement & Influence
– Build and nurture strong relationships with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders. Internally, partner with People Services, People Business Partners and Advisors, Compliance, Data Privacy, and senior leadership teams to embed best-in-class employee relations and employment law practices. Externally, act as the face of the organization with works councils, regulators, and industry bodies, representing the company with credibility and diplomacy. Team Development & Global Collaboration
– Lead the employee relations team for Americas. Cultivate a learning culture, build deep expertise, and ensure the team is equipped to navigate complexity with agility. Partner with the Global Employee Relations Director, regional Directors, the Global Employee Relations Operations Manager, the wider People team, Compliance, and Data Privacy teams to co-create solutions. Data-Driven Strategy & Continuous Improvement
– Leverage updates, insights, analytics, employee voice data, and AI to inform decisions, identify patterns, and improve our approach. Turn data into action to foster a workplace that is compliant and exceptional. Culture & Inclusion Advocacy
– Act as a guardian of the company\'s values and culture through employee relations and employment law strategies that promote respect, inclusion, and fairness. Ensure every touchpoint contributes to a workplace where all employees feel valued, included, and heard. Qualifications & Experience
We\'re looking for a dynamic, globally minded leader who combines strategic vision with deep expertise in employee relations and employment law. The ideal candidate thrives in complex, multicultural environments and brings a balance of legal knowledge, people leadership, and business acumen. Extensive Employee Relations and Employment Law Experience
– Proven track record of leading employee relations strategy and employment law in large, complex, and highly matrixed organizations across multiple geographies. Leadership in Complex Environments
– Experience managing employee relations and employment law issues across different geographies, labor law frameworks, and cultural contexts. Ability to lead globally while adapting to local realities. Strong Employment Law Knowledge
– Must be a qualified employment lawyer with deep understanding of global labor and employment laws. Ability to interpret and apply legal principles pragmatically in a business setting. People Leadership
– Inspirational leader with experience managing globally dispersed teams. Experience leading through change, transformation, or crisis, including support for mergers, restructurings, or global expansions while ensuring fair treatment of people. Strategic Influence & Stakeholder Management
– Ability to build trusted relationships with senior leaders, HR, Legal, Compliance, and external labor bodies; capable of influencing at the highest levels. Change & Transformation Expertise
– Experience supporting M&A, restructuring, or workforce transformation with a people-first approach and strategic employee relations planning. Data & Insight Driven
– Analytical mindset to interpret trends, use data and AI to drive strategy, and turn insights into action. Culturally Fluent & Globally Minded
– Respect for cultural nuance and diversity; able to navigate complexity with diplomacy and inclusivity. Personal Attributes Purpose-driven, values-led, and courageous in standing up for fairness and integrity. Solutions-oriented and agile, able to pivot between strategy and execution. Emotionally intelligent, calm under pressure, and a natural relationship-builder. Comfortable with uncertainty and competing priorities. Passionate about creating workplaces where people feel safe, respected, and heard. Why Arcadis?
We can only achieve our goals when everyone is empowered to be their best. We believe everyone\'s contribution matters. It\'s why we are pioneering a skills-based approach, where you can harness your unique experience and expertise to carve your career path and maximize the impact we can make together. You\'ll do meaningful work, and no matter what role, you\'ll be helping to deliver sustainable solutions for a more prosperous planet. Make your mark on your career, your colleagues, your clients, your life and the world around you. Together, we can create a lasting legacy. Join Arcadis. Create a Legacy. Equality, Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging
We are committed to equality and inclusion and are an equal opportunity employer. Women, minorities, people with disabilities, and veterans are strongly encouraged to apply. We are dedicated to a policy of non-discrimination in employment on any basis prohibited by law. Arcadis offers benefits for full-time and part-time positions, including medical, dental, and vision, EAP, 401K, STD, LTD, AD&D, life insurance, paid parental leave, rewards programs, and optional wellbeing benefits including adoption assistance and tuition reimbursement. We offer nine paid holidays and 15 days PTO that accrue per year. The salary range for this position is $136,000 – $299,000. Actual salaries will vary based on experience, education, budget, internal equity, project, and location.
#J-18808-Ljbffr
Employee Relations Director (Lawyer), Americas (Finance) Arcadis is the world's leading company delivering sustainable design, engineering, and consultancy solutions for natural and built assets. We are more than 36,000 people, in over 70 countries, dedicated to improving quality of life. Everyone has an important role to play. With the power of many curious minds, together we can solve the world's most complex challenges and deliver more impact together. Role description As Employee Relations Director, Americas, you will shape the future of how our organization connects with its people—leading the Employee Relations team for approximately 12,000 employees across diverse markets and cultures. You will be the driving force behind creating a fair, respectful, and legally compliant work environment that empowers our people, protects our business, and supports our growth. By balancing business needs with empathy and integrity, you\'ll champion a culture of trust, inclusion, and accountability—ensuring our values come to life in every employee experience, every day, around the world. Role accountabilities
Strategic Leadership
– Lead the employee relations function for Americas, support the Global Employee Relations Centre of Expertise vision, and assist with the execution of a globally consistent employee relations strategy that aligns with our values, empowers our people, and supports sustainable business success. Serve as a trusted advisor to senior leaders, helping them navigate evolving employee relations and employment law landscapes with clarity and confidence. Policy Innovation & Global Governance
– Design and oversee employee relations frameworks that balance global consistency and local relevance. Champion forward-thinking, inclusive policies that reflect our cultural aspirations and local labor realities, ensuring fairness, transparency, and long-term trust. Proactive Risk & Compliance Stewardship
– Anticipate challenges, identify emerging risks, ensure global compliance with labor laws and employment practices, and guide decisions that protect both people and the business. Labor & Union Relations Strategy
– Shape and influence our approach to union engagement and collective bargaining, building collaborative relationships with labor partners and works councils (as applicable). Ensure local HR teams are empowered with guidance, resources, and tools to lead with confidence. Complex Case Leadership & Resolution
– Be the escalation point for the most sensitive and high-impact employee relations and employment law cases and investigations globally. Model principled, fair decision-making that reflects our values and protects the integrity of our culture. Equip and coach HR leaders to build strong employee relations and employment law acumen at all levels. Change Leadership & Organizational Transformation
– Play a pivotal role in managing the people side of transformation (e.g., restructuring, M&A, cultural shifts) by providing strategic employee relations and employment law support, ensuring smooth execution and minimal risk. Ensure our people feel seen, heard, and respected during change. Stakeholder Engagement & Influence
– Build and nurture strong relationships with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders. Internally, partner with People Services, People Business Partners and Advisors, Compliance, Data Privacy, and senior leadership teams to embed best-in-class employee relations and employment law practices. Externally, act as the face of the organization with works councils, regulators, and industry bodies, representing the company with credibility and diplomacy. Team Development & Global Collaboration
– Lead the employee relations team for Americas. Cultivate a learning culture, build deep expertise, and ensure the team is equipped to navigate complexity with agility. Partner with the Global Employee Relations Director, regional Directors, the Global Employee Relations Operations Manager, the wider People team, Compliance, and Data Privacy teams to co-create solutions. Data-Driven Strategy & Continuous Improvement
– Leverage updates, insights, analytics, employee voice data, and AI to inform decisions, identify patterns, and improve our approach. Turn data into action to foster a workplace that is compliant and exceptional. Culture & Inclusion Advocacy
– Act as a guardian of the company\'s values and culture through employee relations and employment law strategies that promote respect, inclusion, and fairness. Ensure every touchpoint contributes to a workplace where all employees feel valued, included, and heard. Qualifications & Experience
We\'re looking for a dynamic, globally minded leader who combines strategic vision with deep expertise in employee relations and employment law. The ideal candidate thrives in complex, multicultural environments and brings a balance of legal knowledge, people leadership, and business acumen. Extensive Employee Relations and Employment Law Experience
– Proven track record of leading employee relations strategy and employment law in large, complex, and highly matrixed organizations across multiple geographies. Leadership in Complex Environments
– Experience managing employee relations and employment law issues across different geographies, labor law frameworks, and cultural contexts. Ability to lead globally while adapting to local realities. Strong Employment Law Knowledge
– Must be a qualified employment lawyer with deep understanding of global labor and employment laws. Ability to interpret and apply legal principles pragmatically in a business setting. People Leadership
– Inspirational leader with experience managing globally dispersed teams. Experience leading through change, transformation, or crisis, including support for mergers, restructurings, or global expansions while ensuring fair treatment of people. Strategic Influence & Stakeholder Management
– Ability to build trusted relationships with senior leaders, HR, Legal, Compliance, and external labor bodies; capable of influencing at the highest levels. Change & Transformation Expertise
– Experience supporting M&A, restructuring, or workforce transformation with a people-first approach and strategic employee relations planning. Data & Insight Driven
– Analytical mindset to interpret trends, use data and AI to drive strategy, and turn insights into action. Culturally Fluent & Globally Minded
– Respect for cultural nuance and diversity; able to navigate complexity with diplomacy and inclusivity. Personal Attributes Purpose-driven, values-led, and courageous in standing up for fairness and integrity. Solutions-oriented and agile, able to pivot between strategy and execution. Emotionally intelligent, calm under pressure, and a natural relationship-builder. Comfortable with uncertainty and competing priorities. Passionate about creating workplaces where people feel safe, respected, and heard. Why Arcadis?
We can only achieve our goals when everyone is empowered to be their best. We believe everyone\'s contribution matters. It\'s why we are pioneering a skills-based approach, where you can harness your unique experience and expertise to carve your career path and maximize the impact we can make together. You\'ll do meaningful work, and no matter what role, you\'ll be helping to deliver sustainable solutions for a more prosperous planet. Make your mark on your career, your colleagues, your clients, your life and the world around you. Together, we can create a lasting legacy. Join Arcadis. Create a Legacy. Equality, Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging
We are committed to equality and inclusion and are an equal opportunity employer. Women, minorities, people with disabilities, and veterans are strongly encouraged to apply. We are dedicated to a policy of non-discrimination in employment on any basis prohibited by law. Arcadis offers benefits for full-time and part-time positions, including medical, dental, and vision, EAP, 401K, STD, LTD, AD&D, life insurance, paid parental leave, rewards programs, and optional wellbeing benefits including adoption assistance and tuition reimbursement. We offer nine paid holidays and 15 days PTO that accrue per year. The salary range for this position is $136,000 – $299,000. Actual salaries will vary based on experience, education, budget, internal equity, project, and location.
#J-18808-Ljbffr