Cargill's size and scale allows us to make a positive impact in the world. Our purpose is to nourish the world in a safe, responsible and sustainable way. We are a family company providing food, ingredients, agricultural solutions and industrial products that are vital for living. We connect farmers with markets so they can prosper. We connect customers with ingredients so they can make meals people love. And we connect families with daily essentials - from eggs to edible oils, salt to skincare, feed to alternative fuel. Our 160,000 colleagues, operating in 70 countries, make essential products that touch billions of lives each day. Join us and reach your higher purpose at Cargill.
Location
This role is based in Wayzata, Minnesota. Will consider relocation from within the US.

Job Purpose and Impact:

• The Senior Director, Employee Relations

• North America is responsible for driving a forward-looking regional Employee Relations strategy, ensuring alignment to Cargill's global Employee Relations strategy. This leader will establish, guide, and consult on the development and implementation of the appropriate regional policies, practices, and norms that align with employment laws and regulations, and develop the processes and tactics for responding to employee matters. The Regional Leader will manage a team of over 20 subject matter experts including ER Specialists, Investigators, and Compliance to oversee regional workforce trends, ongoing regulatory and potential compliance issues, complex investigations, and provide employee relations advice/support to key partners.

• Key Accountabilities

• TEAM MANAGEMENT: Build ER delivery capabilities and expertise within teams you lead Manage team members to achieve the organization's goals, by ensuring productivity, communicating performance expectations, creating goal alignment, giving and seeking feedback, providing coaching, measuring progress and holding people accountable, supporting employee development, recognizing achievement and lessons learned, and developing enabling conditions for talent to thrive in an inclusive team culture.

• TRAINING AND EDUCATION: Develop relevant know-how and capabilities of HR Business Partners, people managers and transformation project teams as applicable.

• INVESTIGATIONS: Oversee region-specific workforce issues and investigations (e.g., provide services to assist in prevention and resolution of workforce issues, investigate allegations of misconduct, and identify appropriate measures, etc.).

• EMPLOYEE RELATIONS POLICY DEVELOPMENT: Define forward-looking Employee Relations strategies, regulatory compliance and reporting (both at a local and federal level), policies and procedures, ensuring alignment to Cargill's global Employee Relations strategy and vision, to ensure work environments embody trust, fairness, and inclusion for employees in compliance with applicable legislation.

• EMPLOYEE RELATIONS POLICY IMPLEMENTATION: Oversee the establishment and implementation of policies for the organization, including providing consultation to human resources and management partners and ensuring the resolution of employee relations questions.

• EMPLOYEE RELATIONS POLICY IMPROVEMENT: Track, identify, and report on trends in employee relations and compliance topics and propose solutions for complex and/or contentious employee relations matters in collaboration with HRBPs and Business/Function leaders. Use data as a predictor.

• DISCIPLINE and SEPARATIONS: Directs and ensures the team to maintain and apply knowledge of separation legislation and processes in the assigned markets, including performing separation activities and mentoring human resources and managers on separations processes, crafting and overseeing applicable templates, and providing severance calculations and advice on options.

• TRANSFORMATION: Ensure seamless execution and deployment of complex initiatives, such as transformation projects, through proactive preparation, anticipation of roadblocks, and contingency planning as well as appropriate information and education of your partners in the business.

• RISK MITIGATION: Act as subject matter expert on employee relations and compliance, identify trends and risks landscape for the assigned region and suggest mitigating actions and proactive initiatives, aimed at prevention.

• CONSULTATION & SERVICE EXECUTION: Directs and guides the team on all employee relations issues and solutions, including performance management, organization policies and procedures, harassment, discrimination, retaliation, disability and background checks, to ensure successful service delivery and effective consultancy. Advise and consult with Business/Function leadership on topics such as equal opportunity and diversity (DEI) matters, and other employment focused acts and legislation.

Qualifications:

• Minimum Qualifications

• Minimum of eight years of relevant work experience including at least 5 years leading a high‑performing Employee Relations Team, driving ER strategy, governance, and best‑practice execution across a complex, multi‑site organization.

• Proven ability to balance a pragmatic drive for solutions whilst upholding the highest ethical and compliance standards

• Analytical mindset and the ability to apply data-driven insights to inform decision-making and develop proactive strategies

• Ability to anticipate and balance the needs of multiple stakeholders.

• Excellent verbal and written communication and strong presentation skills

• Strong conflict resolution skills, with a track record of successfully resolving employee disputes

• Knowledge of best practices in employee relations, including disciplinary procedures and separations, grievance handling, and workplace investigations

• Ability to maintain confidentiality, handle sensitive information with discretion, and ensure compliance with data privacy regulations

• Experience gained in a large, complex multi-location organization with both white and blue collar employees

• Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in the field of Labor Relations

• Experience in process optimization and simplification, driven by the client experience.

• Used to work in environment with central HR capability center / service center (back-office)

• An interest in and initial experience with applying AI at the workplace

Compensation Data:

Compensation:

The expected salary for this position is $175K - $240K. This position is eligible for a discretionary incentive award. The incentive award amount is dependent upon company performance and your personal performance.

Benefits:

Full-Time (30+ hours) positions are eligible for a benefit package including the following (subject to certain collective bargaining agreements for Union positions): Paid time off; paid holidays; medical, vision, and dental coverage; flexible spending accounts; life insurance; disability insurance; retirement savings; employee and family assistance program (EAP)

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Equal Opportunity Employer, including Disability/Vet.