HRBP - Employee Relations

Company Overview

At Opus, we grow together. Our team of bold thinkers and passionate doers is united by a shared mission to tackle meaningful challenges. Our culture of trust and belonging has earned us the Great Place to Work certification in four countries, based entirely on team feedback. It reflects our commitment to fairness, pride credibility and camaraderie, and reinforces what we believe: when people feel valued, they do their best work.

About the Role

The HRBP - Employee Relations will own employee relations and performance management across India (Mumbai), the Philippines (Manila), and South Africa (Cape Town) and ensure managers receive timely and effective HR support.

This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced HR professional to take ownership of employee relations and performance management across a diverse international workforce spanning Mumbai, Manila, and Cape Town. Working closely with business leaders, the HRBP - Employee Relations will serve as the primary HR resource for complex employee matters, influencing manager capability, organizational effectiveness, and employee experience across multiple regions. The role is well suited to an experienced, confident, and pragmatic HR professional who thrives in a fast-paced environment. The ideal candidate is already comfortable managing sensitive employee relations cases, supporting business decisions, capable of making recommendations which consider individual circumstances while balancing the needs of business, and acting in ways that foster employee engagement while effectively managing organizational risk.

Key Responsibilities

• Independently manage employee relations matters, investigations, disciplinary processes and other employee cases across Mumbai, Manila, and Cape Town, and appropriately escalate matters which are more complex, sensitive, precedent-setting or higher risk
• Advise and coach frontline managers in the various regions on aspects of company policy, performance management, attendance, conduct, workplace concerns and other employee issues, enabling managers to understand and address issues effectively and fulfil their people management responsibilities
• Maintain a visible and approachable persona, being a role model for professionalism in your actions while building connections and fostering trusted relationships with employees and leaders
• Manage accommodation requests, attendance concerns, grievances, complaints and other employee matters requiring HR involvement, ensuring appropriate documentation, follow-through and resolution
• Ensure probation, performance management, investigation and disciplinary processes are completed consistently, appropriately and on time, leading formal processes where HR involvement is required
• Using available data and through direct inquiries, monitor employee relations and performance management trends across assigned regions, identify recurring issues and recommend practical actions or interventions to address underlying causes
• Escalate significant legal, financial, reputational or organizational risks promptly and appropriately

Key Qualifications & Competencies

• Minimum 5 years of experience in an HR Manager role, with significant responsibility for employee relations, performance management, workplace investigations, disciplinary processes, and employee case management in India.
• Experience supporting geographically dispersed or international teams is considered an asset. Knowledge of South African and Filipino employment legislation is not required; however, the ability and willingness to quickly learn and apply local employment practices and legal requirements is essential.
• Exceptional knowledge of Mumbai employment laws, labour standards, and HR best practices, with the ability to provide practical, risk-based advice and ensure compliance with legal and organizational requirements.
• Demonstrated experience independently managing complex employee relations matters, including grievances, complaints, workplace investigations, disciplinary processes, accommodations, attendance concerns, and performance issues.
• Proven ability to make objective, and sometimes unpopular, recommendations while maintaining fairness, consistency, and alignment with organizational policies, values, and business objectives.
• Confident and resilient HR professional who is comfortable and experienced leading challenging conversations, holding employees and leaders accountable, and managing sensitive situations with professionalism and sound judgment.
• Strong coaching and influencing skills, capable to build solid working relationships and establish credibility with leaders, provide candid advice, and help managers effectively navigate employee and workplace issues.