Employee Relations Manager (12-month contract)

About Charles River Associates

Charles River Associates is a leading global consulting firm that provides economic, financial, and business management expertise to major law firms, corporations and governments around the world. CRA advises clients on economic and financial matters pertaining to litigation and regulatory proceedings, and guides corporations through critical business strategy and performance-related issues. Since 1965, clients have engaged CRA for its combination of industry experience and rigorous, fact-based analysis that provide clients with clear, implementable solutions to complex business concerns. 

Position Overview 

The Human Capital team comprises about 25 professionals committed to attracting, developing, and retaining excellent colleagues across the firm. Our culture embraces a growth mindset: inspiring excellence and bringing expertise and innovation to the role every day. We seek a highly organized and experienced Employee Relations Manager to provide temporary coverage during a MLOA (July 2025 - June 2026), but there may be a future opportunity for this to become a permanent role. In this role, you will be responsible for supporting the employee life cycle particularly as it relates to performance management, employee engagement, employment administration, conflict resolution, and departures. You will act as a true partner to our practices, understanding their needs and priorities, helping them address their key talent opportunities and issues, and act as a resource for advice and expertise. In addition to business advisory work, you will be responsible for driving change management initiatives in the performance, feedback, management and leadership development areas. This would be a good opportunity for an experienced employment lawyer looking to move to an in-house HR position. This position can be located in Boston, New York, or Washington, DC and reports to the Director, Employee Relations. Typical responsibilities include:

• Build strong client relationships with key individuals across practices, providing commercial advice and strategic counsel on range of employee relations issues;
• Maintain working knowledge of legal labor and employment requirements and partner with appropriate individuals to reduce legal risks and ensure regulatory compliance;
• Serve as a primary resource to employees, managers and leaders, responding to questions and inquiries related to firm policies and procedures, and ensuring consistent application and compliance with firm policies according to applicable local employment laws and regulations;
• Oversee the coordination of all voluntary departures, including urgent situations to competitors, acting as main contact for employees and their teams to ensure a smooth transition;
• Manage involuntary terminations, both performance and restructuring efforts, by advising and supporting the business on staffing changes; conducting risk assessments; drafting communications; participating in termination discussions; and preparing documentation and severance agreements. Collaborate with internal and external counsel as needed;
• Participate actively in both year-round and year-end performance processes for practices globally, collaborating with the broader Talent Team to identify opportunities for improvement. More broadly, lead specific talent projects that drive our talent objectives around fostering a culture of feedback, continuous learning and high-performance;
• Build manager capability across the firm by conducting one-on-one coaching with supervisors and participating in talent planning meetings to strategize ways to increase the overall performance of our talent pools;
• Act as a senior member of the Talent Team, providing leadership and guidance to junior members.

Desired Qualifications 

• Bachelor's or Master’s degree in a relevant discipline, or equivalent relevant full-time work experience;
• 5+ years related HR, employment law or HR compliance experience, experience in a professional services firm preferred;
• Strong understanding of US/UK and/or European employment law;
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Work, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook), leveraging technology to create efficient work processes;
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities with strong organizational skills, meet deadlines, have attention to detail, and a commitment to delivering high-quality work;
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to build relationships and bring tact and judgment to senior-level interactions; 
• Demonstrated ability to be proactive, creative, flexible, innovative and an entrepreneurial thinker;
• Good judgment and ability to maintain confidentiality of sensitive information;
• Flexibility for periodic overnight and global travel, occasional weekend and evening availability to handle urgent employee needs;
• Near-term start date preferred.

To Apply

To be considered for this position, we require the following:

• Resume – please include current contact information (personal email and telephone number);
• Cover Letter – please describe your interest in CRA and how this role matches your goals, we really do want to understand how you express yourself. 

Learning and Benefits 

• CRA’s robust skills development programs, including a commitment to offering training annually through formal and informal programs, encouraging you to thrive as an individual and team member. Training consists of technical training, presentation skills, internal seminars, and career mentoring and performance coaching from an assigned senior colleague. Additional leadership and collaboration opportunities exist through internal firm development activities.
• We offer a comprehensive total rewards program including a superior benefits package, wellness programming to support physical, mental, emotional and financial well-being, and in-house immigration support for foreign nationals and international business travelers.

Work Location Flexibility

CRA creates a work environment that enables our colleagues to benefit from being together in the office to best deliver on our promise of career growth, mentorship and inclusivity. At the same time, we recognize that individuals realize a range of benefits when working from home periodically. We currently ask that individuals spend 3 days a week working in the office (which may include traveling to another CRA office), with specific days determined in coordination with your practice or team. At certain times of the year (e.g. holiday periods), additional remote work options are offered to those whose work commitments permit it, although our offices remain open for those who choose or need to be there.

Our Commitment to Equal Employment Opportunity

Charles River Associates is an equal opportunity employer (EOE). All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other protected characteristic under applicable law.