Sr Principal Employee Relations - Project Manager

Sr Principal Employee Relations - Project Management Partner

At Medtronic you can begin a life-long career of exploration and innovation, while helping champion healthcare access and equity for all. You'll lead with purpose, breaking down barriers to innovation in a more connected, compassionate world.

The Diabetes Operating Unit focuses on improving the lives of those within the global diabetes community. As a business, we strive to empower people with diabetes to live life on their terms by delivering innovation that truly matters and providing support in the ways they need it. We're committed to meeting people with diabetes where they are in their journey, always with an aim to make their lives easier. Our portfolio of innovative solutions is designed to provide customers with greater freedom and better health, helping them achieve better glucose control, while spending less time managing their disease.

This position is an exciting opportunity to work with Medtronic's Diabetes business. Medtronic has announced its intention to separate the Diabetes division to promote future growth and innovation within the business and reallocate investments and resources across Medtronic, subject to applicable information and consultation requirements. This separation provides our team with a bold opportunity to unleash our potential, enabling us to operate with greater speed and agility. As a separate entity, we anticipate leveraging increased investments to drive meaningful innovation and enhance our impact on patient care. This role can work remotely or onsite in San Antonio, TX.

As the Sr Principal Employee Relations - Project Management Partner, you will be responsible for building strong relationships between employees and managers with our Field Sales teams in the US & Canada. The role takes a proactive, strategic approach to employee relations by identifying higher-level employee relations trends, recommending solutions that address root cause of issue, and partnering with leadership on execution. The role acts as a key partner to the site level Managers in driving employee relations strategies, while maintaining a neutral position. A key component of the role includes maintaining the employee relations function at assigned locations / functions, and following established ELR processes, as well as building manager skill sets.

In addition to Employee Relations responsibilities, this role will also serve as the ER Project Manager responsible for leading strategic initiatives to enhance operational efficiency, harmonize global practices, and support the transition of the ER function into MiniMed.

Responsibilities may include the following and other duties may be assigned :

• Counsel and provide partnership to employees, managers, and leaders across the full spectrum of employee relations matters.
• Lead highly complex workplace investigations, including fact-finding, documentation, and resolution aligned with company policies and employment law.
• Provide coaching and advice to leaders on performance management, disciplinary actions, reorganizations, reductions, conflict resolution, and organizational effectiveness.
• Partner with HR Business Partners, Legal, and Compliance to assess ER risks and ensure consistent, fair application of policies.
• Develop and implement proactive ER strategies and initiatives that strengthen leadership capability and employee engagement.
• Analyze ER data and trends, identify root causes, and recommend preventive solutions to senior leadership.
• Monitor legal trends and risks and advise on compliance matters.
• Contribute to restructuring initiatives with focus on employee transitions and risk mitigation.
• Maintain confidentiality, neutrality, and objectivity in all employee relations matters.
• Support continuous improvement of ER processes, policies, frameworks, and training across the Operating Unit.
• Monitor employee sentiment and workplace trends.
• This work includes proactive workplace initiatives and strategies; workplace investigations and internal reviews; performance improvement and discipline processes; end of employment / restructuring; labor relations; crisis management; and, general employee relations coaching and conflict resolution.
• Develops and leads proactive employee and labor relations strategies to contribute to a positive work environment by leveraging data, addressing areas of opportunity and minimizing risk.
• Plays key leadership role in restructuring initiatives, resulting in employee transitions.
• Lead the transition of the Employee Relations function during organizational separation, ensuring continuity, risk mitigation, and alignment with future-state operating models.
• Design, implement, and monitor ER process improvement projects (standard work, system automation, documentation governance, case tracking, reporting dashboards).
• Coordinate cross-functional project teams involving HRBPs, Legal, Compliance, HRIS, and Business Leaders to deliver ER initiatives on time and within scope.
• Develop and maintain detailed project plans, timelines, risk assessments, stakeholder communications, and progress reports for leadership.
• Facilitate change management efforts training, communications, adoption strategies to ensure consistent implementation across regions and teams.
• Support the development of ER technology solutions (case management tools, dashboards, Workday enhancements) to increase visibility, accountability, and efficiency.
• Track project metrics and outcomes, using data to evaluate impact and recommend continuous improvement actions.
• Ensure all project activities comply with employment law, global policy requirements, and confidentiality standards.
• Serve as a consultant and thought partner to HR leadership, anticipating future ER operational needs and proposing scalable solutions.

Autonomy : Recognized expert managing large projects or processes with considerable independence. Exercises latitude in determining deliverables with limited oversight. Provides coaching and guidance to lower-level specialists.

Organizational Impact : Contributes to defining the direction for ER practices, standards, and operational plans based on business strategy. Leads projects with significant impact on work group and Operating Unit results.

Innovation and Complexity : Addresses difficult, complex, and undefined ER issues requiring detailed investigation and analysis. Develops solutions to complex problems and drives improvements in ER processes, systems, and practices.

Communication and Influence : Represents the organization as a primary ER contact for projects and initiatives. Communicates and negotiates with internal and external stakeholders to influence decision-making.

Leadership and Talent Management : Provides coaching and training to leaders and HR colleagues in ER practices. Manages moderately complex projects, delegating and reviewing work of others as needed.

Required Knowledge and Experience : Bachelor's degree with 10+ years of relevant HR experience or advanced degree with 8+ years of relevant HR experience.

Preferred Qualifications : Knowledge of Puerto Rico employment law, with global ER experience strongly preferred. Proven expertise leading complex investigations, conflict resolution, and risk mitigation. Demonstrated ability to influence senior leaders while maintaining neutrality. Strong data analysis and trend interpretation skills. Bilingual in Spanish and English. Excellent written and verbal communication skills with proven discretion in handling sensitive information. Advanced degree (JD, MBA, or Master's in HR / Organizational Development). Experience in a large, global, matrixed organization, ideally healthcare or medical device industry. Certifications such as SHRM-SCP, or SPHR.

Physical Job Requirements : The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by employees assigned to this position, but they are not an exhaustive list of all the required responsibilities and skills of this position. The physical demands described within the Responsibilities section of this job description are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. For Office Roles : While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to be independently mobile. The employee is also required to interact with a computer, and communicate with peers and co-workers. Contact your manager or local HR to understand the Work Conditions and Physical requirements that may be specific to each role.

Medtronic offers a competitive salary and flexible benefits package. A commitment to our employees lives at the core of our values. We recognize their contributions. They share in the success they help to create. We offer a wide range of benefits, resources, and competitive compensation plans designed to support you at every career and life stage.

Salary ranges for U.S (excl. PR) locations (USD) : $136,000.00 - $204,000.00. This position is eligible for a short-term incentive called the Medtronic Incentive Plan (MIP). The base salary range is applicable across the United States, excluding Puerto Rico and specific locations in California. The offered rate complies with federal and local regulations and may vary based on factors such as experience, certification / education, market conditions, and location. Compensation and benefits information pertains solely to candidates hired within the United States (local market compensation and benefits will apply for others).

The following benefits and additional compensation are available to those regular employees who work 20+ hours per week : Health, Dental and vision insurance, Health Savings Account, Healthcare Flexible Spending Account, Life insurance, Long-term disability leave, Dependent daycare spending account, Tuition assistance / reimbursement, and Simple Steps (global well-being program).

The following benefits and additional compensation are available to all regular employees : Incentive plans, 401(k) plan plus employer contribution and match, Short-term disability, Paid time off, Paid holidays, Employee Stock Purchase Plan, Employee Assistance Program, Non-qualified Retirement Plan Supplement (subject to IRS earning minimums),