Director of Employee Relations and Compliance

NOTE: This is a full-time role and will be on-site at our corporate headquarters in Franklin, TN. Hybrid or remote opportunities are not available. 

About the Role: The Director of Employee Relations and Compliance is a strategic and hands-on leader responsible for shaping a fair, consistent, and legally compliant employee experience across a large, multi-unit QSR organization. With a workforce of approximately 6,000 employees, this role ensures that policies, practices, and culture support operational excellence while minimizing risk. The ideal candidate is a proactive problem-solver who thrives in a fast-paced, high-volume environment and knows how to balance business needs with people-first decision-making.

Key Responsibilities:

Employee Relations Leadership

• Serve as the primary point of escalation for complex employee relations issues, investigations, and conflict resolution.
• Lead, coach, and develop a team of HR Business Partners
• Ensure consistent application of policies, disciplinary actions, and performance management across all restaurant locations.
• Partner with Operations leadership to proactively identify trends and address root causes of ER issues.

Compliance & Risk Management

• Oversee compliance with federal, state, and local employment laws, including wage and hour, scheduling, leave management, and workplace safety.
• Conduct regular audits of HR practices, documentation, and labor compliance across all restaurants.
• Lead the response to agency claims (EEOC, DOL, state agencies) and coordinate with legal counsel, as needed.
• Monitor regulatory changes and work with teams to update policies, training, and processes accordingly.

Policy Development & Governance

• Own the employee handbook, HR policies, and standard operating procedures.
• Ensure policies are clear, accessible, and aligned with both legal requirements and company culture.
• Partner with cross-functional teams (Operations, Training, HR, Legal) to ensure policy adoption and compliance.

Culture & Engagement

• Support initiatives that strengthen a positive, inclusive, and high-performance culture across all restaurant locations.
• Use ER and compliance data to identify opportunities to improve retention, engagement, and manager effectiveness.
• Partner with HR leadership on strategies that reduce turnover and enhance the employee experience.

Data & Reporting

• Track and analyze ER trends, case types, turnover drivers, and compliance risks.
• Present insights and recommendations to senior leadership to inform decision-making.
• Maintain accurate documentation and case management systems.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business, or related field (Master’s or JD a plus).
• 8+ years of progressive HR experience, with at least 4 years focused on employee relations and compliance, and leading a team.
• Exceptional leadership and team building skills.
• Experience supporting multi-unit, hourly-workforce environments - QSR, retail, hospitality, or similar.
• Strong knowledge of employment law and HR best practices in multiple states.
• Demonstrated ability to conduct thorough, unbiased investigations.
• Excellent communication, coaching, and relationship-building skills.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, high-volume, geographically dispersed organization.
• High integrity, sound judgment, and a calm, solutions-oriented approach.