Employee Relations Lead

Overview

Instacart is looking for a strategic, business-minded Employee Relations (ER) Leader to build and lead a modern, thoughtful, and scalable ER function. This role sits within HR and reports to the Head of HRBPs, operating at the critical intersection of business partnership, risk awareness, and people strategy.

You will evolve Instacart’s employee relations philosophy, partnering closely with HRBPs and Legal to ensure consistent, compliant, and values-aligned outcomes across complex employee matters. This role will advise on sensitive performance and conduct cases, lead terminations and exits, and design scalable ER frameworks that balance thoughtful risk management with a human-centered employee experience.

We are especially interested in candidates with prior employment law experience and experienced senior HRBPs with deep ER expertise are strongly encouraged to apply. No bar license is required.

About the Job

Strategic ER Leadership

• Develop and implement Instacart’s holistic Employee Relations strategy in partnership with HRBPs and Legal.
• Build clear frameworks and standards for managing performance concerns, conduct issues, investigations, and terminations.
• Establish consistent decision-making principles that balance fairness, business impact, and appropriate risk awareness.
• Identify trends and systemic risks in employee matters and proactively recommend policy, training, and process improvements.

Terminations & Complex Exits

• Lead and advise on complex involuntary terminations across the organization.
• Partner with Legal and People COEs on structuring exit packages within established guidelines and approval frameworks.
• In consultation with Legal, manage post-separation communications with departing employees, including structured severance discussions conducted within defined parameters.
• Identify matters requiring Legal escalation and ensure timely coordination.
• Ensure consistency, documentation quality, and compliance across exit practices.

Investigations & Sensitive Employee

• Oversee and conduct workplace investigations involving performance concerns, conduct issues, and policy violations.
• Partner with Legal to structure investigations involving heightened risk or potential legal exposure.
• Ensure investigations are thorough, objective, and well-documented.
• Support HRBPs and business leaders in determining appropriate outcomes based on investigation findings.
• Establish clear governance and standards for how investigations are initiated, conducted, and resolved across the organization.

HRBP Partnership

• Act as a trusted thought partner to HRBPs and business leaders on complex employee matters.
• Coach HRBPs on documentation, consistency, and structured decision-making.
• Elevate the ER capability of the HRBP team through training, playbooks, and case reviews.

Process & Infrastructure

• Build scalable ER processes, documentation templates, and intake systems.
• Define clear governance around investigations and disciplinary actions.
• Develop dashboards and reporting mechanisms to identify trends and reduce organizational risk.
• Ensure global and multi-state compliance as the organization evolves.

About You

Minimum Qualifications

• 8+ years of experience in Employee Relations, Employment Law, Human Resources, or a related function.
• Strong knowledge of U.S. employment law and contemporary workplace practices.
• Significant experience managing complex terminations and structured employee exit discussions.
• Experience partnering closely with Legal teams on employment matters.
• Former employment attorney preferred or Senior HRBP with substantial ER depth and strong legal fluency.
• Exceptional judgment and ability to navigate ambiguity and gray areas.
• Strong risk awareness and decision-making skills.
• Ability to influence senior leaders while maintaining objectivity.
• High emotional intelligence and discretion.
• Clear, concise communicator — especially in high-stakes situations.
• Systems thinker who can move from individual cases to scalable strategy.

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