VP, Employee Relations

Countrywide Financial Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, is a nationwide financial services company. As the nation's leading independent residential mortgage lender, we're recognized as an innovator of new financial products and services.

Our Plano employees enjoy:
Business Casual Attire
Legacy Park Location
New Facilities
Fitness Center & Jogging Trail
Onsite Dry Cleaners
Full Service Cafeteria
ATM
DART Bus Passes

Our Full-Time Employees also receive these benefits:
Stock Purchase Plan
9 Company Paid Holidays
401(k) - all employees of Countrywide are immediately eligible to participate
Vision/Medical/Dental Coverage
Life & Disability Coverage
Tuition Assistance
Employee Discounts on Home Mortgage Products
and Insurance

Vice President, Employee Relations
The department is responsible for promptly addressing work place issues and administering and interpreting corporate HR policies and procedures to ensure that they are applied fairly and consistently to all employees. Ensures managers are provided a full range of service that includes counselings, investigations, and consultations to resolve work place issues. The department is also responsible for ensuring that mangers adhere to applicable federal state and local employment related laws.
The Vice President, Employee Relations Manages the Employee Relations function for an assigned client group. Manages and directs a staff of ER reps, Sr. ER Reps and ER Managers. Delivers a full range of employee counseling services and resolves employee relations issues for the company as well as resolving and identifying issues, trends and implications in the areas of employee relations, pay, culture, training, and exit interviews. Conducts investigations of complaints and issues to determine relevance and possible exposure to the company. Partners with senior managers to develop strategies for organization change and effective corrective actions.
Primary responsibilities include:
Manages, trains and develops a nationwide staff of ER reps, Managers and AVPs. Responsible for hiring, motivating, training, performance management of direct reports.
- Advises managers and employees on tier 2 work place issues and concerns. Responds to issues and concerns quickly in order to diffuse emotions and prevent unwarranted escalations. Conducts investigations into allegations made by employees and issues raised by managers and involves other departments as appropriate (i.e. Fraud Risk Management, Security, PR). Coaches managers and employees on a wide variety of topics including, but not limited to, drafting performance improvement plans, documenting disciplinary actions and conducting terminations and/or reductions in force.
- Consults with Corporate Legal representatives, and all levels of management including Managing Directors, division heads/managers/supervisors regarding employee relations issues, performance management, compliance requirements, and Countrywide's Human Resources policies and practices.
- Participates in cross-functional company-wide HR initiatives and provides expertise in the area of Human Resources projects, policies, and procedures. Committee work may include projects related to Turnover, Policies and Procedures.
- Responds to requests made by local, state federal agencies and attorneys.
- Participates in legal actions involving employee situations, including gathering facts, preparing reports, interviews with attorneys, depositions and coordinating meetings for employees with legal counsel.
- Identifies issues, trends and implications in the areas of employee relations, pay, culture, training and exit interviews.
A successful candidate will have:
Bachelor degree in Business, Human Resources, or related area. Masters degree preferred.
- 7+ years in Human Resources covering employee relations, legal compliance, litigation, and generalist experience including compensation, benefits, employment, and training.
- 3+ years experience supervising exempt and nonexempt staff.
- Above average analytical and negotiation skills.
- Strong interpersonal and mediation skills.
- Strong knowledge of labor laws and current legal trends.
- Excellent oral and written communication skills.
- Training and Presentation skills.
- Working knowledge of computer databases, work processing, spreadsheets, e-mail, and presentation applications (PeopleSoft, Word, Excel, PowerPoint).




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