About Us
We are a global climate technologies company engineered for sustainability. We create sustainable and efficient residential, commercial and industrial spaces through HVACR technologies. We protect temperature-sensitive goods throughout the cold chain. And we bring comfort to people globally. Best-in-class engineering, design and manufacturing combined with category-leading brands in compression, controls, software and monitoring solutions result in next-generation climate technology that is built for the needs of the world ahead.
Whether you are a professional looking for a career change, an undergraduate student exploring your first opportunity, or recent graduate with an advanced degree, we have opportunities that will allow you to innovate, be challenged and make an impact. Join our team and start your journey today!
Employee Relations Lead – India, Middle East & Africa
Location: India
Reports to: Employee Relations Director
Job Summary
The Employee Relations Lead – IMEA oversees the execution of Copeland's Employee Relations (ER) strategy within the IMEA region. They serve as the primary point of contact for all ER matters across India, the Middle East, and Africa, ensuring consistent policy application, effective case management, and strong partnership with HR and site leadership teams. This includes addressing region-specific labor/industrial relations issues such as union strategy, statutory consultation procedures, and other ER-related regulatory or socio-political considerations, in partnership with Legal and local HR where appropriate. The Lead drives centralized ER service delivery, maintaining direct ownership of case management activities, performance improvement support, and policy compliance across the region. In countries with minimal headcount or specialized local requirements, the Lead may partner with Business-Facing HR (BFHR) to deliver hybrid support. They collaborate closely with the global ER COE to maintain standardized processes, reporting, and service levels.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead and manage employee relations activities within the IMEA region, ensuring timely and fair case resolution in alignment with global ER policies and practices.
- Provide direct ER leadership over the India business in particular, as the largest business in the region.
- Support labor/industrial relations strategy across the region, including union engagement, worker committee processes, and required consultation protocols under local law.
- Serve as the primary escalation point for complex and high-risk ER cases, partnering with Legal and other stakeholders as needed.
- Directly manage ER case intake, investigation, resolution, and closure, ensuring a consistent, professional colleague experience across the region.
- Partner with regional Business-Facing HR teams to deliver hybrid ER support where needed, especially in countries with minimal headcount or unique legal complexity.
- Provide day-to-day direction and mentorship to regional ER Advisors, ensuring professional service delivery, skill development, and workload balance.
- Monitor case trends, emerging risks, and workforce issues, delivering actionable insights and recommendations to regional and global leadership.
- Execute the Employee Relations annual governance cycle within the region, including quarterly campaign delivery, stakeholder reporting, and process audits.
- Ensure full adoption of ER case management protocols in ServiceNow, including accurate logging, escalation, documentation, and timely case closure.
- Deliver coaching and education to site leaders on performance management, conflict resolution, workplace expectations, and policy application.
- Collaborate on global ER projects and initiatives, bringing IMEA-specific insights to shape global practices, policies, and processes.
- Support leaders to foster a fair, consistent, and compliant employee experience aligned with Copeland’s People Plan.
Qualifications:
- Education: Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field; Master’s degree preferred.
- Experience:
- 7+ years of experience in employee relations or HR, including regional or global support experience.
- 5+ years of employee relations or HR experience in India
- 3+ years managing complex employee relations cases required.
- Experience working in a centralized Employee Relations delivery model preferred.
- Skills: Strong leadership and delegation skills, excellent problem-solving and conflict resolution skills, team leadership experience, and expertise in handling escalated cases and performance improvement processes.
- Proficiency in English and Marathi required; additional languages based on region are a plus (e.g., Arabic, Hindi, French).
Additional Requirements:
- Knowledge of regional labor laws, experience with metrics and reporting, and strong communication and interpersonal skills.
- Willingness to travel regionally within IMEA and occasionally globally as needed to support sites and stakeholders.
- Ability to work across time zones and cultural contexts.
Preferred Location:
- Pune, India
Our Commitment to Our People
Across the globe, we are united by a singular Purpose: Sustainability is no small ambition. That’s why everything we do is geared toward a sustainable future—for our generation and all those to come. Through groundbreaking innovations, HVACR technology and cold chain solutions, we are reducing carbon emissions and improving energy efficiency in spaces of all sizes, from residential to commercial to industrial.
Our employees are our greatest strength. We believe that our culture of passion, openness, and collaboration empowers us to work toward the same goal - to make the world a better place. We invest in the end-to-end development of our people, beginning at onboarding and through senior leadership, so they can thrive personally and professionally.
Flexible and competitive benefits plans offer the right options to meet your individual/family needs. We provide employees with flexible time off plans, including paid parental leave (maternal and paternal), vacation and holiday leave.
Together, we have the opportunity – and the power – to continue to revolutionize the technology behind air conditioning, heating and refrigeration, and cultivate a better future. Learn more about us and how you can join our team!
Our Commitment to Inclusion & Belonging
At Copeland, we cultivate a strong sense of inclusion and belonging where individuals of all backgrounds, and with diverse perspectives, are embraced and treated fairly to enable a stronger workforce. Our employee resource groups play an important role in culture and community building at Copeland.
Equal Opportunity Employer
Copeland is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, race, color, religion, national origin, age, marital status, political affiliation, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, disability or protected veteran status. We are committed to providing a workplace free of any discrimination or harassment.
