Job Description
Senior Specialist, People & Performance
At Hope Utilities, you can build more than a career - you can make a difference. Our employees deliver essential services that improve the quality of life for the communities we serve, and we are dedicated to creating a workplace where every team member can thrive.
We foster a safe, inclusive, and high-performing culture that supports your growth, well-being, and success both at work and at home. We encourage fresh thinking, embrace new ideas, and empower employees to challenge conventional approaches. When you join Hope, you'll be part of a team that values innovation, celebrates achievements, and invests in helping you reach your full potential.
POSITION SUMMARY
The Senior Specialist, People & Performance serves as a trusted advisor to leaders and employees across multiple operating companies, providing strategic and employee-centered support on performance management, employee relations, organizational effectiveness, talent planning, and workforce matters within union and non-union people-first environments. The role partners with business leaders to address complex employee issues, conduct workplace investigations, ensure HR compliance, and develop effective people solutions that support organizational goals. This position leverages data-driven insights to improve workforce performance, leads HR initiatives and projects, develops tools, training, and communications that strengthen leadership effectiveness, and helps foster a positive, compliant, and high-performing workplace culture.
DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES
- Advises leaders on complex performance, employee relations, organizational effectiveness, and workforce matters across union and non-union workforces.
- Conducts workplace investigations and fact-finding activities, documenting findings and recommending appropriate actions.
- Partners with HR and business leaders to address sensitive or high-impact employee matters.
- Deliver exceptional customer service by providing timely, accurate, and employee-centered support and guidance.
- Build trusted relationships with employees and leaders across multiple operating companies.
- Develops and improves performance management tools, processes, guidance, and leader resources.
- Conducts analyses of workforce trends, performance outcomes, and organizational needs and recommends solutions.
- Facilitates talent reviews, succession discussions, calibration activities, and leadership planning.
- Designs communication, training, and change-management support for people programs.
- Leads complex projects, coordinates cross-functional workstreams, and provides guidance to other HR professionals.
- Measures program effectiveness and recommends improvements based on data, feedback, and business results.
- Establish and maintain compliance programs that integrate legal requirements into HR workflows, including hiring, onboarding, benefits, and termination processes.
- May provide guidance to less experienced staff by sharing advanced technical knowledge, leading aspects of project work, and supporting alignment of efforts with departmental goals and objectives.
SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES
- Serve as an Individual Contributor without supervisory responsibilities.
- Support and contribute towards team goals and objectives.
LEVELING
Performs work with a moderate degree of independence and applies broad professional knowledge to complex assignments, exercises considerable judgment in selecting methods and solutions, contributes
REQUIRED SKILLS & ABILITIES
- Advanced knowledge of human resources principles, employment laws, employee relations practices, performance management, organizational development, and workforce planning.
- Strong understanding of labor relations principles, collective bargaining agreements, grievance administration, and the unique considerations of union and non-union work environments.
- Ability to advise and influence leaders on complex employee relations, performance, organizational effectiveness, and workforce matters while balancing business needs, employee experience, and compliance requirements.
- Skilled in conducting workplace investigations, analyzing facts, assessing risk, and developing well-supported recommendations and solutions.
- Strong consulting, coaching, and relationship-management skills with the ability to build credibility and trust with leaders, employees, union representatives, and key stakeholders.
- Ability to analyze workforce data, trends, and organizational challenges and translate findings into practical recommendations and action plans.
- Experience facilitating talent reviews, succession planning discussions, performance calibration sessions, and leadership development initiatives.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to develop and deliver training, presentations, change management communications, and leadership resources.
- Demonstrated project management skills with the ability to lead complex initiatives, coordinate cross-functional teams, manage competing priorities, and meet deadlines.
- Ability to evaluate program effectiveness using metrics, feedback, and business outcomes and implement continuous improvement strategies.
- Strong critical-thinking, problem-solving, conflict-resolution, and decision-making skills.
- Ability to exercise sound judgment, maintain confidentiality, and manage sensitive information with discretion and professionalism.
- Proficiency in Human Resource Information Systems (HRIS), Microsoft Office applications, reporting tools, and data analysis techniques.
- Ability to mentor, guide, and provide direction to less experienced HR professionals while fostering collaboration and knowledge sharing.
- Strong organizational agility and adaptability with the ability to effectively support multiple business units, operating companies, and stakeholder groups..
EDUCATION & WORK EXPERIENCE
Required:
- Bachelor’s degree in human resources, business administration, organizational development or related field -and-
- At least eight (8) years of relevant experience in human resources, performance management, employee relations, organizational development or related field.
- OR -
- High School Diploma or equivalent -and-
- At least 12 years of relevant experience in human resources, performance management, employee relations, organizational development or related field.
- Human Resources experience supporting employees and leaders in unionized work environments strongly preferred.
- Experience interpreting and administering collective bargaining agreements and related employment practices preferred.
- Experience supporting an organization with multiple collective bargaining agreements across operating companies preferred.
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS
The ideal candidate must be able to fulfill the following physical requirements of the job with or without a reasonable accommodation:
- Remain stationary for extended periods, occasionally alternating between sitting, standing, walking, crouching, and kneeling as required to perform job responsibilities.
- Lift, push, and/or pull up to 25 lbs. occasionally.
- Operate a computer and other office productivity machinery as necessary.
- Communicate with others to accurately exchange information and ideas.
- Hear sufficiently to allow general and phone communications.
- Visual acuity to read standard text on screens and documents, observe surroundings, recognize hazards, and perform tasks safely.
- Observe details at close range.
- Problem solve, prioritize tasks, and interpret and understand written documents.
WORK CONTEXT
- This is a full-time exempt salaried position.
- Minimum travel for work-related purposes is expected at less than 25%, which includes some overnight visits to locations and industry events.
Information at a Glance
Requisition Id:
1147
City & State:
Morgantown, WV
Department:
Employment Category:
Non Union
Posting Start Date:
11/11/26
Senior Specialist, People & Performance
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The Senior Specialist, People & Performance serves as a trusted advisor to leaders and employees across multiple operating companies, providing strategic and employee-centered support on performance management, employee relations, organizational effectiveness, talent planning, and workforce matters within union and non-union people-first environments. The role partners with business leaders to address complex employee issues, conduct workplace investigations, ensure HR compliance, and develop effective people solutions that support organizational goals. This position leverages data-driven insights to improve workforce performance, leads HR initiatives and projects, develops tools, training, and communications that strengthen leadership effectiveness, and helps foster a positive, compliant, and high-performing workplace culture.
DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES
- Advises leaders on complex performance, employee relations, organizational effectiveness, and workforce matters across union and non-union workforces.
- Conducts workplace investigations and fact-finding activities, documenting findings and recommending appropriate actions.
- Partners with HR and business leaders to address sensitive or high-impact employee matters.
- Deliver exceptional customer service by providing timely, accurate, and employee-centered support and guidance.
- Build trusted relationships with employees and leaders across multiple operating companies.
- Develops and improves performance management tools, processes, guidance, and leader resources.
- Conducts analyses of workforce trends, performance outcomes, and organizational needs and recommends solutions.
- Facilitates talent reviews, succession discussions, calibration activities, and leadership planning.
- Designs communication, training, and change-management support for people programs.
- Leads complex projects, coordinates cross-functional workstreams, and provides guidance to other HR professionals.
- Measures program effectiveness and recommends improvements based on data, feedback, and business results.
- Establish and maintain compliance programs that integrate legal requirements into HR workflows, including hiring, onboarding, benefits, and termination processes.
- May provide guidance to less experienced staff by sharing advanced technical knowledge, leading aspects of project work, and supporting alignment of efforts with departmental goals and objectives.
SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES
- Serve as an Individual Contributor without supervisory responsibilities.
- Support and contribute towards team goals and objectives.
LEVELING
Performs work with a moderate degree of independence and applies broad professional knowledge to complex assignments, exercises considerable judgment in selecting methods and solutions, contributes
REQUIRED SKILLS & ABILITIES
- Advanced knowledge of human resources principles, employment laws, employee relations practices, performance management, organizational development, and workforce planning.
- Strong understanding of labor relations principles, collective bargaining agreements, grievance administration, and the unique considerations of union and non-union work environments.
- Ability to advise and influence leaders on complex employee relations, performance, organizational effectiveness, and workforce matters while balancing business needs, employee experience, and compliance requirements.
- Skilled in conducting workplace investigations, analyzing facts, assessing risk, and developing well-supported recommendations and solutions.
- Strong consulting, coaching, and relationship-management skills with the ability to build credibility and trust with leaders, employees, union representatives, and key stakeholders.
- Ability to analyze workforce data, trends, and organizational challenges and translate findings into practical recommendations and action plans.
- Experience facilitating talent reviews, succession planning discussions, performance calibration sessions, and leadership development initiatives.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to develop and deliver training, presentations, change management communications, and leadership resources.
- Demonstrated project management skills with the ability to lead complex initiatives, coordinate cross-functional teams, manage competing priorities, and meet deadlines.
- Ability to evaluate program effectiveness using metrics, feedback, and business outcomes and implement continuous improvement strategies.
- Strong critical-thinking, problem-solving, conflict-resolution, and decision-making skills.
- Ability to exercise sound judgment, maintain confidentiality, and manage sensitive information with discretion and professionalism.
- Proficiency in Human Resource Information Systems (HRIS), Microsoft Office applications, reporting tools, and data analysis techniques.
- Ability to mentor, guide, and provide direction to less experienced HR professionals while fostering collaboration and knowledge sharing.
- Strong organizational agility and adaptability with the ability to effectively support multiple business units, operating companies, and stakeholder groups..
EDUCATION & WORK EXPERIENCE
Required:
- Bachelor’s degree in human resources, business administration, organizational development or related field -and-
- At least eight (8) years of relevant experience in human resources, performance management, employee relations, organizational development or related field.
- OR -
- High School Diploma or equivalent -and-
- At least 12 years of relevant experience in human resources, performance management, employee relations, organizational development or related field.
- Human Resources experience supporting employees and leaders in unionized work environments strongly preferred.
- Experience interpreting and administering collective bargaining agreements and related employment practices preferred.
- Experience supporting an organization with multiple collective bargaining agreements across operating companies preferred.
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS
The ideal candidate must be able to fulfill the following physical requirements of the job with or without a reasonable accommodation:
- Remain stationary for extended periods, occasionally alternating between sitting, standing, walking, crouching, and kneeling as required to perform job responsibilities.
- Lift, push, and/or pull up to 25 lbs. occasionally.
- Operate a computer and other office productivity machinery as necessary.
- Communicate with others to accurately exchange information and ideas.
- Hear sufficiently to allow general and phone communications.
- Visual acuity to read standard text on screens and documents, observe surroundings, recognize hazards, and perform tasks safely.
- Observe details at close range.
- Problem solve, prioritize tasks, and interpret and understand written documents.
WORK CONTEXT
- This is a full-time exempt salaried position.
- Minimum travel for work-related purposes is expected at less than 25%, which includes some overnight visits to locations and industry events.