People Relations Sr. Business Partner

About the role

This role focuses on providing comprehensive employee and labor relations support for Castrol's operations across the Americas, including both office and plant environments. The Senior Business Partner will act as a primary resource for the business and the People & Culture organization, developing strategies that align with operational goals and enhance capabilities in labor relations. This involves representing Castrol in various forums and contributing to the overall strategic direction of people relations.

A key aspect of the position involves leading and overseeing negotiations, including national US oil bargaining and union negotiations in Latin American markets. The individual will ensure adherence to employment and labor laws across the region, interpreting regulations and corporate policies to offer immediate guidance. Effective case management for all employee and people relations matters, from intake to resolution, is also a core responsibility, requiring thorough investigation and documentation.

Success in this role means consistently handling cases in line with company policies and legal requirements, advising leaders on appropriate outcomes, and managing communications with confidentiality and professionalism. The Senior Business Partner will also help build organizational capability through policy development, contract administration, and training initiatives. This includes engaging in predictive analytics and developing strategies to respond to union organizing activities.

The compensation for this full-time senior role ranges from $85,000 to $130,000 USD annually.

Who this role suits

• A person who thrives on being a subject matter expert in labor and employee relations.
• Someone who excels at leading complex negotiations and ensuring legal compliance across multiple jurisdictions.
• An individual adept at managing end-to-end case investigations and advising on sensitive employee matters.
• A professional who can build organizational capability through training and strategic initiatives.

From the employer

• Serve as a subject matter expert to the business and the broader People & Culture organization in developing labor and employee relations strategies that support operational targets and improve capabilities to achieve safe, reliable, and efficient operations.
• Represent Castrol at various labor and employee relations forums across the Americas (e.g., ORC – Oil Refining Companies; NIRG – National Industrial Relations Group).
• Provide oversight of multi-site negotiations and represent Castrol during national US oil bargaining (NOBP), as well as LATAM union negotiations, including country-specific collective agreements and local labor frameworks, as required.
• Ensure compliance with applicable employment and labor laws across the Americas region, including the National Labor Relations Act, Brazil CLT, and other LATAM statutory labor frameworks.
• Interpret and apply corporate policy, employment law, labor law, and other regulations to provide immediate advice, guidance, and clarification on employee and labor relations matters.
• Provide end-to-end case management for employee and people relations matters across Castrol Americas, from case intake and assessment through investigation, resolution, documentation, and closure.
• Act as the primary owner of assigned People Relations cases, ensuring timely, fair, and consistent handling aligned with Castrol policies, employment legislation, and internal governance standards.
• Lead and conduct workplace investigations, including: Allegation assessment; Investigation planning; Fact-finding interviews; Evidence review; Documentation; Preparation of outcome recommendations.
• Advise leaders on appropriate case outcomes, including corrective action, disciplinary measures, and remediation, ensuring consistency, proportionality, and compliance.
• Manage all employee and manager communications throughout the case lifecycle while maintaining confidentiality, professionalism, and empathy.
• Assist in building organizational capability related to: Policy development; Contract administration; Grievance response processes; Resolution and discipline; Investigations; Labor and employee relations; Arbitration and mediation; Contract negotiations; NLRB matters.
• Engage in predictive analytics, use and develop costing data, and establish strong business rationale in support of Castrol’s labor initiatives.
• Work as part of the global People Relations team on labor and employee relations projects.
• Develop and implement training and proactive strategies to respond to union organizing.
• Manage and direct responses to union organizing activity, including: Coordination of union election campaigns; Training management personnel; Interfacing with unions; Working with the.

• Competitive salary ranging from $85,000 to $130,000 USD.
• Full-time employment with relocation support.