Ombudsperson

The Ombuds at Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL or the Lab) serves as a confidential, informal, impartial, and independent resource for members of the BNL community having workplace issues, including concerns and conflicts, for matters within and pertaining to BNL. The Lab community includes employees, joint appointments from many universities, guests, and users onsite at BNL.

The Ombuds strives to promote fair treatment, ethical conduct, and effective communication by helping individuals develop ways to resolve their issues in a manner that exercises discretion while adhering to Lab policies. In doing so, the Ombuds does not act as an advocate or give legal or psychological counseling.

The Ombuds office is not an investigative body. The Ombuds is a person of recognized knowledge, judgment, objectivity, and integrity. This position reports to the Laboratory Director. Under minimum supervision, the Ombuds perform a variety of skilled and complex tasks for the Director's Office. These duties include, but are not limited to:

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

Conflict Resolution and Neutral Mediation:

• Provide a confidential space for individuals to discuss concerns, conflicts, and issues.
• Listen actively and impartially to the individual(s) involved in a dispute or conflict.
• Facilitate constructive communication and assist the individual(s) in finding mutually acceptable resolutions.
• Offer mediation services to individual(s) involved in disputes, working to help them reach agreements that address their interests; remain neutral and unbiased throughout the mediation process, ensuring fairness for all individual(s).

Ethical Guidance:

• A thinking partner for individuals on ethical dilemmas and help them navigate complex situations while upholding the Lab's values, Code of Conduct, and policies.
• Provide insights into best practices and potential courses of action, considering both individual and organizational perspectives.
• Refer individuals to Employee Concerns venues for addressing issues.

Collaboration:

• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with HR, the Office of General Counsel, the DEI Office, management, and other relevant departments to address and resolve complex issues.
• Maintain open lines of communication with Lab leadership while maintaining adherence to the International Ombuds Association Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice.

Resolution and Referral:

• Identify or create options for resolution, including referrals to formal channels with investigatory powers.
• Functioning independently of existing administrative/management structure, the ombuds does not accept notice for the organization and can extend confidentiality (except in the instance of imminent threat of serious harm, as jointly defined by the organization and the ombuds, at the discretion of the ombuds).
• Based on the nature of the issues, the Ombuds may refer the individual to one of the Lab's formal venues to report the issues, such as the Employee Concerns Program, Human Resources, or the Brookhaven Advocacy Council.

Documentation:

• Support the Lab using discretion and maintain no permanent records of personally identifiable information.

Other Responsibilities:

• Promote awareness of the Ombuds' role and services across the Lab.

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Bachelor's degree in a relevant field and a minimum of 6 years of relevant experience demonstrating interpersonal effectiveness managing a diverse range of personnel issues.
• Experience to include at least 2 years' demonstrated project and/or program leadership experience.

• Knowledge of professional ombuds standards.

• Exceptional communication skills, both written and verbal, to effectively engage with diverse individuals.
• Ability to remain neutral, unbiased, and nonjudgmental in all interactions.
• Understanding of ethical principles, organizational dynamics, and the ability to navigate complex situations.
• High level of discretion and respect.
• Collaborative and diplomatic approach to problem-solving.

Preferred Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Advanced degree(s) and/or certification(s) in conflict resolution.
• Certification as an Organizational Ombuds Practitioner.
• Extensive experience in conflict resolution, mediation and/or ethics, preferably in a scientific or research-oriented environment.
• Management/supervisory experience.

Brookhaven Laboratory is committed to providing fair, equitable and competitive compensation. The full salary range for this position is $121700 - $194250 / year. Salary offers will be commensurate with the final candidate's qualification, education and experience and considered with the internal peer group.