Employee Relations Assistant

Department: Human Resources

Classification: Admin Office Specialist 3

Job Category: Classified Staff

Job Type: Full-Time

Work Schedule: Full-time (1.0 FTE, 40 hrs/wk)

Location: Fairfax, VA

Workplace Type: Hybrid Eligible

Pay Band: 03

Salary: Salary commensurate with education and experience

Criminal Background Check: Yes

About the Department:

The Office of Human Resources supports the University mission through the development and implementation of policies, programs, and practices that attract, compensate, retain, and reward faculty and staff.

About the Position:

The Employee Relations (ER) Assistant provides a range of administrative and technical support to the Employee Relations team. This position is essential to the efficient operation of the ER function, serving as the initial point of contact for employee relations inquiries, coordinating meetings, managing records, and supporting case management processes. The ER Assistant corresponds directly with team members, employees, and other university partners to ensure accurate information flow, timely follow-up, and compliance with organizational policies and procedures. This position may be involved with the delivery of conflict resolution and coaching efforts, as well as consulting on disciplinary, performance evaluation and grievance processes.

Responsibilities:

Administrative Support

• Maintains calendars for the Employee Relations team, including coordinating and scheduling meetings;
• Maintains organized records and files in accordance with retention policies and confidentiality standards;
• Verifies unemployment claims; and
• Composes and prepares correspondence for distribution.

Initial Contact and Case Intake

• Serves as the first point of contact for employee relations calls and emails, providing accurate information or directing inquiries to the appropriate team member; and
• Performs case intake for all organizational levels, documenting concerns and collecting preliminary information for ER staff review.

Record Maintenance

• Creates and maintains related spreadsheets, databases and reports;
• Enters completed employee relations cases into case database in a timely manner; and
• Generates reports from databases and spreadsheets as requested.

Other

• Assists in the preparation and delivery of various types of presentations;
• Assists in providing coaching and consulting services to employees;
• Supports ER webpage content development;
• Prepares employee relations purchase orders; and
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications:

• High school diploma or equivalent;
• Experience serving in a customer-facing administrative role;
• Knowledge of basic administrative processes;
• Skills in organizing and prioritizing multiple tasks with attention to detail;
• Skill in effective, professional communication, both written and verbal;
• Proficiency with office software (e.g., Microsoft Office Suite);
• Ability to handle sensitive and confidential information with discretion; and
• Ability to collaborate effectively with employees, managers, and other university partners.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in related field;
• Experience in Human Resources;
• Experience providing administrative support to a team and/or functional area;
• Experience working in higher education or for a large public employer;
• Knowledge of basic principles of employee relations, human resources practices and processes;
• Knowledge of record-keeping practices, confidentiality protocols, and applicable employment laws;
• Proficiency with HR information systems; and
• Related professional certification preferred.

Instructions to Applicants:

For full consideration, applicants must apply for Employee Relations Assistant at https://jobs.gmu.edu/. Complete and submit the online application to include three professional references with contact information, and provide a resume for review.

Posting Open Date: December 20, 2024

For Full Consideration, Apply by: January 20, 2025

Open Until Filled: Yes