Labor Relations Director

Reporting to Ahsan Ali, The Senior Director of Labor Relations, The Director of Labor Relations plays a vital role in fostering positive relationships between university leadership, staff, and associated unions. The primary focus of this role is to promote open communication, collaboration and mutual understanding between the University and and the Operations Division unions, specifically, Public Safety, Dining, and Facilities and potentially academic unions. This position will become a part of the newly formed Department of Labor Relations that will support all unions at the University beyond just the Operations Division.

Under the direction of the Senior Director of Labor Relations, the Labor Relations Director is responsible for the overall strategic planning and management of the labor and employee relations programs for the Operations Division. Drawing upon their expertise in labor laws, collective bargaining trends, economic and wage data, the Labor Relations Director develops strategies working with university leadership, including the VP of Operations, Chief Administrative Officer for Operations, Senor Director of Facilities, Executive Director of Public Safety, and Senior Director of Dining Services as well as leadership across the university including the Executive Vice President, Legal, Finance and Academic leaders. The Director develops strategies to create productive relationships between union, university personnel, and leadership.

The Director interprets and administers employees' contracts with respect to legal actions (in collaboration with university General Counsel), grievances, wages or salaries, employee welfare, healthcare benefits, union practices, and other stipulations. The position requires hands on experience in union environments, in leading contract negotiations, conflict resolution, positive employee relations and grievance handling. The Labor Relations Director works closely with Operations Division Leadership and the Office of the General Counsel to create labor relations programs, tools and resources to support the creation of alignment, consistency and accountability in the management of labor issues. This role may have opportunities to support academic unions.

Responsibilities include:

• Facilitates the resolution of labor issues involving collective bargaining employees and their managers. Anticipates trends in the labor markets and responds to them oftentimes anticipating policy or operational changes that require pre-emptive actions. Provides interpretations of labor contracts to leadership, managers and employees in response to on and off-campus labor or emergent issues impacting our employees and extrapolates the outcomes into modifications of business practices and even operations; This work is done in collaboration with and often facilitating the involvement of leadership in the Operations Division, Human Resources and the Office of the General Counsel (OGC).
• In partnership with Operations Division and OGC leadership, serves as a key representative in the University's bargaining team in contract negotiations with recognized employee organizations. Maintains current knowledge of employee and labor relations trends, legal decisions, and statutory changes; conducts research necessary to support contract negotiations and employee relations. Uses appropriate negotiation strategies to develop bargaining goals and negotiate contracts consistent with the University's goals.
• Facilitates on-going communication and working relationships with employee representative organizations including coordination of joint labor-management committees.
• Develops and recommends policies and procedures concerning employee relations and personnel practices in collaboration with leadership in the Operations Division, Human Resources and the Office of the General Counsel.
• Partners with OGC to investigate and respond to complaints from the Bureau of Labor or other agencies.
• May represent the University in arbitrations and hearings related to contract disputes and unfair labor practice complaints.
• Participates in the development and delivery of management training programs designed to advance the people management skills of the University's management staff and support positive employee relations.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.
  

Basic Requirements:

• Knowledge and experience typically acquired through completion of a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration, Human Resources or related field
• 10 or more years of progressively responsible professional experience in employee relations, collective bargaining and labor relations activities
• Experience leading contract administration, grievance processing, performance management and disciplinary activities, as well as facilitating on-going communication and working relationships with employee representative organizations and other company stakeholders
• Knowledge of federal and state employment laws and regulations (e.g., FLSA, FMLA, ADA) and prior experience in consulting with internal clients on employee and labor relations matters
• Proven effective use of mediation and conflict resolution techniques
• Proficiency in partnering with business leaders to drive strategies
• Proven ability to influence and achieve results through others
• Ability to establish credibility with numerous constituents

Preferred Qualifications:

• Terminal legal degree preferred
• Prior labor relations experience in higher education, navigating complex unionized employee work environment and negotiations