Employee and Labor Relations Partner - Bellingham, United States - Western Washington University

Description

Position Title Employee and Labor Relations Partner About the University

Western Washington University, with over 16,000 students in seven colleges and the graduate school, is nationally recognized for its educational programs, students and faculty.

The campus is located in Bellingham, Washington, a coastal community of 90,000 overlooking Bellingham Bay, the San Juan Islands and the North Cascades Mountain range.

The city lies 90 miles north of Seattle and 60 miles south of Vancouver, British Columbia. Western is the highest-ranking public, master's-granting university in the Pacific Northwest, according to the 2022 U.S. News & World Report rankings.

Western Washington University is committed to achieving excellence through advancing inclusive success, increasing our Washington impact, and focusing on transformational education grounded in the liberal arts and sciences and based on innovative scholarship, research, and creative activity.

Western's greatest strength is the outstanding students, faculty, staff, and alumni/ae who make up its community.

Western supports an inclusive governance structure for all and provides a learning and working environment in which everyone can thrive.

In pursuit of this excellence, individual employees are expected to establish and maintain productive and effective inclusive working relationships amongst diverse populations including staff, faculty, administration, student, and external constituents.

Further, individual employees are expected to have the ability to operationalize sustainability concepts (economic, societal, environmental) into all aspects of performing their job duties.

About the Department The Human Resources Department supports Western's mission, which states that together with our students, staff, and faculty, we are committed to making a positive impact in the state and the world with a shared focus on academic excellence and inclusive achievement.

We encourage applications from women, people of color, people with disabilities, veterans, and other candidates from underrepresented backgrounds and with diverse experiences interested in this opportunity.

About the Position We are seeking an experienced and proactive Employee and Labor Relations Partner to join our dynamic Human Resources team.

The ideal candidate will be an experienced HR professional with a deep understanding of employee and labor relations who possesses the ability to strategically navigate complex HR issues.

This supportive role is tasked with developing and creating a workplace that promotes and supports employee engagement and delivering excellent customer service to both internal and external partners.

This position requires in-depth knowledge of collective bargaining agreements, handbooks, policies, procedures, administrative practices, as well as state and federal law.

The ideal Employee and Labor Relations Partner is a strategic thinker, with strong analytic abilities and excellent interpersonal and communications skills.

The ability to exercise good judgment in analyzing complex problems to form important recommendations is key for this position. Emotional intelligence, organizational skills, confidentiality, judgment, and attention to detail are essential for this position.

This position will report to the Director of Employee and Labor Relations.

Job responsibilities include-Employee and Labor Relations:* Proactively identify, address, and resolve complex employee and labor relations issues.

• Conduct thorough investigations into workplace concerns and disputes, ensuring fair and equitable resolutions and provide recommendations to Director when needed.
• Collaborate with managers, supervisors, and employees to promote a positive work culture and resolve conflicts in a professional and confidential manner.
• Facilitate on-going communication and working relationships with employee representative organizations and other college stakeholders.
• Supports the Director with monthly joint labor management meetings, coordinating meetings, taking notes, researching questions, and responding in a timely manner.
• Provides support to WWU's bargaining team during contract negotiations, including conducting research, compiling data, and attending negotiation sessions and preparing meeting notes as assigned.
• Communicates effectively with union leadership, university leadership and employees, by establishing and maintaining trust and positive relations.
• Administers procedures in accordance with the collective bargaining agreements and staff handbooks, including staff layoff procedures and disciplinary actions
• Provides support throughout adjudication processes, including grievances, unfair labor practices, complaints, appeals; prepares detailed supporting materials for legal counsel
• Stay updated on changes in employment laws, regulations, and industry trends related to classified staff unions and personnel groups

Consultation and Guidance:

• Serve as a trusted advisor and partner to employees, supervisors, and university leadership to provide expert guidance on a range of employee and labor relations issues.
• Interpret and apply collective bargaining agreements, university policies, and relevant state and federal laws. Responsible for ensuring consistent application of rules and regulation.
• Offer proactive solutions to enhance employee satisfaction and foster a positive working relationship between management and staff.
• Deliver guidance on on conflict resolution, communication skills, and other relevant topics.
• Ability to review employee and supervisor concerns holistically, anticipate potential issues and diagnose the root cause through active listening and conscientious inquiry

Customer Service and Workplace Engagement

• Provide excellent customer service to internal and external stakeholders, addressing inquiries and concerns promptly and professionally.
• Act as a liaison between employees and management, ensuring effective communication and resolution of issues.
• Develop and implement strategies to promote employee engagement and a positive workplace culture.
• Identify opportunities to enhance employee morale and satisfaction, contributing to a high-performance work environment.
• Participates in the development and delivery of management training programs designed to advance the human resources skills of university personnel

Benefits and Employee Leave Support:

• Advise and coordinate with Medical Leave & Disability Administrator and Benefits Office when needed

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent combination of education and relevant professional experience
• Three (3) years of relevant Human Resource experience
• Experience that encompasses the main aspects of employee relations such as labor relations, collective bargaining, grievances, employee relations and performance management
• Demonstrated commitment to support a workplace culture in which diversity is honored, respected, and celebrated
• Demonstrated experience using sound judgement and problem-solving skills and making recommendations on complex issues
• Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills with a demonstrated ability to negotiate and resolve complex issues.
• Analytical mindset with the ability to assess situations, identify potential issues, and develop effective solutions.
• An appreciation for working collaboratively in a collegial, team-oriented department

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree with focus in employee/labor relations, human resources or other related field and five years of relevant experience or equivalent education and experience.
• Experience in the public sector
• Proven track record of working with classified staff unions
• SHRM-CP, PHR, SPHR and/or CCP certification

Conditions of Employment All employees must comply with our Immunization policies, including Proof of Rubeola Measles Immunity within 60-days of hire.

Please reach out to if you need information regarding medical or religious exemption and applicable accommodations. Salary Hiring range is $65,369 - $75,175/year depending on experience and qualifications. Through longevity position tops out at $84,980/year. Benefits Information

Benefits Overview for Administrative Professional Position.

Application Instructions

A cover letter and resume are required and should address your experience related to the position responsibilities and the required and preferred qualifications.

Please include the names and contact information of three professional references. References will only be contacted if necessary, with notice provided beforehand.

Closing Date Notes Application review begins March 11, 2024; position is open until filled.

Western Washington University (WWU) is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer committed to assembling a diverse, broadly trained faculty and staff.

Women, minorities, people with disabilities and veterans are strongly encouraged to apply.

In compliance with applicable laws and in furtherance of its commitment to fostering an environment that welcomes and embraces diversity, WWU does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex (including pregnancy and parenting status), disability, age, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status or genetic information in its programs or activities, including employment, admissions, and educational programs.

See WWU's Policy on Ensuring Equal Opportunity and Prohibiting Discrimination and Retaliation. Inquiries may be directed to the Office of Civil Rights and Title IX Compliance, Title IX and ADA Coordinator, Western Washington University, Old Main 126 (MS 9021), 516 High Street, Bellingham, WA 98225; voice) or 711 (Washington Relay);

WWU is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities upon request.

To request this document in an alternate format or to request an accommodation, please contact Human Resources Disability Services, or 711 (Washington Relay).

Annual Security and

Fire Safety Report:

This report is provided pursuant to the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act ("The Clery Act").

It includes statistics for the previous three calendar years concerning reported crimes that occurred on Western's campus; in certain off-campus buildings or property owned or controlled by Western; and on public property within, or immediately adjacent to and accessible from, the campus.

The report also includes institutional policies concerning campus security, such as policies concerning alcohol and drug use, crime prevention, the reporting of crimes, sexual assault, and other matters.

You can obtain a copy of this report in printed or alternate formats by contacting the Office of the Vice President for Enrollment and Student Services at The report can be found at:
Annual Security and Fire Safety Report.

All new employees must comply with the immunization policy and show employment eligibility verification as required by the U.S. Citizen and Immigration Service before beginning work at WWU. A thorough background check will be conducted on all new hires which includes a sexual misconduct background check.