Job Description

Starting Salary: $95,742 - $103,084 annually
Anticipated Hiring Range: Appointments are generally made in the lower portion of the salary range, based on qualifications and internal equity, with opportunities for future salary growth.

The Position

Human Resources is seeking an experienced and confident Employee & Labor Relations professional to lead a critical function within our Human Resources division. This position reports directly to the Division Director of Human Resources (Employee & Labor Relations) and oversees a team responsible for managing employee relations, labor relations, workplace investigations, and discipline administration for a large, complex public organization.

In this role, the selected candidate will provide guidance to County leadership on high-impact employee relations matters-ensuring that decisions are fair, consistent, legally sound, and aligned with organizational values. This person will also lead the administration of Pre-Disciplinary Hearings, grievance processes, and employee relations strategy.

This position functions as a working manager, balancing leadership responsibilities with direct casework and hands-on involvement in employee relations matters. This is a hands-on leadership role that requires sound judgment, credibility, and the ability to navigate complex workplace issues with professionalism and discretion.

Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate is a seasoned employee relations leader who has successfully operated in a large, complex, and preferably unionized environment with responsibility for developing recommendations and supporting leadership in decision-making, rather than serving in a supporting or advisory-only capacity.

We are looking for someone who:

• Has led an employee relations function
• Brings strong, defensible experience conducting workplace investigations
• Is comfortable advising senior leaders on discipline, performance, and risk
• Is comfortable operating as a working leader who both manages staff and personally handles complex employee relations cases
• Can balance employee advocacy with organizational accountability
• Demonstrates sound judgment, discretion, and consistency in decision-making
• Communicates clearly and confidently, even in difficult situations
• Understands how to build trust with both management and union representatives
• Is comfortable working in a fast-paced environment with high visibility and accountability

Essential Job Duties

• Manages and supports the County's employee and labor relations function, including case management, workflow prioritization, and quality assurance
• Supervises, coaches, and develops Employee & Labor Relations staff; establishes performance expectations and monitors outcomes
• Maintains a significant personal caseload of employee relations matters, including complex and sensitive investigations, while also overseeing and supporting the work of assigned staff
• Works under the direction of senior HR leadership to develop recommendations on complex employee relations matters
• Advises leadership on complex employee relations matters, including performance issues, misconduct, workplace conflict, and disciplinary actions
• Conducts workplace investigations and provides guidance and support to staff on investigation practices; evaluates evidence, determines findings, and develops recommendations
• Reviews and evaluates disciplinary actions and investigation outcomes; provides recommendations to ensure consistency, fairness, and alignment with County policy and labor agreements
• Coordinates and participates in the administration of Pre-Disciplinary Hearings and grievance hearings to ensure procedural consistency
• Responds to grievances by reviewing facts, coordinating hearings, and assisting in the development of formal responses
• Partners with the County Attorney's Office on high-risk matters, including EEOC responses, litigation support, and legal inquiries
• Interprets and applies personnel policies, procedures, and collective bargaining agreements
• Coordinates with management and union representatives to ensure fair and consistent administration of labor agreements
• Builds and maintains effective working relationships with union leadership and County management
• Develops and implements standard operating procedures and best practices for employee and labor relations processes
• Provides guidance to leaders on performance management, documentation, and corrective action strategies
• Develops and delivers training on employee relations topics such as discipline, performance management, and workplace conduct
• Monitors trends in employee relations activity and recommends strategies to reduce risk and improve organizational effectiveness
• Assists in responding to unemployment claims, EEOC inquiries, and other employment-related matters
• Supports the development and management of the Employee & Labor Relations operational budget
• Promotes a culture of accountability, consistency, and professionalism in all employee relations practices
• Performs other related duties as assigned

Minimum Qualifications

Bachelor's Degree from an accredited four-year college or university (Masters preferred) with a major in Human Resources, Labor Relations, Public Administration, Business Administration, Employment Law, Industrial/Organizational Psychology, or a closely related field; and

Five years of progressively responsible employee and labor relations experience, some of which must have been as a supervisor, including independent responsibility for workplace investigations, employee relations case management, discipline and grievance administration, policy interpretation, and overseeing or leading an employee relations function in a large organization.

Minimum Experience Expectations

In addition to meeting the minimum qualifications, candidates must demonstrate:

• Experience leading or overseeing an employee relations function, not solely participating in or supporting employee relations activities
• Significant experience independently conducting and/or directing complex workplace investigations
• Experience advising senior leadership on high-risk employee relations matters, including discipline, terminations, and grievance outcomes
• Experience contributing to the consistency and defensibility of disciplinary actions within an organization
• Experience working in a large, complex organization with multiple departments and stakeholders
• Experience supervising and developing professional HR staff responsible for employee relations functions
• Experience leading, reviewing, and providing recommendations on complex employee relations matters, including investigations and discipline, with responsibility for ensuring quality, consistency, and defensibility prior to executive review

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Strong knowledge of employee relations practices, employment law, and labor relations principles
• Ability to conduct thorough, objective, and defensible workplace investigations
• Skill in analyzing complex situations and making sound, well-supported decisions
• Ability to interpret policies, procedures, and collective bargaining agreements
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to influence and advise leadership
• Ability to manage sensitive and confidential information with discretion
• Effective written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to lead and develop a professional team
• Strong organizational and time management skills

Compensation & Growth

This position offers a competitive salary within the posted range. Initial salary placement is typically in the lower portion of the range, with the opportunity for salary progression based on performance, internal equity, and organizational guidelines following the completion of at least one evaluation period.

Application Process

Candidates should clearly demonstrate their experience in:

• Conducting workplace investigations
• Advising management on employee relations matters
• Supporting or leading an employee relations function in a large organization

Applications that do not reflect this experience may not be considered.