Department
BL HUMAN RESOURCES (BL-HR-IUBLA)
Department Information
Indiana University (IU) Bloomington Human Resources (HR) provides subject matter leadership and consulting to multiple departments on the IU Bloomington Campus. As strategic business partners, the team supports workplace productivity, retention, and compliance through proactive engagement and consulting within a shared governance and decentralized decision-making environment. This role is central to shaping positive employee experience and fostering retention in shared services supported…
departments.
Job Summary
The Employee Relations Consultant serves as a strategic HR business partner and trusted advisor to senior leaders and managers across assigned academic and administrative units, providing advanced employee relations consultation and HR guidance. The role operates within the context of higher education shared governance and emphasizes long-term consultative partnerships rather than transactional case management. This position focuses on complex employee relations, leadership coaching, policy interpretation, remote work and accommodation guidance, and organizational effectiveness, while ensuring consistent application of university policies, legal compliance, and institutional values.
Department-Specific Responsibilities
- Builds sustained consultative partnerships with leaders and managers across assigned academic and administrative units, serving as a trusted advisor on employee relations, engagement, retention, and organizational effectiveness matters.
- Advises on and manages sensitive employee relations matters involving elevated complexity, risk, or visibility, with consideration for institutional risk, precedent, and broader campus impact.
- Coaches and supports leaders many serving in people management roles without formal HR training on effective documentation, communication, conflict resolution, and performance management, employee engagement, and workplace culture practices.
- Provides employee relations consultation within a shared governance and decentralized leadership environment, applying judgment sensitive to academic culture, precedent, campus climate, and institutional impact.
- Provides consultation and guidance related to remote work arrangements, Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and religious accommodations, and discretionary and non-Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) leave requests, ensuring alignment with university policy and legal requirements.
- Supports employee engagement and organizational health initiatives by consulting with leaders on employee listening strategies, onboard and transition experiences, recognition practices, team effectiveness, and change management efforts.
- Partners with HR Centers of Excellence (COEs), campus stakeholders, and leadership to deliver coordinated guidance, supports institution-wide initiatives, and promotes consistent, equitable, and engaging employee experiences.
- Analyzes employee relations trends, engagement feedback, climate concerns, retention indicators, and workplace risks within assigned portfolios to identify opportunities that strengthen organizational effectiveness and foster a positive work environment.
General Responsibilities
- Utilizes and applies in-depth academic and staff HR body of knowledge and skills to provide tactical guidance for HR related matters like salary administration, hiring, training, and policy interpretation.
- Resolves and provides solutions for more complex employee relations issues with continued partnership, counsel, and support from Centers of Expertise (COEs).
- Provides HR support for academic personnel processes, including administration for academic leaves, policy review and consultation, visa-processing coordination, and facilitation of promotion and tenure procedures.
- Collaborates with other business partners and managers to improve and build effective relationships to improve employee engagement and identify "high priority" retention needs.
- Coaches leaders to help determine best solutions regarding policy interpretation, performance issues, workforce planning, change management, conflict resolution to ensure alignment and consistency across the university.
- Provides HR consulting and problem-solving solutions on issues to leaders and managers.
- Collaborates with HR COEs to roll out and support university-wide initiatives, ensures client's needs are understood and met, and delivers change management interventions.
Qualifications
Combinations of related education and experience may be considered. Education beyond the minimum required may be substituted for work experience. Work experience beyond the minimum required may be substituted for education.
EDUCATION
Required
- Bachelor's degree (preferably in Human Resources.)
WORK EXPERIENCE
Required
- 3 years of human resources or related, progressively responsible experience.
LICENSES AND CERTIFICATES
Preferred
- Society for Human Resources Management- Certified Professional (SHRM-CP)/ Professional of Human Resources (PHR) within 1 year from date of hire.
- Possess a valid driver's license with the ability to be insured by Indiana University upon date of hire.
SKILLS
Required
- Excellent collaboration and team building skills.
- Effective conflict management skills.
- Effective interpersonal skills.
- Demonstrates project management skills.
- Develops and delivers effective presentations.
- Strong verbal communication and listening skills.
- Ability to influence internal and/or external constituents.
- Strong working knowledge of multiple human resources disciplines including talent acquisition, employee relations, compensation practices, compliance with federal and state laws.
- Possesses detailed knowledge of Federal, State, and Local employment laws/regulations.
- Consulting acumen.
- Developing coaching skills.
Preferred
- Advanced employee relations and conflict management skills within a consultative advising model.
- Ability to influence and guide leaders without direct authority.
- Working knowledge of employment laws including ADA, FMLA, and Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), and their application in higher education settings.
- Strong judgment in navigating complex, sensitive, and high-impact workplace issues.
- Excellent verbal communication, listening, and coaching skills.
- Ability to partner effectively across HR functions and a variety of campus stakeholders.
Working Conditions / Demands
This role requires the ability to effectively communicate and to operate a computer and other standard office productivity equipment. The position involves sedentary work as well as periods of time moving around an office environment and the campus. The person in this role must be able to perform the essential functions with or without an accommodation.
Work Location
Bloomington, Indiana
This is an in-person position.
Advertised Salary
$63,000-65,000 per year based on education, skills and experience.
Benefits Overview
For full-time staff employees, Indiana University offers a wide array of benefits including:
- Comprehensive medical and dental insurance
- Health savings account with generous IU contributions
- Healthcare and dependent care flexible spending accounts
- Basic group life insurance paid by IU
- Voluntary supplemental life, long-term disability, critical illness, and supplemental accidental death & dismemberment insurance
- Base retirement plan with generous IU contributions, subject to vesting
- Voluntary supplemental retirement plan options
- Tuition subsidy for employees and family members taking IU courses
- 10 paid holidays plus a paid winter break each year
- Generous paid time off plans
- Paid leave for new parents and IU-sponsored volunteer events
- Employee assistance program (EAP)
Learn more about our benefits by reviewing the IU Benefit Programs Brochure.
Job Classification
Career Level: Career
FLSA: Exempt
Job Function: Human Resources
Job Family: HR Generalist/HRBP
Click here to learn more about Indiana University's Job Framework.
Equal Employment Opportunity
Indiana University is an equal opportunity employer and provider of ADA services and prohibits discrimination in hiring. See Indiana University Notice of Non-Discrimination here which includes contact information.
Contact Us
Request Support
Telephone: 812-856-1234
Indiana University is an equal opportunity employer and provider of ADA services and prohibits discrimination in hiring. See Indiana University Notice of Non-Discrimination and contact information here: https://policies.iu.edu/policies/ua-01-non-discrimination/index.html
This is a Preview Listing…
You must sign in to see the full job description, and to apply.
Manage / Upgrade this job to a Full Job Listing.
Find Your Best Opportunity
Tell them AcademicJobs.com sent you!