Manager, Employee and Labor Relations (UHR)

The Employee and Labor Relations Manager is instrumental in maintaining represented employee engagement and collective bargaining agreements compliance for Auxiliary Services employees. This role manages labor relations and grievance processes to ensure adherence to legal, compliance, collective bargaining agreements, and leading practice standards. The manager provides oversight and expertise in labor relations services for Auxiliary Services represented employees and supports programs to increase employee engagement and workplace performance, including union relationships, contract administration, contract negotiation strategies, strike preparedness, and union campaign strategy and management.

The role supports designing labor strategies, contract negotiations, grievances, discipline hearings, arbitrations, and other labor relations matters, working closely with the Office of General Counsel, external legal counsel, or other stakeholders. The manager recommends labor strategies and negotiates initial and renewal labor agreements in accordance with university priorities, implements proactive and reactive labor strategies to improve employee engagement and reduce risk, and advises and educates university staff and faculty on labor relations matters to promote compliance.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in business, psychology, communications, employment law, industrial relations, or another related field.
• Seven or more years of experience in human resources (supporting union and non-union workforces), behavioral or social science, or organizational psychology.
• One or more years of experience leading teams in a management or leadership role.
• Experience in employment law and/or labor relations.
• Extensive knowledge of collective bargaining, grievance processes, contract negotiation, contract administration, and labor and management relationships.
• Extensive knowledge of major employment and labor laws such as ADA, FMLA, National Labor Relations Act, Taft-Hartley, etc.
• Experience developing and implementing proactive and reactive labor relations strategies and plans.
• Experience in contract negotiations, administration, interpretation, investigations, and grievance handling.
• Knowledge of procedures to investigate and resolve grievances, including reducing bias.
• Experience ensuring compliance with federal, state, and local laws and regulations.
• Experience establishing collaborative initiatives with multiple departments.
• Demonstrated experience building and managing teams, providing feedback, and achieving strategic goals.
• Demonstrated excellence in customer experience, including metrics for service effectiveness.
• Demonstrated project management experience.
• Ability to manage time, prioritize tasks, work independently, and maintain confidentiality.
• Excellent communication and facilitation skills, with a proven track record of building strong collaborative relationships with senior stakeholders.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint).

Preferred Qualifications

• Advanced degree in human resources, psychology, communications, law, industrial relations, or another related field, or Juris Doctorate (JD).
• Tten or more years of experience in human resources, behavioral or social science, or organizational psychology.
• Prior experience managing labor relations in hospitality, food services, custodial, transportation, and logistics sectors, with success working with unions such as UNITE HERE, Local 11, and SEIU, Local 721.
• Four or more years of experience leading teams in a management or leadership role.
• Experience in higher education and/or employment law.
• Experience in contract renewal negotiations, administration, interpretation, and establishing credibility with unions.
• Prior experience in a manager-level role overseeing labor relations.
• Knowledge of leading practices for improving employee engagement, reducing bias, and administering complaint and grievance processes.
• Ability to identify knowledge, skills, and resource gaps and recommend action plans using industry trends.
• Track record of positively influencing department culture, including employee engagement during change.
• Ability to train staff on emerging industry trends and ensure department knowledge and skills.
• Experience with Meyestro case management software or similar.
• SHRM Certification.

Job Responsibilities

The manager will mitigate the impact of labor issues, administer and interpret labor/union contracts, provide guidance to managers on collective bargaining agreements, oversee investigations of labor grievances, manage records for grievances and complaints, maintain knowledge of labor laws and policies, ensure compliance with federal, state, and local laws, advise on employee and labor relations, develop and implement labor strategies, review collective bargaining agreements, support contract negotiations, assess policies for bias, promote inclusive relationships, and perform other related responsibilities as needed.

The annual base salary range is $127,980.13 - $135,000.00.