Director of Employee and Labor Relations & Compliance

California State University, Bakersfield•Bakersfield, CA

1d•Onsite

About The Position

Under the administrative direction of the Assistant Vice President, People Strategy & Workforce Administration, the Director of Employee and Labor Relations & Compliance provides strategic leadership and administration of the University’s employee and labor relations, workplace conduct, and performance management functions. The Director serves as a principal advisor to University leadership and administrators, administers collective bargaining agreement requirements and grievance processes; and leads efforts to resolve workplace disputes, employee complaints, misconduct, and other conduct of concern. The Director oversees employee and labor relations investigations and related documentation, supports employment litigation and administrative proceedings, and works collaboratively with union representatives, legal counsel, and campus partners to promote effective labor-management relationships and consistent personnel practices. The position also provides leadership for staff personnel policy development and implementation, Human Resources records retention and paperwork reduction requirements, and related compliance activities to ensure alignment with applicable collective bargaining agreements, federal and state laws, CSU policies, and University requirements. The Director also serves as the University’s ADA/Section 504 Coordinator and leads institution-wide efforts to promote compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act.

Requirements

Equivalent to a Bachelor’s degree in human resources management, labor relations, public administration, business administration, counseling, organizational planning/policy law, or related and at least five (5) years of human resources generalist experience or higher, which includes experience in labor management, employee relations, complaint investigation, and/or grievance handling and resolution in both union and non-union environments.
Possession of a valid driver’s license or the ability to obtain by date of hire.
Thorough knowledge of labor relations and personnel management principles, practices, and procedures, including collective bargaining administration, employee relations, performance management, grievance and disciplinary processes, and applicable employment laws and policies.
Strong leadership skills with the ability to advise University executives on labor-related issues.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to prepare comprehensive and complex reports, concise updates, and professional presentations.
Familiarity with equal employment opportunity (EEO) principles and non-discrimination policies.
Thorough knowledge of applicable federal and state laws, regulations, CSU policies, and collective bargaining agreement provisions.
Ability to analyze, interpret, and assess compliance and organizational risk, exercise sound judgment, and recommend appropriate courses of action in sensitive or complex situations.
Ability to draft, revise, interpret, communicate, and apply policies and procedures.
Ability to develop and facilitate training activities.
Proficiency in conflict resolution, with a demonstrated ability to mediate and resolve disputes in a fair and impartial manner.
Skills in fact-finding, analysis, problem-solving, and consulting to identify problems and recommend solutions.
Ability to prioritize and manage multiple investigations, grievances, and projects proactively, with little supervision, and under tight deadlines.
Ability to respond to sudden changes in priorities, to work effectively on complex tasks with frequent interruptions, and to work effectively both as a member of a team and individually.
Ability to effectively advise, counsel, negotiate and resolve sensitive, unprecedented, broad, difficult, and complex problems.
Ability to respect multiple perspectives, model and promote advanced listening skills, and facilitate difficult conversations.
Demonstrated commitment to consultative processes and consensus building.
Demonstrated customer service experience requiring a very high level of diplomacy and professionalism.
Ability to use tact and diplomacy to effectively handle a broad range of high level and sensitive interpersonal situations with diverse personalities, and to respond appropriately to conflicts and problems.
Ability to initiate, establish, and foster communication and teamwork by maintaining a positive, cooperative, productive work atmosphere in the University with the ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships within a diverse population and with those from various cultural backgrounds.
Excellent communication skills; ability to effectively communicate information in a clear and understandable manner.
Thorough knowledge of English grammar, spelling, and punctuation.
Ability to interpret, communicate and apply policies and procedures.
Ability to maintain a high degree of confidentiality.
Excellent organizational and time management skills with the ability to set own priorities to coordinate multiple assignments with fluctuating and time-sensitive deadlines.
Excellent computer skills and competence with a variety of computer applications including word-processing, spreadsheets, databases, on-line systems, Internet as well as online calendaring and email.
Working knowledge of or ability to quickly learn University infrastructure.
Must be willing to travel and attend training programs off-site for occasional professional development.
Must be able to work occasional holidays and adjust working hours to meet special jobs.
May be called back periodically to perform work as needed on an emergency basis.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree in a relevant discipline.
Three (3) years of directly related experience in labor relations, personnel management, or similar role in higher education.
Certification in mediation or conflict resolution.
Certificate in Labor Relations Management.
Advanced knowledge of collective bargaining practices, especially within higher education.
Experience within the California State University (CSU) system or other public university systems.
Demonstrated skills in an institutional/educational environment possessing a customer-oriented and service-centered attitude.

Responsibilities

Serve as the university's representative in matters related to labor relations for staff and management employees, ensuring collaborative relationships while complying with CBA provisions, providing guidance, and upholding university and systemwide policies.
Provide ongoing guidance to university administrators and supervisors on meeting responsibilities as defined by the CBA such as but not limited to, union notices, union business leaves, requests for information, and meet and confer obligations.
Provide advice and counsel to managers and assigned client groups on issues such as performance management, complex organizational changes, workplace climate and other related areas.
Review and conduct risk assessments for employee personnel action to determine appropriate level of corrective action and discipline up to and including termination.
Facilitate effective communication with union representatives on issues such as grievances and contract interpretation.
Lead and facilitate effective and collaborative Labor Management Committee meetings and foster positive working relations with union partners.
Lead efforts to resolve disputes at the lowest possible level using mediation and conflict resolution strategies.
Oversee the grievance process for staff employees, from initial filing to final resolution, ensuring fairness and timely response.
Lead investigations into employee complaints, alleged employee misconduct, interpersonal conflict, and workplace culture concerns, working with staff, managers, union representatives, and legal counsel.
Issue appropriate verbal and/or written responses, reports, employee counseling, and disciplinary documents, as appropriate.
Coordinate with Office of General Counsel and outside counsel to respond to employment litigation.
Serve as a liaison between management and counsel.
Assist counsel with all phases or pre -trial/ trial including development of strategic direction of the case and settlement strategies.
In partnership with the University Legal Counsel, participate in hearings and mediations by performing such tasks as interviewing potential witnesses, hearing preparation, and preparing exhibits.
Prepare comprehensive and detailed reports of investigations, disciplinary actions, and conflict resolutions for internal and legal purposes.
Refer possible violations of the CSU Non-Discrimination Policy to the Office of Civil Rights & Compliance and assess and address other conduct of concern that falls outside the policy’s scope.
Provide consultation and facilitate informal resolution of workplace conduct concerns, including patterns of disruptive, disrespectful, or otherwise inappropriate behavior that may not constitute a policy violation but negatively affect workplace relationships, morale, or operations.
Represent University at State Personnel Board, Unfair Labor Practice Charge hearings, and Unemployment Compensation Hearings.
Negotiate settlement and separation agreements as necessary.
Keep current with state and federal laws and regulations through official publications and communication with appropriate agencies.
Collaborate with university leadership, stakeholders, and CSU system offices to develop and revise staff personnel policies to reflect changes in CBAs, labor laws, and university needs.
Ensure appropriate policy implementation and adherence to union meet and confer obligations.
Communicate requirements, changes, and updates directly to individuals and groups.
In coordination with the Director of Organizational Excellence, design and deliver training programs for staff administrators on compliance with personnel policies, labor relations, and best practices in employee management.
Conduct workshops on labor relations, California Title 5 regulations, university policies, employee performance management, and dispute resolution.
Develop resources to assist administrators in managing employee performance and workload concerns.
Collaborate with the Director of Organizational Excellence, Training and Development to review annual and probationary performance evaluations requiring additional assessment due to employee relations, performance management, policy, or collective bargaining considerations; advise managers and recommend appropriate action to support consistent and compliant evaluation practices.
Administer and oversee records retention requirements for Human Resources records in accordance with applicable CSU records retention and disposition schedules, collective bargaining agreements, legal requirements, and university policies.
Establish and maintain procedures to ensure records are appropriately retained, secured, archived, and disposed of in accordance with established requirements.
Oversee the maintenance and retention of employee and labor relations records, including grievances, complaints, investigations, disciplinary and corrective actions, and related case documentation, ensuring appropriate confidentiality, accessibility, and compliance with applicable retention requirements.
Review HR Technical letters issued by the Chancellor's Office and HR System-wide staff to assess impact and develop implementation strategies across areas.
Coordinate and administer Human Resource’s responsibilities related to paperwork reduction requirements, including reviewing forms, documentation requirements, and administrative processes to identify opportunities to eliminate unnecessary or duplicative paperwork, streamline processes, and ensure compliance with applicable CSU and university requirements.
Serve as a key advisor to the Vice President for People & Culture on all matters related to staff personnel management and labor relations.
Analyze trends in labor relations to inform university decision-making and promote effective labor/management relationships and problem-solving.
Collaborate with other departments, including the Office of Civil Rights & Compliance, Legal, and the Provost’s Office, to ensure consistency in personnel management practices across the campus.
Evaluate and improve labor related procedures to increase efficiency, transparency, and responsiveness to staff needs.
Develop performance metrics and reporting tools to track the effectiveness of personnel processes.
Implement process improvements based on feedback from staff and administrators.
Provide direct supervision and leadership to assigned professional staff, ensuring effective service delivery and professional development.
Coordinate the University’s institution-wide efforts to comply with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act, working collaboratively with the campus units responsible for employee and student accommodations, disability-related complaints, accessible technology, facilities, procurement, and program access.
Establish and lead a cross-functional ADA/Section 504 Committee to evaluate University policies and practices, identify systemic accessibility concerns, coordinate institutional compliance activities, monitor remediation efforts, and recommend accessibility priorities to University leadership.
Provide consultation, technical guidance, and training regarding disability access and accommodation responsibilities and serve as a central liaison among responsible campus units and, as appropriate, external agencies.