Employee and Labor Relations Partner

Western Washington University•Bellingham, WA

3d•$71,078 - $92,400

About The Position

The Employee and Labor Relations Partner supports employee and labor relations services across Western Washington University for represented and nonrepresented employee groups, including student employees. The role consults with employees and supervisors about routine workplace concerns, interprets collective bargaining agreements and university policies, and helps identify appropriate next steps. It gathers information, researches questions, prepares documentation, and recommends options for review by the Human Resources Director. The position also supports grievance administration, labor-management meetings, and supervisor education, while referring complex, sensitive, or precedent-setting matters to HR leadership. The position works with HRIS, Payroll, Benefits, supervisors, employees, employee representatives, and other campus partners. It supports case documentation and tracking, contract administration, bargaining preparation, practical supervisor resources and training, process improvements, and compliance-related work. Western expects employees to build effective, inclusive working relationships across diverse populations and to operationalize economic, societal, and environmental sustainability concepts in their work.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree or an equivalent combination of education and relevant professional experience.
Three years of relevant human resources experience, including employee relations, labor relations, or workplace policy interpretation.
Experience responding to workplace concerns and researching and applying employment policies or collective bargaining agreement provisions.
Experience working with HR information systems and employee data, including running reports, identifying data issues, and using results to answer HR questions.
Ability to gather and organize information, exercise sound judgment, prepare clear written summaries, manage deadlines, and protect confidential information.
Strong communication and interpersonal skills and the ability to work effectively with employees, supervisors, and employee representatives.
Must comply with the university's immunization policies, including providing proof of Rubeola measles immunity within 60 days of hire.
New employees must show employment eligibility verification as required by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services before beginning work.
A thorough background check, including a sexual misconduct background check, will be conducted on new hires.

Nice To Haves

Experience in a unionized public-sector or higher-education environment.
Experience supporting grievance processes, workplace fact-finding, or labor-management meetings.
Experience supporting collective bargaining or developing supervisor guidance and training.
HR professional certification or an advanced degree in a related field.

Responsibilities

Respond to assigned employee and supervisor questions, gather information, identify applicable policies or agreements, and recommend practical next steps in consultation with the Director.
Guide supervisors on performance expectations, documentation, communication, and routine workplace concerns; refer proposed disciplinary actions and complex matters to the Director.
Support fact-finding by organizing records, interviewing participants when assigned, documenting information, and preparing summaries and recommendations for review.
Maintain accurate case records and tracking information.
Research and explain collective bargaining agreement provisions and help supervisors apply them consistently; consult the Director about disputed or unclear interpretations.
Assist with grievance intake and administration by gathering records, researching relevant provisions, tracking deadlines, and preparing draft materials for the Director's review.
Support communication with union representatives and joint labor-management meetings, including coordination, notes, research, follow-up, and tracking agreed actions.
Support bargaining preparation and negotiations through research, data gathering, meeting notes, and other assigned work.
Help develop and deliver practical supervisor resources and training on policies, collective bargaining agreement basics, documentation, and employee relations processes.
Track recurring questions and case themes, and suggest improvements to guidance, forms, and communications for the Director's review.
Work with supervisors to outline practical steps for addressing recurring workplace concerns or implementing changes, including proposed timelines, communication needs, and follow-up points for review with the Director.
Coordinate with HRIS, Payroll, Benefits, and other campus partners to resolve employee relations questions and route specialized issues to the appropriate team.
Provide cross-functional support and perform related duties as assigned, including special projects, process improvements, and compliance-related tasks.