HR CONSULTANT EMPLOYEE LABOUR RELATIONS

City of Toronto • Toronto, ON

7d • Hybrid

About The Position

We are looking for Employee Relations Consultants who are passionate about employee and labour relations and eager to build or grow their career in this field. This role is well suited for individuals with early-career experience who are interested in gaining hands-on exposure to a broad range of labour relations activities while working in a supportive, team-based environment. In this temporary, full-time role, you will contribute to providing advice and support to assigned divisions on matters related to collective agreements, workplace investigations, and employee relations. With guidance from senior team members, you will strengthen your understanding of the Labour Relations Act and other related employment legislation, while strengthening your analytical, communication, and relationship‑building skills.

Requirements

• Experience in human resource services functions in a major unionized public or private sector organization related to Labour/Employee Relations.
• Proven experience with consultation skills at all levels within the organization and demonstrated ability to interact with clients.
• Strong oral and written communication, presentation, negotiation and human relations skills.
• Ability to maintain accurate and detailed documentation and records, both electronically and in hard copy.
• Ability to exercise discretion and judgment and work independently and as a team member.
• Ability to identify needs, and initiate, coordinate and manage projects.
• Highly developed analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Knowledge of employment and related legislation (e.g., Ontario Labour Relations Act, Occupational Health and Safety Act, Workers Safety and Insurance Act, Human Rights Code, Employment Standards Act), equity principles, contractual obligations and sound human resource practices.
• Ability to develop and maintain productive working relationships with staff at all levels within the Employee Relations unit and corporate HR teams, client divisions, Legal and union officials.

Nice To Haves

• Master of Industrial Relations and/or CHRP designation will be considered an asset.

Responsibilities

• Provide employee and labour relations support to one or more assigned divisions under the supervision of a Manager, Employee Relations, and mentorship from a Senior Consultant.
• Assist management with the interpretation and application of collective agreements, organizational policies, and applicable employment legislation for both unionized and non-unionized employees.
• Contribute to informed and defensible decision-making by providing clear, timely, and well-researched employee and labour relations guidance while developing practical advisory skills.
• Apply organizational policy and employment legislation when supporting and administering non‑union employee disciplinary actions and terminations.
• Support the administration, interpretation, and application of collective agreements, including Local 416, Local 79, Local 2998, Local 3888, and Construction Trades.
• Assist in managing complaints, disputes, and grievances by participating in interviews, reviewing documentation, assessing information, and helping prepare findings.
• Lead grievance meetings with unions, help explore settlement options, assist with preparing minutes of settlement, and drafting Step 2 and Step 3 grievance responses.
• Support and participate in joint labour–management committees established through collective agreements.
• Participate in workplace and policy-related investigations, learning to effectively gather facts, assess evidence, and apply sound judgment.
• Assist with investigating issues raised by unions, client divisions, senior leadership, and Council.
• Help prepare clear summaries, recommendations, and responses that support fair, consistent, and timely issue resolution.
• Support constructive working relationships with union representatives and management stakeholders.
• Support and participate mediation sessions, including agenda preparation, note‑taking, advocacy and implementation.
• Provide research and administrative support to internal and, where required, external legal counsel in preparation for arbitration matters.
• Assist with proceedings before the Ontario Human Rights Commission and the Ontario Labour Relations Board by compiling documentation and summarizing relevant case information.
• Support collective bargaining preparation activities and gain exposure to negotiations.
• Assist with information gathering, maintaining comparison libraries, surveying comparable organizations, and tracking settlement trends.
• Help analyze cost and benefit data related to management and union proposals and support drafting and review of collective agreement language.
• Assist with reviewing and analyzing trends in employee and labour relations, including legislative updates, arbitration decisions, human rights issues, and settlement patterns, to support best practices and continuous improvement.
• Contribute research and analysis that promote consistency and informed decision‑making in employee and labour relations practices.
• Collaborate with internal partners such as Payroll Pension & Employee Benefits, People & Equity, Legal, and client divisions to gather information and support coordinated service delivery.
• Build and maintain strong professional relationships with internal and external stakeholders in support of organizational objectives and effective labour relations outcomes.
• May be required to travel to various work locations

Benefits

• Hybrid working environment
• Competitive salaries
• Vacation
• Other unique offerings
• Ongoing development opportunities
• Excellent defined benefit pension plan through OMERS
• Opportunities to join and take an active role with City’s Communities of Inclusions

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees