HR Specialist - Employee Relations & Training

University of Washington•Seattle, WA

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

Housing & Food Services has an outstanding opportunity for a HR Administrator for Employee Relations & Training in Human Resources to join their team. This position serves as a Human Resources practitioner within Housing & Food Services with primary responsibility for employee relations consultation, performance management support, corrective action processes, workplace concern response, and HR subject-matter training for managers and supervisors. The role supports HFS by helping managers address performance, conduct, attendance, communication, workplace climate, and policy concerns in a manner that is objective, respectful, appropriately documented, and aligned with UW policy, applicable collective bargaining agreements, civil service rules, employment law considerations, HFS expectations, and the HFS Belonging Framework and Communication Ground Rules.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in education, human resources or other related field; and 2 years relevant work experience that includes:
Experience interpreting and applying HR policies, collective bargaining agreements, employment rules, or workplace procedures in a complex organization.
Experience drafting, reviewing, or editing performance management, corrective action, employee relations, or workplace documentation using objective, factual, and legally defensible language.
Experience coaching managers or supervisors on employee performance, conduct, attendance, conflict, workplace communication, or policy application.
Demonstrated ability to maintain confidentiality and exercise sound professional judgment when handling sensitive personnel matters.
Demonstrated ability to communicate clearly, respectfully, and empathetically with employees, managers, HR colleagues, union representatives, and campus partners.
Demonstrated ability to work effectively with people from varied identities, lived experiences, roles, schedules, work environments, and communication styles.
Proficiency with Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, Teams, SharePoint, and HR information systems such as Workday or comparable systems.

Nice To Haves

Experience providing employee relations support in higher education, public sector, unionized, residential, dining, hospitality, facilities, student services, or other high-volume operational environments.
Experience supporting grievances, complaint procedures, investigations, corrective action meetings, performance improvement plans, probationary separations, or dismissal recommendations.
Experience developing manager training, job aids, templates, documentation tools, or HR communication resources.
Experience applying inclusive practices, equity impact review, anti-retaliation principles, trauma-informed communication, or belonging-centered workplace expectations to HR consultation.
Experience using case tracking, metrics, spreadsheets, dashboards, or reporting tools to monitor trends, timeliness, recurring issues, and process effectiveness.
Working knowledge of FMLA, PFML, ADA disability accommodation, pregnancy accommodation, workers compensation, protected leave, civil rights, and workplace conduct intersections as they relate to employee relations matters.

Responsibilities

Serve as an HFS HR consultant to managers, supervisors, and leaders on employee relations matters involving performance, conduct, attendance, workplace communication, interpersonal conflict, workplace climate, policy application, and escalation needs.
Conduct intake, gather relevant facts, review documentation, identify missing information, and recommend case strategies that are objective, equitable, and aligned with UW, HFS, and collective bargaining requirements.
Coordinate and support fact-finding, workplace concern reviews, investigation referrals, and related follow-up in partnership with HR leadership and appropriate University offices.
Serve as support for HFS performance management practices, in partnership with HR colleagues responsible for administrative tracking, records management, Workday reporting, and process coordination.
Advise managers on proactive performance management, timely feedback, documented coaching, expectation setting, probationary concerns, performance improvement plans, letters of expectation, formal counseling, final counseling, and recommendations for dismissal.
Draft, review, and edit employee relations and performance management documentation to ensure factual accuracy, objective language, consistency, equity, clarity, appropriate tone, and alignment with HFS communication and belonging expectations.
Develop and deliver HR subject-matter training for managers and supervisors on employee relations, performance management, documentation, corrective action, respectful workplace communication, complaint pathways, union basics, represented employee processes, attendance management, and workplace concern response.
Ensure employee relations training and resources reflect adult learning principles, accessibility, operational relevance, inclusive language, and the varied needs of frontline staff, student supervisors, managers, professional staff, and senior leaders.
Interpret and apply UW policies, Administrative Policy Statements, civil service rules, applicable collective bargaining agreement provisions, and HFS expectations in partnership with HR leadership as appropriate.
Model HFS HR expectations for consistency, transparency, belonging, timely service, confidentiality, professional judgment, documentation, and respectful communication.
Maintain subject-matter currency through professional development related to employee relations, labor relations, workplace investigations, civil rights, public-sector HR, documentation, adult learning, and inclusive workplace practices.