Labor Relations Division Director (Human Resources Division Director)

Fairfax County•Fairfax (Ej32), VA

About The Position

The Labor Relations Division Director manages and directs the labor relations division within the Department of Human Resources. Program activities include negotiating collective bargaining agreements, administering and interpreting contracts, and guiding and coordinating related management activities in keeping with the County’s mission and the direction of the Board of Supervisors. The Director contributes to the development and maintenance of comprehensive Human Resources policies and strategies and works under the direction of the Director of Human Resources and Deputy Director of Talent Management. As a senior manager, the role advises County executives and Human Resources leadership on policy, procedure, and process; supervises senior professionals; leads countywide responses to critical issues; directs process improvement; and makes presentations to the Board of Supervisors, citizen groups, and senior management. The position manages a major business area, including its vision, goals, performance measures, operations, staff, budget, internal controls, fiscal and technology operations, customer service, policies, and communications. It also interprets relevant legislation, regulations, and case law and develops compliance strategies. The Director collaborates on countywide HR policies and programs, represents the County on committees and task forces, and manages the department in the Director’s absence. The role also provides consulting services, leads strategic change initiatives, develops solutions to complex countywide problems, improves business processes, serves as a subject matter expert, and manages projects for new systems and programs. The position typically operates in an office environment, with duties generally sedentary in nature. The role requires the ability to lift and carry items weighing up to 15–20 pounds. Duties may be performed with or without reasonable accommodations.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree from an accredited four-year college or university in personnel administration, public administration, or a related field, or equivalent education, experience, and training.
Six years of HR experience, including two years as a Senior HR Consultant, program/project manager, or operations supervisor; a master’s degree may substitute for one year of required experience.
Knowledge of management principles and practices, organizational development, consulting, local government, human resources, information technology, financial and budget principles, internal controls, and planning and evaluation methods.
Ability to set a long-term vision and develop strategies and plans to achieve it.
Ability to analyze complex issues, processes, and operations and develop solutions.
Ability to manage business-area, program, or project staff and operations, including through performance measurement, and to manage change.
Ability to communicate effectively with a diverse workforce and community and maintain effective working relationships with employees, senior managers, elected officials, boards, citizens, and other organizations.
Ability to work as a team member or leader and develop teamwork in others.
Highly developed creative-thinking, leadership, problem-solving, oral and written communication, interpersonal, collaboration, and decision-making skills.
Ability to lift and carry items weighing up to 15–20 pounds.
Successful completion of a criminal background check to the satisfaction of the employer.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree in public administration, business administration, human resources, or a related field, or a Doctor of Jurisprudence from an accredited law school.
Seven years of labor/employee relations and litigation experience, preferably in the public sector, including substantial experience as a primary negotiator in management-union contracts.
Professional Human Resources certification.
Experience with public-sector collective bargaining, especially contracts subject to binding arbitration.
Strategic negotiation skills, including building trust, identifying interests rather than positions, and collaboratively finding options for a path forward.
Bilingual ability in English and another language.

Responsibilities

Manage and direct the labor relations division.
Negotiate collective bargaining agreements and administer and interpret contracts.
Guide and coordinate management activities related to labor relations.
Contribute to the development and maintenance of Human Resources policies and strategies.
Advise County executives and Human Resources leadership on policy, procedure, and process.
Supervise senior professionals performing technical analysis and making decisions about County policies, procedures, and processes.
Lead and coordinate staff responses to critical countywide issues.
Direct ongoing process-improvement initiatives.
Make presentations to the Board of Supervisors, citizen groups, and senior management, and respond to inquiries from citizens, the press, and others.
Set the vision, goals, objectives, and performance measures for the division or program.
Plan and evaluate operations, programs, and staff; oversee budgets, internal controls, fiscal operations, and related technology operations.
Develop policy, coordinate policy with senior management, and oversee customer service and communications about operations, programs, policies, and procedures.
Interpret legislation, regulations, and case law affecting the business area and develop compliance strategies; propose legislation or changes to existing legislation.
Collaborate on countywide HR policies and programs and facilitate interdisciplinary teams.
Represent the County on policy-making committees, teams, and task forces; manage the department in the Director’s absence.
Create, plan, facilitate, and evaluate strategic change initiatives and develop solutions to complex issues with countywide implications.
Improve business processes, serve as a subject matter expert, and manage projects for new systems and programs.