Labour Relations & Negotiation Specialist

Government of Alberta•Edmonton, AB

4d•CA$96,924 - CA$128,110•Onsite

About The Position

The Public Service Commission (PSC) plays a pivotal role in enabling the Alberta Public Service (APS) to deliver programs and services that matter to Albertans. As one of the key central agencies, the PSC is responsible for leading the development of policies and programs that ensure Alberta has a professional, non-partisan, diverse and inclusive public service that proudly serves Albertans. We provide excellence in human resource management and act as a catalyst for system transformation to revitalize the APS. Our vision is to support and improve the overall effectiveness of the public service by providing integrated strategies, policies and programs that position the Government of Alberta as an employer of choice. This is achieved by providing expert advice, strategic leadership and stewardship as well as developing and delivering innovative supports and services to APS employees. Are you a strategic thinker with a passion for labour relations and negotiations? Do you thrive in complex environments where your insights can drive meaningful change? Join the Public Service Commission (PSC) and become a key player in shaping a respectful, inclusive, and high-performing Alberta Public Service. As a Labour Relations & Negotiations Specialist, you'll be more than a policy expert - you'll be a trusted advisor, a skilled negotiator, and a collaborative leader helping departments navigate complex labour relations with confidence and clarity.

Requirements

A completed University degree in a related field plus five years of related experience in labour relations, specifically related to managing grievance case files, and supporting arbitration cases.
Expertise in labour and employment relations and extensive knowledge of related Provincial labour legislation and regulations such as: Public Service Act, Public Service Employee Relations Act, Public Service Employment Regulation, Employment Standards Code, Employment Standards Regulation, Protection of Privacy Act, Occupational Health and Safety Act along with the AUPE Collective Bargaining Agreement and GoA HR policies and directives.
Highly organized, excellent communicator, resilient to change, and well-developed project management and change management skills and experience.
Strong communication and influencing skills, including strong information recall ability, to lead discussions and influence stakeholders with the goal of resolution of labour and employee relations issues.
Strong verbal, written and presentation skills, coupled with the ability to synthesize large volumes of information to make meaningful connections across diverse inputs.

Nice To Haves

A related two-year diploma and seven years related experience.
A related one-year certificate and eight years related experience.

Responsibilities

Provide expert labour relations advice to Human Resource teams across government in dealing with complex interpretation issues relating to the collective agreement, essential services agreement, government directives and provincial legislation.
Proactively develop resource materials, training tools such as collective agreement interpretation bulletins and tool kits, for HR Business Partners and Employee Relations Consultants to ensure consistent application of Labour Relations across the organization. Establish, lead and facilitate Human Resource wide learning events to share leading employee and labour relations trends and best practices across the PSC.
Develop and maintain relationships leveraging your influence and negotiation skills with key senior stakeholders, including AUPE.
Escalate issues where risk to the Government of Alberta is identified and requires further review and consideration.
Work closely with cross-functional teams, senior leaders, and union representatives to develop sustainable, one-employer solutions.
Stay current with labour relations and employee relations trends and shares their information, knowledge and experiences with the team and other stakeholders.
Provide input into proposals or enhancements to related programs, policies and practices that are consistent with legislation, regulations and PSC and Government of Alberta direction.
Lead the development of project plans and is accountable for the delivery of project objectives. The Director, Labour Relations & Negotiations, provides guidance where needed and ensures consistency between projects.
During a Collective Bargaining cycle, assist with the preparation of all materials and briefings for Collective Agreement negotiations with AUPE, including implementation items following ratification.
Lead the preparation of all materials and briefings for Essential Services Agreement negotiations as well as contingency planning materials.
Identify policy and program issues through stakeholder engagement, trend analysis, and jurisdictional best practice research.