UniServ Manager
About The Position
The UniServ Manager is a Richmond, VA Headquarter-based management position responsible for overseeing operations as assigned. This position provides direct supervision, coaching, and performance management for UniServ Directors and Organizers (remote staff) while ensuring consistent, high-quality support to local affiliates engaged in collective bargaining, organizing, member advocacy, and contract implementation. The UniServ Manager plays a critical role in aligning statewide strategy with local execution, strengthening staff effectiveness, and supporting staff who work with local leaders navigating Virginia’s collective bargaining landscape. This role requires a strong manager who can lead through complexity, balance competing needs, and support staff working with locals across multiple bargaining units and school divisions.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree
- Minimum of five years of experience in labor unions, education associations, or comparable organizing and bargaining environments
- Demonstrated experience supervising and managing professional staff
- Direct experience supporting or leading collective bargaining efforts, preferably in the public sector
- Strong organizational, communication, and interpersonal skills
- Ability to manage competing priorities across multiple regions and teams
- Willingness and ability to travel extensively (40%-50%) within Virginia, including evenings and weekends
- Valid Virginia driver’s license and reliable transportation
Nice To Haves
- Experience working in the NEA family of education unions
- Experience supporting first-contract or newly established bargaining units
- Knowledge of Virginia’s collective bargaining statutes
- Experience working with unionized staff and elected governance structures
- Bilingual skills a plus
Responsibilities
- Directly supervise, coach, evaluate, and support UniServ Directors and Organizers
- Set clear expectations, priorities, and performance standards aligned with organizational goals
- Support staff professional growth through coaching, feedback, and targeted skill development
- Foster accountability, collaboration, and consistency across geographically dispersed teams
- Support and participate in regional staff meetings as well as conferences, webinars, seminars, and trainings
- Assist in the monitoring and approval of leave, travel, VISA reconciliation and other reports submitted by UniServ Directors and Organizers, in keeping with deadlines
- Serves as Staff Liaison to VEA Committee(s) as assigned
- Provide strategic leadership for organizing, collective bargaining, and member engagement
- Translate statewide priorities into coordinated plans that reflect local bargaining realities
- Balance workloads, assignments, and resources to ensure effective staff capacity to meet local governance needs
- Monitor progress on organizing benchmarks, bargaining timelines, and contract outcomes
- Support staff and local leaders engaged in first-time and ongoing collective bargaining under Virginia law
- Ensure staff are equipped to support local bargaining teams, campaigns, and implementation processes
- Provide guidance on grievance handling, contract enforcement, and problem-solving at the local level
- Coordinates with NEA staff assigned to work with VEA on issue organizing and collective bargaining campaigns.
- Identify patterns, challenges, and best practices across school divisions to inform statewide strateg
- Build and maintain strong working relationships with local association leaders and governance bodies
- Support leadership development and capacity building within local affiliates
- Assist in navigating complex or high-stakes situations, including conflict resolution and negotiations
- Serve as a visible and responsive management presence
- Collaborate closely with other UniServ Manager, department directors, and statewide leadership
- Participate as a member of the management team in planning, evaluation, and continuous improvement
- Ensure consistent application of organizational policies, procedures, and agreements
- Represent the organization in meetings, trainings, and regional or statewide events as needed
Benefits
- health insurance
- retirement benefits
- paid leave
- mileage reimbursement in accordance with organizational policy
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Manager
