Employee Relations Consultant – Open Rank

Employee Relations
Consultant

Under the direction of the Director of Employee Relations, the Employee & Labor Relations Consultant provides
guidance, support and expertise in employee and labor relations matters to include discipline, coaching, performance management, HR policy
interpretation, and collective bargaining agreement application.  Key objectives include ensuring legal compliance and adherence to
UMass Chan policies, procedures, and collective bargaining agreements are met in a consistent, objective and fair fashion.  Provide
guidance to managers and employees on employee and labor relations issues, investigate formal complaints, make recommendations on UMass Chan
response, and ensure legal requirements are met in terms of employee and labor relations in order to minimize liability to UMass Chan. 
This position also collaborates with other HR team members to address organizational needs and contributes to a range of projects to
implement HR strategies (i.e., organizational behavior, change management, policy implementation).  The Employee & Labor Relations
Consultant is a driver of HR functional excellence and continuous process improvement.

Sr Employee Relations
Consultant

Under the direction of the Director of Employee & Labor Relations, the Senior Employee Relations Consultant
provides guidance, support and expertise in employee relations matters to include discipline, coaching, performance management, HR policy
interpretation. Key objectives include ensuring legal compliance and adherence to UMass Chan S policies and procedures are met in a
consistent, objective and fair fashion. Provide guidance to managers and employees on employee relations issues, investigate formal
complaints, make recommendations on UMass Chans response, and ensure legal requirements are met in terms of employee relations in order to
minimize liability to UMass Chan. This position also collaborates with other HR team members to address organizational needs and contributes
to a range of projects to implement HR strategies (i.e., organizational behavior, change management, policy implementation).

Cover letter preferred. 

Employee Relations Consultant Responsibilities:

• Performs contract administration and interpretation, grievance processing, preparation of disciplinary action, participation in
  labor-management committees, impact bargaining sessions, and training.
• Coaches and counsels management and staff on the performance
  management process.
• Interprets and applies UMass Chan policies and procedures, applicable federal and state laws and regulations to
  decision impacting employer-employee relations.
• Proactively minimizes organizational exposure by ensuring consistent application and
  interpretation of contractual provisions and related human resources policies.
• Partners with and serves as a resource to employees
  and managers to promote and maintain positive employee and labor relations.
• Develops and maintains good working relationships with
  UMass Chan labor representatives.
• Provides managers with expert technical assistance, problem-solving, letter writing and early
  intervention with labor relations/employee relations issues.
• Manages and resolves sensitive and complex employee & labor
  relations matters.
• Administration of various meetings and hearings; scheduling, preparing for and participating in hearings and
  arbitrations; communication and correspondence with unions, UMass Chan leaders, the University of Massachusetts, UMass Chans clinical
  partners and other Labor & Employee Relations Consultants.
• Conducts investigations regarding potential misconduct and violations
  of UMass Chan policy.
• Writes comprehensive fact-finding reports on investigative findings.
• Participates in employee training
  programs as required.
• Ensures employee & labor relations case management systems are accurate and
  complete
• Partners/collaborates with other HR centers of excellence to deliver optimal service to the customer.
• In
  consultation with the Director of Employee Relations:
  • Prepares proposals, counter proposals, costing information and other
    information and documentation necessary for contract negotiations and participate in negotiations.
  • Investigates and settle
    grievances under established grievance procedure.
  • Prepares or assist in the preparation of briefs for arbitration and mediation
    cases and conduct presentations at hearings as needed.
  • Facilitates the creation of settlement agreements to include Memorandums of
    Agreement (MOAs) on behalf of UMass Chan.
  • Collect, analyze and summarize data and trends.
  
  

Sr Employee
Relations Consultant Responsibilities:

• Lead assigned major/complex projects in a variety of employee relations-related
  areas. Provide direction and guidance to assigned staff and consultants for the satisfactory performance of projects.
• Provides
  mentoring to Employee Relations Consultants and other staff including providing input to reviews, training and developing
  staff.
• Partner with and serve as a resource to employees and managers to promote and maintain positive employee
  relations.
• Maintain relationships with managers to proactively identify, manage and resolve employee relations
  concerns.
• Manage and resolve employee relations matters.
• Propose resolutions to complex and highly sensitive employee
  relations issues.
• Conduct investigations regarding potential misconduct and violations of UMass Chan policy.
• Write
  comprehensive fact finding reports on completed investigations.
• Advise and influence all levels of management regarding resolution
  employee relations decisions.
• Interprets and applies UMass Chan policies and procedures, applicable federal and state laws and
  regulations to decision impacting employer-employee relations.
• Coach and counsel management and staff on the performance management
  process.
• Ensure consistency, communication and collaboration in a matrixed environment.
• Conduct exit
  interviews.
• Uses HR employee relations metrics to identify trends, root causes and propose proactive solutions, programs and best
  practices in support of the HR strategy.
• Use HR employee relations metrics to determine trends and develop proactive strategies to
  minimize employee relations issues.
• Assists Director of Employee Relations in preparing reports by collecting, analyzing and
  summarizing data and trends.
• Proactively minimize legal risk by ensuring clients comply with UMass Chan S policies and
  procedures.
• Participate in employee training programs as required.
• Ensure employee relations tracking systems are accurate
  and complete.
• Supports and promotes the HR mission.
• Collaborate with HR services to develop and deliver solutions to support
  client groups.
• Partners/collaborates with other HR functions to deliver excellent service to the customer.
• Perform other
  duties as assigned.

Employee Relations Consultant Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree or
  equivalent. 
• 3-5 years of employee relations experience.
• 1-3 years of labor relations experience
• Ability to
  provide credible HR guidance to and influence management at all levels.
• Proven experience coaching and counseling all levels of
  staff on a wide variety of issues, and a thorough understanding of employment law.
• Excellent organizational skills.
• Strong
  written and verbal communication skills.
• Demonstrates credibility and integrity in communications.
• Demonstrated experience
  in conflict resolution, mediation, facilitation.
• Demonstrated team player.
• Strong customer focus.
• Excellent
  interpersonal skills in order to successfully interface at all levels of the organization.
• Computer skills in MS office (Excel,
  PowerPoint, Word), Peoplesoft and HRIS.
• Strong business acumen and a working knowledge of multiple HR
  disciplines.
• Analytical and problem-solving skills including the ability to analyze data, understand trends, develop
  recommendations.
• Ability to travel between business locations.

Sr Employee Relations Consultant Required
Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience.
• 7 years of employee relations
  experience.
• Experienced in the interpretation and application of state and federal employment laws & regulations, including but
  not limited to, the Family Medical Leave Act, MA Paid Family Medical Leave law, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the MA Wage Act, state
  and federal anti – discrimination statutes.
• Ability to provide credible HR guidance to and influence management at all
  levels.
• Proven experience coaching and counseling all levels of staff on a wide variety of issues, and a thorough understanding of
  employment law.
• Excellent organizational skills.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Demonstrates
  credibility and integrity in communications.
• Demonstrated experience in conflict resolution, mediation,
  facilitation.
• Demonstrated team player.
• Strong customer focus.
• Excellent interpersonal skills in order to
  successfully interface at all levels of the organization.
• Computer skills in MS office (Excel, PowerPoint, Word), PeopleSoft and
  HRIS.
• Strong business acumen and a working knowledge of multiple HR disciplines.
• Analytical and problem solving skills
  including the ability to analyze data, understand trends, develop recommendations.
• Ability to travel between business
  locations.

Employee Relations Consultant

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Public
  sector or higher education labor relations experience
• PHR or SPHR certification
• Lean experience a plus

Sr Employee Relations Consultant

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• PHR or SPHR
  Certification
• Lean experience a plus
• Prior experience in a lead role or with facilitating large complex
  projects
• Prior experience with electronic case management systems

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