JOB SUMMARY
Manages employee and labor relations functions within Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District. As a subject matter expert in employee and labor relations, this role leverages trusting relationships, knowledge of the business, collective bargaining, investigation, employment and labor law, and HR subject matter expertise to guide leaders in creating an effective and positive workplace. Responsible for leading a team of HR Business Partners who provide HR consultation and guidance on employee and labor relations to assigned business units.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
Labor Relations
- Manages labor relations activities including participating in contract negotiations, contract administration and Union-Management meetings. Guides the successful resolution of escalated labor relations issues.
- Supports leadership in effectively interpreting contract language and responding to employee questions and grievances.
- Uses metrics and analysis to identify broader trends/patterns in grievance activity. Conducts analysis and monitors trends and CBA issues to inform negotiation strategy and recommendations. Ensures all information and analysis provided by HR is complete and correct.
- Partners with internal and external legal counsel to prepare cases for arbitration/mediation.
- Supports the HR Director with entire CBA negotiations process including, but not limited to, coordinating efforts between Senior Leadership, development of economic and non-economic negotiation strategies, maintaining an accurate list and status of proposals made by both sides, and preparation, review and accuracy of all HR documents and contributions to the collective bargaining process. May respond to questions and issues raised by the union during negotiations.
- Prepares the final version of the CBA document for approval and distribution. Ensures that contract changes are communicated and implemented correctly and in a timely fashion.
- Builds collaborative relationships with Union leadership.
Employee Relations
- Advises management and HR Business Partners on requests for disciplinary action to ensure timely, applicable, consistent, and sound responses.
- Trains the HR Business Partners in how to effectively conduct investigations and deliver employee counselling.
- May directly manage escalated or high-risk investigations including EEO, harassment, ADA, etc.
- Serves as the Sewer District lead in unemployment hearings.
- Supports the HR Director with the final HR step for grievances. May serve/assist as a hearing officer.
- Supports HR and organization leaders in developing and delivering the Sewer District’s HR policies, code of conduct and Employee Handbook.
- Collaborates with the Legal Department and HR Director to evaluate situation impact and provides recommendations on how the Sewer District should react/respond.
- Ensures policies are successfully implemented by communicating, training, and monitoring adherence.
- Advises the Sewer District and all areas of HR in compliance to employment and labor laws (wage and hour, FMLA, FLSA, ADA, etc.).
- Guides the HRBP team to investigate employee issues/complaints in a timely manner providing adequate communication of status and resolution.
- Partners with managers and legal on discipline, poor performer resolution and termination decisions.
- Acts as a thought partner and advisor to leadership on all matters related to HR, employee/labor relations and talent strategy including employee development, workforce development and succession planning.
General Responsibilities
- Demonstrates a deep understanding of the organization’s objectives.
- Collaborates with other Human Resources areas to ensure services are timely and consistent.
- Works with HR Director in setting up the department budget and carrying out related budgetary responsibilities. Administers and monitors the team’s program expenditures.
- Oversees the management of acquisition, implementation and maintenance of relevant contracts and programs, ensuring completeness, consistency, and alignment with organizational goals. Researches, selects, and maintains relationships with vendors and consultants.
- Provides strategic leadership, training, and guidance to assigned staff. Manages dynamic workload and reassigns staff resources as business needs change. Sets the team performance objectives, monitors, and evaluates outcomes.
- Performs other duties of a similar nature as may be required.
MINIMUM JOB REQUIREMENTS
EDUCATION
- Candidate must possess a bachelor’s degree, preferably in Business Administration, Human Resources, Labor Relations, or a related field of study.
- Equivalent combination of relevant education and experience may be substituted as outlined in the Education Equivalencies Policy.
EXPERIENCE
- Candidate must possess five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in managing employee and labor relations as they relate to workplace policy development and implementation, disciplinary decisions, grievances, conflicts, problem resolutions and collective bargaining in a unionized environment.
- Experience must include three (3) years of supervising, managing and/or leading people, projects and/or processes.
LICENSURE AND CERTIFICATION
- Candidate must possess a valid driver’s license with a driving record in accordance with the Sewer District’s acceptable guidelines.
- SHRM, HRCI, IPMA or other Human Resources Certifications is preferred.
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS and ABILITIES
- Candidate must possess expert knowledge of employment and labor law.
- Candidate must possess effective written and verbal communication, organizational skills and decision-making abilities.
- Candidate must possess ability to manage projects, meet deadlines and tackle emergencies and difficult situations.
- Candidate must possess negotiation and conflict resolution skills to address issues and opportunities for improvement.
- Candidate must be detail oriented and capable of managing large amounts of data, maintain detailed comprehensive records, analyze and organize information, have effective project and time management skills and be well organized.
- Candidate must possess the ability to effectively plan, coordinate, establish and maintain effective working relationships and prioritize workloads based on available resources.
- Candidate must be proficient in Microsoft Office Suite, including Word, Excel, Access, Outlook and PowerPoint.
PHYSICAL AND MENTAL REQUIREMENTS
During the course of performing the essential functions of this position, the employee must be able to analyze, communicate, comprehend, coordinate, make decisions, possess general intelligence, interact, interpret, negotiate, possess numerical intelligence, organize, problem solve, have resilience and perform tasks. Physical work will need to be performed, such as balancing, bending, driving, feeling, reaching, sitting, standing, talking, typing and walking. Repetitive movements will need to be performed such as simple grasping and fine manipulation with one or both hands. Ability to push, pull and lift from floor to waist or waist to shoulder up to 10 lbs. on an occasional basis may be necessary. Position will require visual demands of accommodation, depth perception, far acuity and near acuity. Ability to withstand faint to moderate noise exposure for fifteen minutes or longer on an infrequent basis is required.
Pay Range: USD, Commensurate with Experience
$101,233 - $126,540
Our Employee Benefits & Wellness Programs
We offer a comprehensive employee benefits package including Health Insurance Coverage, Various Retirement Planning Options (Ohio Public Employee Retirement System and Deferred Compensation Plans), Flexible Spending Accounts, Employee Assistance Program, Free Parking at our facilities, Corporate Discounts, and more! We also have an active Health & Wellness Program that promotes a life/work balance.
NEORSD supports the use of hybrid work as a way to help attract and retain talented individuals in public service, increase worker productivity and better prepares the agency to operate during emergencies. This position may be authorized for hybrid work. hybrid eligibility will be discussed during the interview process.
DISCLAIMER: The information outlined in this job description indicates the general nature and type of work performed by employees within this classification. It is not intended to provide a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities or competencies required of employees within this classification.
Equal Opportunity Employer
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights (https://www.eeoc.gov/poster) notice from the Department of Labor.
