The Director of Human Resources and Employee Relations serves as the university’s chief human resources officer, providing strategic and operational leadership for all human resources functions at Eastern Oregon University. Reporting directly to the Vice President for Finance and Administration, this position is responsible for advancing a workplace culture grounded in equity, respect, accountability, and engagement, while ensuring compliance with all applicable multi state employment and labor laws.
This role leads all aspects of employee and labor relations, including serving as the university’s lead negotiator in faculty collective bargaining, and provides expert guidance to senior leadership on complex personnel matters, organizational effectiveness, and workforce strategy.
The Director takes a proactive, people-centered approach to fostering a positive and inclusive work environment, supporting employees, supervisors, and executive leadership alike. At the same time, the Director ensures timely, fair, and legally sound investigation and resolution of workplace concerns, maintaining institutional integrity and trust.
The Director leads the Human Resources department in delivering comprehensive, high-quality services across recruitment, benefits, compensation, performance management, training and development, and regulatory compliance.
The Director of Human Resources and Employee Relations is essential to advancing Eastern Oregon University’s commitment to a fair, inclusive, and high-performing workplace where employees are supported to excel in teaching, advising, and service. As a key leader within Finance and Administration, the Director aligns human capital strategies with institutional priorities, strengthening employee relations, fostering a positive organizational culture, and enhancing workforce effectiveness. Through this work, the Director directly contributes to student success, enrollment, and retention, while advancing the university’s goals of equity and access, ensuring that institutional practices support both employee well-being and student achievement.
Responsibilities
Employee and Labor Relations (Primary Emphasis)
- Serve as the university’s lead authority on employee and labor relations, establishing strategy, policy direction, and institutional standards.
- Act as chief negotiator in faculty collective bargaining, developing negotiation strategy, representing the university, and ensuring effective implementation of agreements.
- Promote a proactive, solutions-oriented employee relations model that emphasizes early intervention, coaching, and relationship-building.
- Serve as a trusted advisor to executive leadership, mid-level managers, and employees, supporting effective communication and organizational health.
- Lead and oversee workplace investigations and grievance processes, ensuring outcomes are fair, consistent, trauma-informed, and legally compliant.
- Ensure consistent and equitable application of HR policies and collective bargaining agreements across the institution.
- Facilitate conflict resolution and mediation, strengthening trust and minimizing workplace disruption.
- Analyze workforce and workplace trends to implement strategies that enhance engagement, retention, and organizational climate.
- Ensure compliance with federal, Oregon, and multi-state employment laws and labor regulations.
Human Resources Leadership & Administration
- Lead the Human Resources department in delivering integrated, high-quality HR services aligned with institutional goals.
- Develop and implement strategic HR initiatives that support workforce planning, employee engagement, and organizational effectiveness.
- Provide expert guidance to senior leadership on organizational structure, workforce strategy, and change management.
- Oversee HR budget, staffing, and operational performance.
- Foster a collaborative, service-oriented, and accountable HR team culture.
Recruitment, Selection, and Employment
- Oversee recruitment and hiring processes to attract and retain a diverse and highly qualified workforce.
- Advise hiring managers on best practices in recruitment, selection, and onboarding.
- Develop and implement strategies to support workforce diversity and inclusion, through hiring practices, onboarding, and employee lifecycle programs.
Compensation and Classification
- Establish and recommend salary ranges, offers, and compensation adjustments.
- Monitor compensation practices for equity, compression, and market competitiveness.
- Oversee classification and position management processes.
Benefits Administration
- Direct administration of employee benefits programs including health, retirement, and insurance plans.
- Ensure compliance with PERS, PEBB, and state regulations, including those outside of Oregon.
- Provide guidance to employees on benefits and retirement options.
Equity, EEO, and Title IX Compliance (Employees)
- Develop, implement, and monitor compliance with EEO, affirmative action, and Title IX policies and programs.
- Serve as Title IX Coordinator.
- Lead investigations and ensure appropriate resolution of complaints.
- Prepare and implement the university’s affirmative action plan.
Training, Development, and Organizational Effectiveness
- Design and deliver strategic learning and development programs that strengthen employee relations, compliance, leadership capability, and inclusive workplace practices.
- Partner with leaders at all levels to build management and supervisory effectiveness, including communication, performance management, and team development.
- Advance equity-informed and inclusive practices through training, coaching, and ongoing professional development opportunities.
- Support and lead initiatives that enhance organizational effectiveness, employee engagement, and workplace culture.
- Utilize data, feedback, and assessment tools to continuously improve learning strategies and workforce development outcomes.
HR Systems, Records, and Reporting
- Maintain official personnel records and ensure data integrity.
- Ensure data integrity within HR systems, which support reporting, and analytics (e.g., IPEDS, CUPA, SAIF).
- Continuously improve HR processes, systems and service delivery.
Other Duties
- Ensure compliance with legal mandates (e.g., ADA, FMLA, HIPAA).
- Serve as hearings officer when appropriate.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
Minimum Qualifications
Education
- Master’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field.
Professional Experience
Seven (7) or more years in all of the following HR competencies:
- Progressively responsible human resources administrative experience, including senior level leadership responsibility
- Collective Bargaining Experience, including serving as a lead negotiator or key participant in labor negotiations.
- Demonstrated in-depth expertise in employee and labor relations, including:
- Employment law compliance (federal, Oregon, and multi-state)
- Complaint investigation and resolution
- Collective bargaining agreement administration
- Performance management and conflict resolution
- Strategic HR Leadership, with demonstrated ability to advise and partner with senior leadership on workforce strategy, organizational effectiveness, and complex personnel matters.
- Supervision and Team Leadership, with a track record of building and leading effective, service-oriented teams.
- Experience fostering a positive, inclusive workplace culture, including employee engagement, leadership development, and organizational change initiatives..
- Must satisfactorily complete EOU criminal and credential background check. Having a criminal history is not an automatic bar to employment.
- In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment eligibility verification form upon hire. Eastern Oregon University does not sponsor applicants for employment visas.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience in higher education or public-sector, unionized environments
- Professional HR certification (SPHR, SHRM-SCP, etc.)
- Experience serving as chief spokesperson or lead negotiator in faculty bargaining
- Experience overseeing or partnering on Title IX / EEO / Affirmative Action programs
Special Instructions to Applicants
Applicant must provide:
- Letter of application (which should include why this position is attractive to the applicant, how it meets the applicant’s professional goals, and what attracts the applicant to EOU);
- Complete curriculum vitae (resume);
Candidates are encouraged to review the Values and Principles of Eastern Oregon University.
Only complete files of qualified applicants will be reviewed.
Eastern Oregon University – Oregon’s Rural University! – is a respected public, higher education institution of academic excellence. Outstanding faculty and staff thrive and together fulfill their career ambitions to serve students from all walks of life.
The Eastern Oregon University main campus is on a beautiful, quaint campus nestled in a remarkably scenic, high elevation valley populated by wonderful, community-minded citizens that have balanced work-life flexibility. Take a Virtual Tour of Eastern Oregon University.
EOU offers a very attractive package of State of Oregon public employee benefits including:
- Paid holidays (10 days/year)
- Paid sick time-off (12 days/year)
- Paid vacation (22 days/year)
- Individual and Family Healthcare Insurance (95%+ employer-paid medical, dental, vision)
- Oregon Paid Leave benefits (up to 12 paid weeks)
- Federal FMLA and State of Oregon Family Leave (OFLA) benefits (up to 12 weeks paid/unpaid)
- Employer-paid life insurance
- Relocation assistance
- Discounted tuition benefits for employees and eligible dependents
- For more details, see EOU Prospective Employees
Eastern Oregon University is an EEO Employer and welcomes applications from women, members of historically underrepresented minority groups, US Veterans, and persons with disabilities. EOU is committed to providing equal opportunity in its recruitment, admissions, educational programs, activities, and employment without illegal discrimination on the basis of age, color, disability, national origin, race, marital status, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression or any status as protected by state or federal law.
Salary $123,000 to $135,000 per annum DOQ
