Director, Faculty Relations

Acadia Universtiy; San Juan de Terranova; On-site; CAD 138,000 - 183,000; Full time

Job summary

An academic institution is seeking a Director of Faculty Relations to provide strategic leadership in labour relations across campuses. This role involves overseeing collective bargaining, ensuring compliance with agreements, and fostering relationships with academic staff. The ideal candidate will have a graduate degree, extensive experience in a unionized environment, and strong negotiation skills. A competitive salary and benefits package are offered.

Benefits

Defined benefit pension plan

Comprehensive benefits package

Employee wellness initiatives

Flexible work opportunities

Qualifications

• Graduate degree in labour relations, human resources, law, or related field.
• Experience in labour and employment relations within a complex, unionized environment.
• Knowledge of Canadian labour law and human rights legislation.

Responsibilities

• Lead collective bargaining strategy and serve as lead negotiator.
• Administer and interpret collective agreements.
• Oversee grievance and arbitration processes.

Skills

Analytical skills

Negotiation skills

Communication skills

Education

Graduate degree in relevant field

Job description

THE OPPORTUNITY
Reporting to the Provost and Vice-President (Academic), the Director, Faculty Relations provides strategic leadership in the development and implementation of effective academic labour and employment relations across Memorial University’s multi-campus environment. This role is central to fostering constructive relationships with academic staff associations, ensuring compliance with collective agreements, and supporting the University’s academic mission through sound labour practices.

The Director oversees faculty relations for academic employees including faculty, librarians, and cooperative education coordinators (MUNFA); per course instructors and post-doctoral fellows (LUMUN); and graduate teaching and research assistants (TAUMUN).

Key responsibilities include:

• Leading the University’s collective bargaining strategy and serving as the lead negotiator for the University in bargaining with academic bargaining units.
• Administering and interpreting multiple collective agreements, ensuring consistent, transparent and principled decision making.
• Overseeing complex grievance and arbitration processes and providing strategic advice in ensuing timely and fair resolution aligned with institutional values.
• Supporting the full academic employee lifecycle, including strategic input into academic recruitment, compensation, orientation, development, and promotion and tenure matters.
• Developing and implementing forward-looking academic labour relations policies and initiatives, anticipating emerging trends in post-secondary education and workforce strategy.
• Providing institutional oversight of immigration processes and compliance, collaborating with legal counsel and applicable offices to ensure sound processes.
• Ensuring and leading academic labour relations practices that reflect the University’s commitment to Indigenization, equity, diversity, inclusion, and anti-racism.
• Collaborating and building strong cross-functional partnerships with academic leaders, senior leadership, legal counsel, People and Culture (human resources, health and safety), staff unions, and other key internal and external stakeholders to ensure alignment with institutional goals and legal obligations.
• Providing guidance and advice on the Respectful Workplace policy and related procedures and reviewing respectful workplace concerns or complaints in a manner that promotes trust, fairness, and a respectful and inclusive workplace.
• Championing technology modernization initiatives, leveraging technology to streamline processes, improve data integrity and enhance the employee experience.
• Serving as a key leader in conflict resolution, mediation and relationship management to ensure faculty relations contributes positively to academic performance and employee engagement.
• Performing other related duties as required.

THE CANDIDATE
The ideal candidate will possess:

• A graduate degree in a relevant field (e.g., labour relations, human resources, law, public administration, or related).
• Extensive leadership experience in labour and employment relations within a complex, unionized environment – preferably in an academic environment or the broader public sector.
• Demonstrated experience in collective bargaining; preferably with experience as lead negotiator.
• Demonstrated experience with grievance and arbitration management, including the ability to strategically assess risk, resolve disputes and guide leaders through sensitive situations.
• In-depth knowledge of Canadian labour law, human rights legislation, immigration processes and regulations; familiarity with university governance structures is an asset.
• Demonstrated commitment to inclusive leadership and equity-informed practice, with a strong track record of building respectful relationships and trust across diverse communities and identities.
• Excellent analytical and negotiation skills, with the ability to interpret complex data and collective agreements to inform decision making.
• Outstanding communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to engage collaboratively, diplomatically and build trust across diverse academic, administrative and unionized groups.

An equivalent combination of experience and training may be considered.

THE REWARDS
Memorial University is a progressive employer at the forefront of the Canadian post-secondary sector, offering competitive compensation, a comprehensive benefits package, and a stimulating work environment. Employees are encouraged to engage with the University’s vibrant intellectual, cultural, and social life. Being part of vibrant, diverse community at Memorial situated on a beautiful campus that offers walking trails, recreation facilities, food court, coffee shops and so much more.

Our total rewards include:

• A defined benefit pension plan and comprehensive group insurance plan.
• Employee wellness initiatives such as an Employee Assistance Program and discounted membership rates at The Works (Aquarena and Field House).
• Learning and development opportunities to assist employees in reaching your career goals including the ability to avail of funding for undergraduate and graduate programs.
• Flexible work opportunities including hybrid options depending on position.
• A progressive leave plan including annual leave, family leave, short-term disability, and long-term disability that supports your overall well-being. We also offer summer hours, a December holiday break to rejuvenate, and an expansive university holiday schedule.
• Employee social functions that provide an ability to meet and network with other members of Team Memorial across our campuses.

SALARY$138,594 - $182,360 per annum (Leadership Group)
CLOSING DATEJuly 31, 2025 by 5:00 p.m. NST
COMPETITION NO.MUN03249

Please note that we will ONLY accept applications for this position through our website https://www.mun.ca/hr/careers/

All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, preference will be given to applicants who are legally entitled to work in Canada. Memorial University is committed to employment equity and diversity and encourages applications from all qualified candidates, including women, people of any sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression; Indigenous peoples; visible minorities and racialized people; and people with disabilities.

The personal information requested in your application is collected under the authority of the Memorial University Act (RSNL 1990 c M-7) for the purpose of identifying and recruiting candidates; assessing applicant qualifications; and maintaining records pertaining to the administration of employment with Memorial University of Newfoundland.

If you are a successful candidate, this information will form part of your permanent employment record and will be used for other activities related to the employment process. This information may be disclosed to government departments and agencies as legally required; and to third party service providers, as necessary to administer programs and activities.

If you have any questions about the collection, use and disclosure of the information on this form, please contact MyHR, Department of Human Resources, at [e-mail].

Please be advised that we are unable to provide updates on current competitions.

We thank all applicants for their interest, however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted.