Director, Labour Relations

BC Public School Employers' Association; Vancouver; Hybrid; CAD 142,000 - 169,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

13 statutory holidays

Extended health and dental

Wellness allowance

Municipal Pension Plan

Job summary

BC Public School Employers’ Association seeks an experienced Director, Labour Relations to provide senior-level guidance to BC’s 60 public school districts on labour relations and HR matters. You will advise on performance management, collective agreement interpretation, and grievance handling as a trusted partner to district leadership.

The role requires a master’s degree or law degree and 7+ years in senior labour relations, with strong negotiation, communication, and project-management

Qualifications

• Extensive knowledge of key British Columbia legislation and unionized environments.
• Advanced expertise in labour relations with ability to analyze complex issues and draft labour relations documents.
• Excellent written and oral communication across formats and strong presentation skills.

Responsibilities

• Provide senior labour relations advice to school districts to enable proper application of collective agreements and employment legislation.
• Lead and participate in sector-wide initiatives and develop labour relations training resources.
• Foster strong relationships with school district leadership, HR teams, and provincial unions.

Skills

Labour relations expertise

Negotiation

Communication

Strategic advisory

Project management

Education

Master’s degree or law degree

Job description

The BC Public School Employers’ Association is seeking an experienced professional to provide expert labour relations and human resources advice to BC’s 60 public school districts, at the Director level.

The Director, Labour Relations provides senior-level labour relations advice and support to school districts to enable the effective application of collective agreements and employment legislation. In this role, you will work as part of a team of labour relations professionals who are the primary liaisons assigned to a client group of school districts. You will provide school districts with practical advice on the full spectrum of unionized workplace issues, including performance management, statutory and contractual interpretation, and grievance management.

Acting as a trusted advisor, the Director maintains strong, collaborative and robust relationships with school district leadership and human resources teams while proactively identifying local labour relations trends and their potential provincial impact. This role fosters respectful labour relationships with provincial-level unions and encourages the same from school districts through a collaborative, progressive approach to labour relations with a focus on shared success over the long-term.

In this position, you will contribute to and lead sector-wide initiatives, supporting projects and committees of moderate to high complexity, and developing and delivering labour relations training and resources.

Education and experience

The Director, Labour Relations possesses a master’s degree in a related field or law degree, and 7 years’ experience in providing senior-level labour relations advice and support.

Experience in labour relations may be substituted for education. Experience in the K-12 public education sector and/or public sector is preferred.

The ideal candidate will bring:

• Extensive knowledge of key British Columbia legislation, along with a comprehensive understanding of working in unionized environments and with collective agreements, core labour relations documents, key arbitration cases, and key labour relations themes.
• Advanced expertise in labour relations, with a proven ability to analyze and advise on complex issues, draft labour relations documents, negotiate with union representatives, and work effectively with key partners.
• Exceptional communication skills, with the ability to write clearly and concisely across various formats and deliver compelling presentations on labour relations topics.
• Strong organizational and project management abilities, demonstrating the capacity to manage multiple priorities efficiently and work independently with minimal or no supervision.
• Knowledge of sectoral context, including school district operations, is a strong asset.

Competitive Compensation and Benefits

The expected starting salary range for the Director, Labour Relations position is $141,913 - $169,000.

In determining salary, BCPSEA considers many factors, including the candidate’s competencies, skills and experience, as well as internal equity.

We offer 13 statutory holidays, a competitive benefits package, including extended health and dental with immediate coverage upon starting, and a $2,000 annual wellness allowance, as well as pension with the Municipal Pension Plan.

Hybrid Structure

We offer a hybrid work schedule with the option for remote work for the majority of the work week. For this role, full remote work for applicants outside of the lower mainland is an option.

Training

We offer staff regular training and support professional development opportunities. As part of our ongoing commitment to foster a safe and inclusive workplace, all staff will be provided with: Reconciliation; Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; and Respect in the Workplace training as part of their onboarding with us.

The BCPSEA office is located at 300 – 2889 East 12th Avenue in Vancouver on the traditional and unceded territory of thexʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skxwú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) peoples. Our work spans across the Province of BC, which is home to thousands of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples across British Columbia, each with unique traditions, history, and culture. We are committed to Reconciliation and to strong Indigenous partnerships and relationships.

Inclusivity

We are an inclusive and accessible employer. Reconciliation, and Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion are embedded in our organizational goals. We encourage applications from all qualified individuals, including Indigenous, Black, people of colour, all genders, 2SLGBTQIA+, and persons with disabilities.

Accommodations are available for interviews and in the workplace. If selected for an interview, we will provide you with information on how to request accommodations.

Who are we?

BC Public School Employers’ Association provides trusted sectoral leadership in collective, bargaining, labour relations, and human resources within BC's public education school sector. Through our services, support, advice, and professional learning offerings we work together with school districts, government, and our partners to ensure the success of the public education system.