Employee Relations Officer (Full Time)

St. Clement's School; Ontario; Remote; CAD 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

An established educational institution is seeking an Employee Relations Officer to provide strategic guidance on labour relations. This role involves supporting collective bargaining, conducting grievance investigations, and facilitating communication between management and union officials. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in human resources, excellent negotiation skills, and the ability to foster constructive relationships. This position offers a unique opportunity to influence employee relations policies and contribute to a positive work environment in a large, diverse school board. Join a dynamic team committed to educational excellence and employee engagement.

Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years of experience in HR/Labour Relations within a unionized environment.
• University degree in a related field and CHRL designation required.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic advice on labour relations matters and assist in collective bargaining.
• Conduct grievance investigations and liaise with management and union officials.
• Develop and present in-service materials on labour relations topics.

Skills

Labour Relations

Human Resources Management

Negotiation Skills

Conflict Resolution

Strategic Planning

Analytical Problem-Solving

Policy Development

Communication Skills

Team Collaboration

Education

University degree in Industrial or Labour Relations

CHRL (Certified Human Resources Leader)

Experience in a unionized environment

Tools

Human Resources Information Systems

Microsoft Office Suite

Job description

The Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board is a dynamic board committed to the delivery of quality educational programs and services. We are composed of over 81,000 students enrolled in 151 facilities (125 elementary and 26 secondary schools) throughout the municipalities of Mississauga, Brampton, Caledon and Orangeville. We have approximately 8000 employees in an increasingly diverse community. We are one of Ontario’s largest school boards, encompassing both urban and rural areas. As a progressive employer we support flexible work arrangements through a remote work policy. We are currently accepting applications for the position of:

Employee Relations Officer
Position Type: Permanent effective Immediately
Salary Range - Under Review

POSITION SUMMARY:

Under the direction of the Manager of Employee Relations, the Employee Relations Officer provides strategic advice to Board management on a broad range of labour relations matters including employee misconduct, legislative requirements, collective agreement administration, and performance management; assists with preparation for collective bargaining including developing strategies and proposals; conducts thorough grievance and complaint investigations, including collection of data and conducting interviews; and participates in Policy development for the Board. The Employee Relations Officer will liaise with various management staff and union officials to foster constructive communication and working relationships and assist in the development of workshops on various labour relations matters to enhance managers’ ability to manage labour relations issues. Further, the Employee Relations Officer assists in the implementation and monitoring of the Board’s Pay Equity Plans, and assists with the Board’s Job Evaluation programs, as well as other duties as assigned.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Provides support in Collective Agreement negotiations by participating on the Board's table teams. Stays abreast of provincial negotiations, and assists in the development of proposals and counter proposals.
• Facilitates the development of negotiating strategies through research and negotiation progress reports.
• Assists in the development and presentation of in-service materials, and prepares a summary of negotiated Collective Agreement amendments for Trustees, Senior Management, Mid-Management, and Principals, to facilitate their understanding of the negotiated amendments.
• Interacts with Union/Association officials, and Board management, in order to assist in the daily administration of the Board's Collective Agreements, Working Conditions Agreements, policies and procedures.
• Identifies employee related problems and resolves, confers, or refers to the appropriate official for resolution of disputes, grievances, breaches, and other concerns, in order to maintain good working relations within the Board.
• Participates in grievances and investigations by researching, analyzing, and making recommendations in an attempt to resolve Union and employee complaints. Liaises with Senior Management and legal counsel, as required. Aids in the preparation of grievance cases for Arbitration.
• Mediates or co-mediates workplace conduct and harassment allegations, extracting interests and the needs of the participants, while ensuring neutrality, confidentiality, and development of options for resolution which are congruent with Board practice and protocol.
• Leads and/or co-ordinates the investigation of workplace issues and/or concerns with inappropriate employee behaviour and/or performance.
• Participates in Joint Consultation meetings between the Board and its’ Unions/Associations, and ensures that all areas of concern and conflict are identified and a process put in place to resolve them.
• Researches, creates, and recommends new and revised employee relations policies and procedures to Senior Management.
• Chairs and/or serves on management/Union sub-committees struck to deal with matters arising out of Negotiations and Joint Consultation meetings. Drafts reports on matters arising out of sub-committee decisions, in order to communicate areas of concern and recommend new policies or amendments to existing policies.
• Assists in the preparation and delivery of in-services to Superintendents, Supervisors and staff to communicate new or revised policies, procedures, and programs, as required.
• Assists in the identification of changes in legislation affecting employee relations and recommending changes to Board procedures, where applicable.
• Assists in the negotiation, implementation, and maintenance of Pay Equity plans for employee groups, when required.
• Provides direction to employees and Supervisors regarding the preparation of job descriptions.
• Conducts and/or co-ordinates salary and working conditions surveys, in order to analyze and make recommendations for changes to Collective Agreements, and to ensure the Board's external competitiveness.
• Prepares training and presentation materials.
• Provides training on Human Rights, investigative procedures, due diligence and legislative obligations.

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:

• University degree in Industrial or Labour Relations, Human Resources, or a related field.
• CHRL (Certified Human Resources Leader) designation.
• Minimum of five (5) years’ experience in the field of Human Resources/Labour Relations in a unionized environment.

OR

• Equivalent combination of education and experience.

OTHER QUALIFICATIONS/ADDITIONAL EXPERIENCE:

• Advanced knowledge of relevant legislation and case law.
• Demonstrated ability to interpret and apply Human Resources/Employee Relations best practices, applicable legislation, policies, procedures, and collective agreements.
• Experience in a large, unionized, public sector environment preferred. Experience in the Education sector an asset.
• Experience using human resources information systems.
• Strong policy development and leadership experience.
• Demonstrated proficiency drafting and editing written communications and superior documentation skills.
• Proven ability to facilitate group discussions/meetings, develop and make presentations, and deliver training.
• Proficiency in computer applications such as Microsoft Office Suite and Internet Explorer.
• Excellent strategic planning, issues management, analytical problem-solving, and negotiation skills.
• Ability to exercise considerable independent judgment, tact, and sensitivity with confidentiality and discretion in dealing with internal and external contacts.
• Excellent time management skills and the ability to prioritize and successfully complete projects with conflicting deadlines and urgency.
• Demonstrated experience building and maintaining collaborative working relationships.
• Ability to work in a team environment as well as independently.
• A valid driver’s license and access to a vehicle.

APPLICANT INFORMATION:

To be considered for this position, please click Apply.

Position will remain posted until filled.

ALL new employees will be required to submit a current original criminal background check (CBC) including a "Vulnerable Sector Screening" (VSS) issued within 6 months prior to commencing employment with the Board.

We thank all applicants, please note that only those under consideration will be contacted.

If you require a disability related accommodation in order to participate in the recruitment process, please contact us at [phone], extension 24189 to provide your contact information. Support Services staff will contact you within 2 business days. The Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board is an equal opportunity employer. We will accommodate your needs under the Ontario Human Rights Code.