Senior Labour Relations Advisor

Queen's University; Kingston; Hybrid; CAD 108,000 - 147,000; Full time

Job summary

Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario, seeks a Senior Academic Labour Relations Advisor to join the Faculty Relations team. Reporting to the Director, this role contributes to strategic labour relations decisions, administers three collective agreements, participates in bargaining, and provides clients with advice on academic labour matters.

The incumbent will collaborate with Deans, colleagues in HR and shared services, and senior administrators, ensuring effective agreement administration

Qualifications

• Experience in collective bargaining and grievance handling.
• Knowledge of employment/labour relations legislation.
• Strong communication and negotiation skills.
• Ability to work with senior administrators and unions.

Responsibilities

• Participates in and leads collective bargaining activities, including proposals, strategy sessions, and language/monetary items.
• Responds to queries from senior administrators, staff, and union representatives, providing advice and resolution strategies.
• Liaises with unions, investigates issues, negotiates settlements, and supports external counsel where needed for arbitration.
• Trains and guides Academic Labour Relations Advisors in investigations and grievance handling.

Skills

Negotiation

Communication

Labour relations

Strategic thinking

Education

Degree in HR or Law or related field

Job description

\" \" External Applicants \" Senior Labour Relations Advisor# Senior Labour Relations AdvisorTo display this page you need a browser with JavaScript support.Competition Number:J0526-0102Position Title:Senior Labour Relations AdvisorPosition Number (Final):00500271Vacancy Type:Existing PositionEmployee Group:Managerial & ProfessionalJob Category:Human Resources and EquityDepartment or Area:Human ResourcesLocation:Kingston, Ontario, Canada (Hybrid)Salary:$108,000.00 - $147,000.00/YearGrade:11Hours per Week:35Job Type:TermLength of term:18 monthsShift:7 Monday - FridayNumber Of Positions:1Date Posted:September 22, 2026Closing Date:October 12, 2026## COVID 19 On-Campus RequirementsPrior to May 1, 2022, the University required all students, faculty, staff, and visitors (including contractors) to declare their COVID-19 vaccination status and provide proof that they were fully vaccinated or had an approved accommodation to engage in in-person University activities. These requirements were suspended effective May 1, 2022, but the University may reinstate them at any point.## About Queen's UniversityQueen's University is the Canadian research intensive university with a transformative student learning experience. Here the employment experience is as diverse as it is interesting. We have opportunities in multiple areas of globally recognized research, faculty administration, engineering & construction, athletics & recreation, power generation, corporate shared services, and many more.We are committed to employment equity and diversity in the workplace and welcome applications from individuals from equity seeking groups such as women, racialized/visible minorities, Indigenous/Aboriginal peoples, persons with a disability, persons who identify in the LGBTQ+ community and others who reflect the diversity of Canadian society.Come work with us!## Applicant Guidance & InformationAt Queen's, we are committed to helping people achieve their best. Whether you are beginning your career at Queen's or seeking your next opportunity, we are here to support you.**Visit our for guidance on applying, showcasing your skills and experience, and preparing for interviews.****Disclaimer:** As part of the application process at Queen's University, our recruitment system uses Artificial Intelligence (AI), as defined under the Ontario Employment Standards Act,to ask job-related questions and confirm eligibility for hire. All final hiring decisions are made using non-AI related processes.## Job SummaryLocated in picturesque Kingston Ontario, Queen's University is seeking a Senior Academic Labour Relations Advisor, to join our team. Reporting to the Director, Faculty Relations (Director), and as a senior member of the Faculty Relations team, the incumbent will contribute to strategic labour relations decision making, administer three collective agreements, participate in collective bargaining, and provide clients with advice on academic labour relations and employment-related matters. The incumbent will work closely with senior administrators including Deans and others within their client group and with colleagues in Faculty Relations, Human Resources and other shared service units. The incumbent is expected to oversee effective collective agreement administration, build positive and effective relations with union representatives, faculty members and other academic staff, and will lead various projects and activities. The position involves independent decision-making, initiative, and the use of creative problem-solving skills. It requires excellent communication and negotiation skills including the ability to listen and advocate effectively, navigate difficult conversations confidently and the initiative and tenacity to manage complex issues through to completion.This position is a great opportunity for a labour lawyer, or a human resources (HR) professional with a relevant degree, who is looking for work-life balance, but not at the expense of having challenging and interesting work. Human Resources at Queen's University is rooted in our values of compassion, curiosity, collaboration, and continuous improvement, we serve as trusted and resilient advisors to the university community, strengthening our workforce with effective talent management practices that propel Queen's forward in its academic mission.## Job Description**KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:**- Respects diversity and promotes inclusion in the workplace.- Actively participates in collective bargaining. Activities will include conduct of client surveys to prepare proposals, conducting briefing/strategy sessions with client group representatives, researching specific issues, preparing proposals and counter-proposals in respect of language and monetary items, providing advice and recommendations with respect to negotiation strategy and actively participating at the bargaining table as Second Spokesperson.- Liaises with union representatives on matters ranging from specific issues and disputes, including grievances, and participates in committee work and on special projects. Utilizes interactions with union representatives as opportunities to build and maintain effective and productive working relationships.- Responds to queries/issues raised by senior academic administrators, staffing officers, faculty, staff and union representatives, investigating or overseeing the investigation of the background to the query/issue, providing information and/or possible solutions and in circumstances of conflict, building consensus and resolution in a manner consistent with the relevant collective agreement or policy.- Manages the process for grievances filed within the incumbent's client group; liaises with unions in the processing of the grievance, investigates or oversees the investigation of the circumstances of the grievance, prepare relevant materials and correspondence, negotiate settlements, and provide support and instruction to external legal counsel on matters that proceed to arbitration.- Provides advice and collective agreement interpretation to Academic Labour Relations Advisors handling first stage grievances. Directs and trains Academic Labour Relations Advisors in investigation of the circumstances of grievances. Collects, co-ordinates and analyzes the relative strength of available evidentiary documentation and viva voce evidence. For later stage grievances, prepares relevant materials and correspondence, negotiates settlements, drafts legal settlement documentation, and acts as the client representative for external counsel to direct and co-ordinate the University's case on matters that proceed to arbitration.- Working closely with Academic Labour Relations Advisors, responds to queries/issues raised by managers, staff and union representatives, investigates the background to the query/issue, provides advice, effective recommendations and strategies for resolution in circumstances of conflict, builds consensus and implements conflict resolution in a manner consistent with the collective agreement requirements, employment/labour relations legislation/jurisprudence and relevant employment related policy.- Liaises with various offices and University personnel ranging from administrative assistants to executives on matters ranging from specific issues and grievances to committee work and broad matters of labour relations strategy.- Leads or participates in various joint committees for QUFA and the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) Local 901 Unit 1 and 2. This includes the Queen's-QUFA Joint Committee on the Administration of the Agreement (JCAA), sub-committees of the JCAA and joint committees that may arise either as a result of formal agreement or on an ad hoc basis. Activities may include acting as spokesperson, speaking to issues, and conducting or assigning related research.- Participates in and/or lead various internal committees.