Assistant Director, Employee Relations - 991328

Nova Southeastern University; Fort Lauderdale (FL); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Tuition waiver

Excellent medical and dental plans

Retirement plan

Tobacco-free campus

Job summary

Nova Southern University in Fort Lauderdale, FL, is seeking an experienced ER Leader to direct employee relations investigations, governance, and policy development. You will coach managers, ensure legal compliance, and drive data-informed improvements across the organization.

The role requires strong judgment, confidentiality, and the ability to translate trends into preventive actions; travel may be required, and collaboration with Legal and Compliance is essential.

Qualifications

• Advanced ER principles, investigations, and documentation ethics.
• Knowledge of employment laws.
• Case systems/HRIS analytics and data privacy/retention standards.

Responsibilities

• Plans, directs, supervises, and coordinates work activities of subordinates and staff, including hiring, coaching, evaluating, and terminating.
• Triages and assigns cases by risk/complexity; sets investigative strategy and timelines.
• Sponsors complex investigations, such as discrimination, harassment, retaliation, leadership conduct, and ethics.
• Conducts QA reviews of case files, letters, and summaries for neutrality, completeness, and legal sufficiency.
• Ensures procedural fairness, chain of custody, and documentation standards across all cases.
• Provides expert consultation on corrective actions.
• Guides leaders on performance management, documentation discipline, and conflict de-escalation.
• Owns ER dashboards (volume, cycle time, themes, outcomes, repeat incidents).
• Translates trends into prevention strategies (training, policy clarity, operational fixes).
• Presents quarterly insights to HR leadership; recommends targeted interventions.
• Designs/delivers manager training: Investigations 101, Documentation Discipline, Respectful Workplace, Conflict Tools.

Skills

Emotional intelligence

Active listening

Conflict resolution

Executive writing

Policy development

Change management

Coaching

Due process

Data analysis

Risk assessment

Education

Bachelor's degree

HR/Related field

Tools

Microsoft 365

HRIS analytics

HR databases

Job description

We are excited that you are considering joining Nova Southern University!

Nova Southern University (NSU) was founded in 1964, and is a not-for-profit, independent university with a reputation for academic excellence and innovation. Nova Southern University offers competitive salaries, a comprehensive benefits package including tuition waiver, retirement plan, excellent medical and dental plans and much more. NSU cares about the health and welfare of its students, faculty, staff, and campus visitors and is a tobacco-free university.

We appreciate your support in making NSU the preeminent place to live, work, study and grow. Thank you for your interest in a career with Nova Southern University.

Primary Purpose:

Leads the team as the day-to-day operator and quality bar, owning investigative excellence, program governance, and people development. Runs the ER operating system with consistent processes, audit-ready documentation, fair outcomes, and data-driven prevention. Coaches managers through the toughest issues, ensures legal and contractual compliance, and translates case trends into actionable culture and capability improvements.

Job Category: Exempt

Hiring Range: Commensurate with experience

Pay Basis: Annually

Subject to Grant Funding?: No

Essential Job Functions:

1. 1. Plans, directs, supervises, and coordinates work activities of subordinates and staff, including hiring, coaching, evaluating, and terminating.
2. 2. Triages and assigns cases by risk/complexity; sets investigative strategy and timelines.
3. 3. Sponsors complex investigations, such as discrimination, harassment, retaliation, leadership conduct, and ethics.
4. 4. Conducts QA reviews of case files, letters, and summaries for neutrality, completeness, and legal sufficiency.
5. 5. Ensures procedural fairness, chain of custody, and documentation standards across all cases.
6. 6. Provides expert consultation on corrective actions.
7. 7. Guides leaders on performance management, documentation discipline, and conflict de-escalation.
8. 8. Coaches leadership on tone, due process, and communications during sensitive actions.
9. 9. Owns and updates ER policies, toolkits, templates, and guidance (with Legal/Compliance).
10. 10. Standardizes playbooks for investigations, discipline, reorgs/RIFs, and conflict resolution.
11. 11. Leads policy harmonization, socializes updates, and ensures adoption.
12. 12. Ensures adherence to employment law (Title VII, ADA, FMLA, FLSA, etc.), faculty contract timelines, and records retention.
13. 13. Liaises with Legal and outside counsel on litigation holds, subpoenas, and fact development.
14. 14. Owns ER dashboards (volume, cycle time, themes, outcomes, repeat incidents).
15. 15. Translates trends into prevention strategies (training, policy clarity, operational fixes).
16. 16. Presents quarterly insights to HR leadership; recommends targeted interventions.
17. 17. Designs/delivers manager training: Investigations 101, Documentation Discipline, Respectful Workplace, Conflict Tools.
18. 18. Partners with colleagues on culture and accountability initiatives.
19. 19. Publishes briefing notes/FAQs that turn complex policy into plain-language guidance.
20. 20. Provides ER leadership on reorganizations/RIFs, restructures, and high-visibility transitions.
21. 21. Ensures consistent, humane, and compliant processes with clear comms and documentation.
22. 22. Stewards the ER case system and audits data quality.
23. 23. Runs retrospectives; removes friction, automates workflows, and elevates user experience.
24. 24. Maintains trusted relationships with Provost/Deans/VPs (or equivalent) and other stakeholders.
25. 25. Crafts executive-ready memos and briefings that are clear, neutral, and decision-oriented.
26. 26. Completes special projects as assigned.
27. 27. Performs other duties as assigned or required.

Job Requirements:

Required Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities:

Knowledge:

1. 1. Advanced ER principles, investigations, and documentation ethics.
2. 2. Knowledge of employment laws.
3. 3. Case systems/HRIS analytics and data privacy/retention standards.

Skills:

1. 1. Emotional intelligence, diplomacy, and active listening in high-stakes contexts.
2. 2. Facilitation, mediation, and conflict resolution; skilled at de-escalation.
3. 3. Executive-caliber writing, framing, and briefings; crisp, neutral, and empathetic.
4. 4. Risk assessment and pattern recognition; turns data into action.
5. 5. People leadership and coaching; builds judgment, resilience, and consistency in others.
6. 6. Program and change management; designs scalable processes and drives adoption.
7. 7. Excellent time management and task prioritization skills.
8. 8. Proficiency with Microsoft 365, HR databases, and digital collaboration tools.
9. 9. Customer-service orientation and approachability.

Abilities:

1. 1. Maintain absolute confidentiality, neutrality, and discretion.
2. 2. Exercise sound judgment under ambiguity and time pressure.
3. 3. Influence without authority; earn trust across levels and functions.
4. 4. Hold firm, fair lines while modeling respect and cultural awareness.
5. 5. Balance speed with due process; keep work audit-ready.

Physical Requirements:

1. 1. Near Vision - Must be able to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
2. 2. Speech Recognition - Must be able to identify and understand the speech of another person.
3. 3. Speech Clarity - Must be able to speak clearly so others can understand you.
4. 4. Travel - Must be able to travel on a daily and/or overnight basis.
5. 5. May be required to work nights or weekends.
6. 6. May be exposed to short, intermittent, and/or prolonged periods of sitting and/or standing in performance of job duties.
7. 7. May be required to accomplish job duties using various types of equipment/supplies, to include but not limited to pens, pencils, and computer keyboards.

Required Certifications/Licensures:

Required Education: Bachelor’s degree

Major: Human Resources, Labor Relations, Business, or related field

Required Experience:

1. 1. 7–9 years of HR or employee relations experience, including investigative or compliance work.
2. 2. 3+ years leading teams and complex cases.

Preferred Qualifications:

1. 1. SPHR / SHRM-SCP (or equivalent).
2. 2. Title IX/EEO investigation training a plus.

Is this a safety sensitive position?: No

Background Screening Required?: Yes

Pre-Employment Conditions:

Sensitivity Disclaimer:

Nova Southern University is in full compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and does not discriminate with regard to applicants or employees with disabilities and will make reasonable accommodation when necessary.

NSU is an Equal Opportunity Employer and considers applicants for all positions without regard to race, color, religion, creed, gender, national origin, age, disability, marital or veteran status or any other legally protected status.