Director Employee & Labor Relations

NYC Health + Hospitals/Correctional Health Services; New York (NY); On-site; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

NYC Health + Hospitals/Correctional Health Services seeks a Director of Employee and Labor Relations to oversee the implementation of collective bargaining agreements and manage strategic engagements with union partners.

The role requires guiding grievance processes, preparing investigations, and advising management on staff performance and disciplinary actions while developing and delivering labor relations training and policy programs.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree with six years in negotiation and CBAs administration
• Master’s degree plus seven years in health and labor relations preferred
• Experience with multi-bargaining unit environments and union partnerships

Responsibilities

• Oversee day-to-day implementation of collective bargaining agreements
• Hold grievance conferences and negotiate settlements or mediate disputes
• Prepare investigatory documents and briefs; provide labor relations advice
• Lead monthly labor-management meetings with unions and CHS leadership
• Formulate personnel policies and ensure policy implementation
• Collaborate with leadership and serve as internal consultant on staff relations

Skills

Organizational skills

Verbal and written communication

Labor relations experience

Negotiation and dispute resolution

Contract administration and grievance

Interdepartmental collaboration

Policy development and advisory

Education

Master’s degree in hospital admin/healthcare/related field

Bachelor’s degree in Labor Relations/Public/Admin/Business or related field

Job description

Under general supervision of the Senior Director of Employment Relations, with wide latitude for independent initiative and judgement, the Director of Employee and Labor Relations is responsible for the oversight and management of day-to-day implementation of the collective bargaining agreements and strategic engagements with numerous union partners at Correctional Health Services (CHS). Hold grievance conferences; negotiate settlements or mediate disputes on disciplinary and contractual matters; prepare investigatory documents and briefs; and provide advice on labor relations related matters. CHS Employee and Labor Relations is committed to building the skills of staff at all levels required for effective labor-management relationships, to include developing and delivering training on effective communication and feedback, counseling, coaching and discipline.

Responsibilities Include:

• Capable of working productively with the unionized, managerial and executive staff within CHS, as well as any internal support team that may be available.
• Must manage and bring to conclusion a high-volume of cases that stem from innumerable patient and employee settings across the healthcare environment.
• Must be prepared to effectively work with various other departments throughout the System, and external agencies, including the NYC Health + Hospitals Inspector General, and the NYC Department of Corrections.
• Conducts hearings at the local level, participates in arbitration appeals and maintains liaison with employee union representatives and personnel labor relations administrators; conducts hearings and administers employee discipline and grievance processes.
• Leads monthly labor-management meetings with unions, such as NYSNA, DC37, CWA 1180, 1199, Doctors Council, etc. Conducts monthly meetings with CHS leadership to discuss open labor issues; participates in monthly administrative meetings.
• Formulates and develops personnel policies and programs, goals and objectives consistent with basic policies and responsibilities of CHS; assumes responsibility for implementation of such policies and programs.
• Provides employee and labor relations advice to and collaborate with Leadership; serves as an internal consultant to managers in employee relations situations and disciplinary action for performance and policy issues; advises the Senior Director on staff performance management and discipline.
• Performs other related work.

Department Preferences:

• Excellent organizational, supervisory and critical thinking abilities;
• Ability to communicate effectively at all levels, strong verbal and written communication skills;
• Extensive experience in labor relations and the disciplinary process;
• Experience with labor negotiations, contract administration, grievance handling and investigation, arbitration, collective bargaining, alternative dispute resolution;
• Familiarity with HHC human resources policies and procedures;
• Passion for and commitment to the mission of Correctional Health Services; and
• A Master's degree from an accredited college or university in hospital administration, health care planning, business administration, public administration or an approved related program and seven (7) years of progressively responsible experience in health and medical service administration, public administration, personnel and labor relations, finance or appropriate functional discipline with an emphasis on planning, liaison and inter-organizational relationships, or related administrative or managerial functions.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited college or university in Labor Relations, Personnel, Public or Business Administration, Economics, Management, Law or a related discipline, with emphasis on labor-management relations; and six (6) years of progressively responsible experience in the negotiation and administration of collective bargaining agreements, including at least three (3) years in an administrative labor relations capacity in a large multi-bargaining unit organization; or
• A combination of training and experience, which is equivalent to “1” above. Higher‑level of education may be substituted for one (1) year of experience, however only education above a Bachelor’s level can be counted towards substitution for experience. Therefore, all candidates must have a minimum of a Bachelor’s Degree in one of the disciplines listed in “1” above, or a closely related discipline.