Employee Relations Consultant - Open Rank

UMass Chan Medical School; Worcester (MA); On-site; USD 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

UMass Chan Medical School is seeking an Employee Relations Consultant to provide expertise in employee and labor relations matters, ensuring compliance with policies and procedures. The role includes coaching, investigating employee complaints, and collaborating with HR teams to implement strategies.

The ideal candidate will have a Bachelor’s degree and 3-5 years of experience in employee relations, alongside strong communication and analytical skills. A role that promotes positive employee relations while minimizing legal risks.

Qualifications

• 3-5 years of employee relations experience.
• 1-3 years of labor relations experience.
• Ability to influence management at all levels.

Responsibilities

• Provide guidance on employee and labor relations issues.
• Conduct investigations regarding potential misconduct.
• Manage sensitive employee relations matters.

Skills

Employee relations experience

Labor relations experience

Communication skills

Conflict resolution

Analytical skills

HRIS familiarity

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent

Tools

MS Office (Excel, PowerPoint, Word)

PeopleSoft

Job description

Employee Relations Consultant

Under the direction of the Director of Employee Relations, the Employee & Labor Relations Consultant provides guidance, support and expertise in employee and labor relations matters to include discipline, coaching, performance management, HR policy interpretation, and collective bargaining agreement application. Key objectives include ensuring legal compliance and adherence to UMass Chan policies, procedures, and collective bargaining agreements are met in a consistent, objective and fair fashion. Provide guidance to managers and employees on employee and labor relations issues, investigate formal complaints, make recommendations on UMass Chan response, and ensure legal requirements are met in terms of employee and labor relations in order to minimize liability to UMass Chan. This position also collaborates with other HR team members to address organizational needs and contributes to a range of projects to implement HR strategies (i.e., organizational behavior, change management, policy implementation). The Employee & Labor Relations Consultant is a driver of HR functional excellence and continuous process improvement.

Senior Employee Relations Consultant

Under the direction of the Director of Employee Relations, the Senior Employee Relations Consultant provides guidance, support and expertise in employee relations matters to include discipline, coaching, performance management, HR policy interpretation. Key objectives include ensuring legal compliance and adherence to UMass Chan policies and procedures are met in a consistent, objective and fair fashion. Provide guidance to managers and employees on employee relations issues, investigate formal complaints, make recommendations on UMass Chans response, and ensure legal requirements are met in terms of employee relations in order to minimize liability to UMass Chan. This position also collaborates with other HR team members to address organizational needs and contributes to a range of projects to implement HR strategies (i.e., organizational behavior, change management, policy implementation).

Cover Letter Preferred

Cover Letter Preferred.

Employee Relations Consultant Responsibilities

• Performs contract administration and interpretation, grievance processing, preparation of disciplinary action, participation in labor-management committees, impact bargaining sessions, and training.
• Coaches and counsels management and staff on the performance management process.
• Interprets and applies UMass Chan policies and procedures, applicable federal and state laws and regulations to decision impacting employer-employee relations.
• Proactively minimizes organizational exposure by ensuring consistent application and interpretation of contractual provisions and related human resources policies.
• Partners with and serves as a resource to employees and managers to promote and maintain positive employee and labor relations.
• Develops and maintains good working relationships with UMass Chan labor representatives.
• Provides managers with expert technical assistance, problem-solving, letter writing and early intervention with labor relations/employee relations issues.
• Manages and resolves sensitive and complex employee & labor relations matters.
• Administration of various meetings and hearings; scheduling, preparing for and participating in hearings and arbitrations; communication and correspondence with unions, UMass Chan leaders, the University of Massachusetts, UMass Chans clinical partners and other Labor & Employee Relations Consultants.
• Conducts investigations regarding potential misconduct and violations of UMass Chan policy.
• Writes comprehensive fact-finding reports on investigative findings.
• Participates in employee training programs as required.
• Ensures employee & labor relations case management systems are accurate and complete.
• Partners/collaborates with other HR centers of excellence to deliver optimal service to the customer.
• In consultation with the Director of Employee Relations:
  • Prepares proposals, counter proposals, costing information and other information and documentation necessary for contract negotiations and participate in negotiations.
  • Investigates and settle grievances under established grievance procedure.
  • Prepares or assist in the preparation of briefs for arbitration and mediation cases and conduct presentations at hearings as needed.
  • Facilitates the creation of settlement agreements to include Memorandums of Agreement (MOAs) on behalf of UMass Chan.
  • Collect, analyze and summarize data and trends.

Senior Employee Relations Consultant Responsibilities

• Lead assigned major/complex projects in a variety of employee relations-related areas. Provide direction and guidance to assigned staff and consultants for the satisfactory performance of projects.
• Provides mentoring to Employee Relations Consultants and other staff including providing input to reviews, training and developing staff.
• Partner with and serve as a resource to employees and managers to promote and maintain positive employee relations.
• Maintain relationships with managers to proactively identify, manage and resolve employee relations concerns.
• Manage and resolve employee relations matters.
• Propose resolutions to complex and highly sensitive employee relations issues.
• Conduct investigations regarding potential misconduct and violations of UMass Chan policy.
• Write comprehensive fact finding reports on completed investigations.
• Advise and influence all levels of management regarding resolution employee relations decisions.
• Interprets and applies UMass Chan policies and procedures, applicable federal and state laws and regulations to decision impacting employer-employee relations.
• Coach and counsel management and staff on the performance management process.
• Ensure consistency, communication and collaboration in a matrixed environment.
• Conduct exit interviews.
• Uses HR employee relations metrics to identify trends, root causes and propose proactive solutions, programs and best practices in support of the HR strategy.
• Use HR employee relations metrics to determine trends and develop proactive strategies to minimize employee relations issues.
• Assists Director of Employee Relations in preparing reports by collecting, analyzing and summarizing data and trends.
• Proactively minimize legal risk by ensuring clients comply with UMass Chan S policies and procedures.
• Participate in employee training programs as required.
• Ensure employee relations tracking systems are accurate and complete.
• Supports and promotes the HR mission.
• Collaborate with HR services to develop and deliver solutions to support client groups.
• Partners/collaborates with other HR functions to deliver excellent service to the customer.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Employee Relations Consultant Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent.
• 3-5 years of employee relations experience.
• 1-3 years of labor relations experience
• Ability to provide credible HR guidance to and influence management at all levels.
• Proven experience coaching and counseling all levels of staff on a wide variety of issues, and a thorough understanding of employment law.
• Excellent organizational skills.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Demonstrates credibility and integrity in communications.
• Demonstrated experience in conflict resolution, mediation, facilitation.
• Demonstrated team player.
• Strong customer focus.
• Excellent interpersonal skills in order to successfully interface at all levels of the organization.
• Computer skills in MS office (Excel, PowerPoint, Word), Peoplesoft and HRIS.
• Strong business acumen and a working knowledge of multiple HR disciplines.
• Analytical and problem-solving skills including the ability to analyze data, understand trends, develop recommendations.
• Ability to travel between business locations.

Senior Employee Relations Consultant Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience.
• 7 years of employee relations experience.
• Experienced in the interpretation and application of state and federal employment laws & regulations, including but not limited to, the Family Medical Leave Act, MA Paid Family Medical Leave law, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the MA Wage Act, state and federal anti – discrimination statutes.
• Ability to provide credible HR guidance to and influence management at all levels.
• Proven experience coaching and counseling all levels of staff on a wide variety of issues, and a thorough understanding of employment law.
• Excellent organizational skills.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Demonstrates credibility and integrity in communications.
• Demonstrated experience in conflict resolution, mediation, facilitation.
• Demonstrated team player.
• Strong customer focus.
• Excellent interpersonal skills in order to successfully interface at all levels of the organization.
• Computer skills in MS office (Excel, PowerPoint, Word), PeopleSoft and HRIS.
• Strong business acumen and a working knowledge of multiple HR disciplines.
• Analytical and problem solving skills including the ability to analyze data, understand trends, develop recommendations.
• Ability to travel between business locations.

Employee Relations Consultant Preferred Qualifications

• Public sector or higher education labor relations experience
• PHR or SPHR certification
• Lean experience a plus

Senior Employee Relations Consultant Preferred Qualifications

• PHR or SPHR Certification
• Lean experience a plus
• Prior experience in a lead role or with facilitating large complex projects
• Prior experience with electronic case management systems

The University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School welcomes all qualified applicants and complies with all state and federal anti-discrimination laws.