Labor and Employee Relations Specialist

Penn State University; State College (Centre County); Hybrid; USD 810 - 122,000; Full time

Job summary

Penn State University is seeking a Labor and Employee Relations Senior Specialist to advance positive labor and employee relations across all University locations. You will act as a subject matter expert on union relations, supporting faculty and graduate assistants, and serve as a primary contact for HR partners, managers, and staff on employee and labor relations matters.

The role involves advising on disciplinary issues, interpreting contracts, coordinating investigations, and assisting in

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required with a minimum of 6+ years of relevant experience
• Experience advising management and employees on labor and employee relations issues
• Background in unionized environments and higher education settings preferred

Responsibilities

• Serve as a subject matter expert on union relations and day-to-day administration of labor agreements.
• Advise on employment and disciplinary issue resolutions and risk mitigation.
• Counsel employees and leaders on sensitive workplace concerns and resolution pathways.
• Interpret, apply, and develop policy and contract language; assist in drafting labor documents.
• Coordinate investigations from grievances, hotlines, and escalations; synthesize findings and recommend outcomes.
• Represent the University in grievance hearings and support bargaining strategy and documentation.
• Assist with implementation of negotiated agreements and provide guidance/tools for consistent application.
• Train management and HR colleagues on contracts and administration expectations.

Skills

Union relations

Employee relations

Policy interpretation

Investigations

Advising managers

Communication skills

Project management

Education

Bachelor's Degree

Job description

POSITION SPECIFICS

Penn State is seeking a skilled Labor and Employee Relations Senior Specialist. This position plays a key role in advancing positive labor and employee relations across all University locations. Reporting to the Senior Director of Labor and Employee Relations, the successful candidate will serve as a subject matter expert in union relations and will be actively involved in matters related to faculty and graduate assistant unionization at Penn State. This role serves as a primary point of contact for Human Resource Strategic Partners, managers, and employees on employee relations and labor relations matters and provides consultative guidance in support of the University's labor strategy.

• With a focus on faculty and graduate assistants, serving as a subject matter expert on union relations, including day-to-day administration of labor agreements and proactive engagement with union representatives on a variety of issues, with an emphasis on higher education academic environments.
• Advising on the resolution of employment and disciplinary issues.
• Counseling employees and advising leaders on sensitive workplace concerns, risk mitigation, and appropriate resolution pathways.
• Interpreting, applying, and assisting in the development of policy and contract language, and advising various audiences on appropriate application; assisting in drafting contract language and related labor documents as needed.
• Coordinating and/or assisting with investigations that arise from grievances, University hotlines, direct complaints, as well as those escalated from colleges and work units; synthesizing findings and recommending outcomes consistent with policy, law, and applicable agreements.
• Representing the University at informal problem-solving meetings and at formal grievance hearings, serving as liaison among management, employees, and union representatives; participating at the bargaining table and supporting bargaining strategy, proposals, and documentation.
• Assisting with implementation and administration of newly negotiated agreements, including developing guidance, templates, and tools to support consistent application across colleges and units.
• Training management and HR colleagues on new contracts, interpretation, and administration expectations; serving as a resource for ongoing questions and complex cases.

This position offers a flexible work arrangement. Questions related to flexible work should be directed to the hiring manager during the interview process.

Previous labor relations experience in a unionized workforce is preferred; higher education experience supporting management and University leadership in an environment with unionized faculty and/or graduate assistants is strongly preferred.

The successful candidate must possess:

• Knowledge and understanding of applicable federal and state laws.
• A solutions-oriented mind set with a proven track record of thoughtful and collaborative problem solving.
• Ability to manage multiple projects.
• Ability to work both independently and cooperatively with various levels of faculty, staff, administrators, and outside agencies.
• Excellent judgment and organizational skills.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills; an outstanding customer service orientation.
• A commitment to fostering an inclusive and respectful environment; and a vision to assess and respond to rapidly changing issues.

MINIMUM EDUCATION, WORK EXPERIENCE & REQUIRED CERTIFICATIONS

• Bachelor's Degree
• 6+ years of relevant experience; or an equivalent combination of education and experience accepted
• Required Certifications: None

BACKGROUND CHECKS/CLEARANCES

Employment with the University will require successful completion of background check(s) in accordance with University policies.

Penn State does not sponsor or take over sponsorship of a staff employment Visa. Applicants must be authorized to work in the U.S.

SALARY & BENEFITS

The salary range for this position, including all possible grades, is $81,312.00 - $122,016.00.

Salary Structure - Information on Penn State's salary structure

Penn State provides a competitive benefits package for full-time employees designed to support both person