Senior Employee Relations Specialist

Bernalillo; Albuquerque (NM); Hybrid; USD 54,000 - 85,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Remote & flex-work options

Health benefits

Career development opportunities

Education assistance program

Job summary

Bernalillo County in Albuquerque, NM, is seeking a Senior Employee Relations Specialist within the Human Resources Department. You will serve as a senior member of the employee relations team, handling union contract administration, grievances, and labor negotiations to support a high-quality public service framework.

The role requires advising managers on policies and employment matters, maintaining case files, generating analytics, and ensuring compliance with NLRA, Title VII, NMHRA, ADA, and

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Public Administration, or a related field.
• Two years of related work experience.
• Any equivalent combination of related education and/or experience may be considered for the above requirements.

Responsibilities

• Investigate, gather, and analyze information to ensure actions comply with policies and laws.
• Assist with administrative investigations involving employee conduct and ethics.
• Develop and revise the employee relations framework with policy improvements.
• Maintain an organized case management system and generate analytics for reporting.
• Advise managers on employment matters including policies, performance, and discipline.
• Ensure compliance with NLRA, Title VII, NMHRA, ADA, and FMLA.
• Deliver training to managers and staff on policies and best practices.
• Maintain confidential records per county policies.

Skills

Labor relations expertise

Investigation & analytical skills

Policy development & training

Communication & advisory

Education

Bachelor's degree in HR/BA/PA or related

Tools

LaborSoft database

Data analytics tools

Job description

Job Posting Title: Senior Employee Relations Specialist Department: Human Resources Location: 415 SILVER AVE SW Pay Range: $54,018.00 - $85,363.00 Close Date: November 8, 2026 Employees at Bernalillo County enjoy the ability to team up with each other to build a high quality of life for our county residents, communities, and businesses. In addition to being an organization with a strong focus on work-life balance, building a culture of flexibility, learning, and belonging the County offers many benefits. Employees of Bernalillo County enjoy many thoughtful rewards such as, but not limited to generous leave accruals; career development opportunities; remote & flex-work options as appropriate; longevity pay; education assistance program; health benefits; lucrative retirement; and so much more.

The Employee Relations Specialist Senior performs professional and technical personnel services to support employees, managers, and the County. Serving as a senior member of the employee relations team, this position functions as a subject matter expert in labor relations. Key responsibilities include union contract administration, grievance handling, and labor negotiations. This role also contributes to the strategic development of employee relations practices and ensures compliance with all applicable laws and collective bargaining agreements. These updates reflect the evolving scope of the position and provide a more dynamic and precise understanding of its expectations and requirements.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Investigate, gather, and analyze information to ensure employment actions comply with County policies, applicable laws, and collective bargaining agreements.
• Assist with administrative investigations involving employee conduct and ethics as assigned by Human Resources Labor Relations.
• Support the development and revision of the employee relations framework, recommending improvements to policies and practices.
• Maintain an organized case management system; generate analytics and metrics for data-driven reporting.
• Advise managers and employees on employment matters, including policies, performance management, coaching, hiring, and disciplinary actions.
• Maintain disciplinary and grievance files for the Labor/Employee Relations Section.
• Conduct advanced research and investigations; recommend effective solutions for labor relations matters.
• Enter data related to random and post-accident drug testing into the LaborSoft database.
• Enter and manage unemployment claim data within the LaborSoft database.
• Research and draft new or revised employment policies to ensure legal compliance and alignment with County standards.
• Deliver training to managers and staff on policies and best practices.
• Apply advanced knowledge of union contract administration, including grievance handling and contract negotiations.
• Ensure compliance with labor relations laws such as the NLRA, Title VII, NMHRA, ADA, FMLA, and others.
• Generate reports related to terminations, grievances, and other labor-related activities.
• Prepare statistical reports and respond to inquiries related to labor and employee relations.
• Coordinate confidential inquiries and public records requests with other HR sections.
• Schedule and coordinate meetings regarding employee or labor relations with department leaders and HR Labor Relations.
• Prepare written communications, conduct research, and deliver presentations on employee and labor relations topics to ensure programs reflect current best practices.
• Handle confidential records and information with discretion and in compliance with County confidentiality policies.

*The above information is intended to outline the general nature and scope of the duties required for this position. It is not an exhaustive list and may vary depending on specific job assignments and responsibilities.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Public Administration, or a related field.
• Two (2) years of related work experience.
• *Any equivalent combination of related education and/or experience may be considered for the above requirements.

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION SCREENING AND COMPLIANCE

• Successful completion of a post-offer employment medical examination.
• Adherence to all County safety guidelines.
• Complete all FEMA training(s) assigned to this position.
• Possession of a valid New Mexico driver's license by the date of hire and maintenance of a valid license while employed in this position.
• Complete required supervisor training, if applicable.

WORKING CONDITIONS

• Essential job duties are performed indoors in a climate-controlled environment. Primary work surface is even, dry, carpeted or tiled floor.
• Works alone primarily, with or without directions.
• Works with a group at times and with a select team at times.

EQUIPMENT, TOOLS, AND MATERIALS

• Equipment typically used in the performance of office duties includes telephone, computer, printer, and copy machine.
• Materials and products handled on performance of duties include logs, spreadsheet, graphs, pie charts, writing utensils, safety manual, rules and regulations, and various office forms.