Senior HR & Employee Relations Partner

Grosse-Pointe-Public-School-System; Grosse Pointe (MI); On-site; USD 50,000 - 74,000; Full time

Job summary

Grosse Pointe Public Schools System is seeking a Senior Employee Relations Specialist to partner with the Chief Personnel Officer and provide day-to-day HR support in employee relations, labor relations, recruitment, compliance, and strategic HR initiatives.

Under the Chief Personnel Officer, this role offers responsive consultation, conducts workplace investigations, assists with labor contract administration, and supports recruitment and retention efforts while upholding district policies and

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Human Resources, Labor Relations, Business Administration, Public Administration, or related field.
• Minimum five (5) years of progressively responsible professional Human Resources experience.
• Demonstrated experience conducting workplace investigations.
• Experience providing employee relations guidance and coaching to supervisors.
• Experience interpreting and administering collective bargaining agreements.
• Experience in a unionized environment.
• Knowledge of federal and state employment laws.
• Excellent written, verbal, interpersonal, conflict resolution, and organizational skills.
• Ability to exercise sound judgment and maintain strict confidentiality.
• Master's Degree.
• SHRM-CP, SHRM-SCP, PHR, or SPHR certification.
• Public school Human Resources experience.
• Collective bargaining experience.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the day-to-day HR partner for principals, supervisors, and district administrators regarding routine employee relations matters.
• Conduct workplace investigations involving employee complaints, misconduct, policy violations, harassment, discrimination, and other personnel matters under the direction of the Chief Personnel Officer.
• Prepare investigative reports, findings, and recommendations.
• Coach administrators regarding performance management, attendance concerns, documentation, conflict resolution, and progressive discipline.
• Draft disciplinary correspondence, counseling memoranda, performance improvement plans, and settlement documentation.
• Assist administrators in resolving workplace conflict while promoting positive employee relations.
• Escalate complex, high-risk, or legally sensitive matters to the Chief Personnel Officer.
• Interpret labor contracts and provide day-to-day guidance to administrators regarding contract language.
• Assist in responding to grievances and preparing supporting documentation.
• Participate in grievance meetings and labor-management meetings.
• Support collective bargaining preparation through research, costing, data collection, and implementation of negotiated agreements.
• Monitor compliance with collective bargaining agreements.
• Partner with administrators throughout the recruitment and selection process.
• Coordinate recruitment efforts for instructional, administrative, and exempt staff positions.
• Participate in interviews and selection processes.
• Develop recruitment strategies to address hard-to-fill positions.
• Support executive-level recruitment.
• Coordinate onboarding for new employees in collaboration with the HR Coordinator.
• Evaluate recruitment effectiveness and recommend process improvements.
• Analyze workforce trends including vacancies, turnover, retirements, and staffing patterns.
• Conduct exit interview analysis and identify retention opportunities.
• Assist in developing recruitment and retention strategies.
• Support succession planning initiatives.
• Prepare workforce analytics and reports for district leadership.
• Assist with employee engagement and recognition initiatives.
• Serve as a trusted advisor to principals and department leaders on routine Human Resources matters.
• Provide day-to-day guidance regarding employment practices, district policies, and personnel procedures.
• Assist in developing and delivering administrator training related to employee relations, investigations, documentation, supervision, and labor contract administration.
• Partner with district leaders to proactively identify and resolve employee concerns.
• Assist in the administration of ADA accommodations and the interactive process.
• Coordinate FMLA, Workers' Compensation, and other employee leave programs.
• Monitor compliance with employment laws, Board policy, administrative guidelines, and district procedures.
• Maintain confidential personnel records and employment documentation.
• Assist with state reporting and compliance requirements.
• Prepare Human Resources reports, Board reports, staffing analyses, and workforce metrics.
• Assist with implementation of Human Resources initiatives aligned with the district Strategic Plan.
• Participate in policy review and development.
• Recommend improvements to Human Resources processes, procedures, and systems.
• Participate in special projects assigned by the Chief Personnel Officer.
• Prepare HR Board reports, staffing reports, and required state reports.
• Track administrator certifications and district compliance requirements.
• Coordinate executive and administrative hiring processes.
• Oversee implementation of HRIS contract changes and assist with system troubleshooting.
• Coordinate special HR initiatives and grant-related personnel projects.
• Support onboarding of instructional and administrative staff.
• Collaborate with Payroll, Business Services, and district leadership regarding personnel actions.
• Perform other duties as assigned by the Chief Personnel Officer.

Skills

Workplace investigations

Employee relations guidance

Interpreting bargaining agreements

Unionized environment experience

Employment laws knowledge

Confidentiality

Education

Bachelor's Degree in HR, Labor Relations, Business Administration, Public Administration, or related field

Master's Degree

Job description

Grosse Pointe Public Schools System is seeking a Senior Employee Relations Specialist to partner with the Chief Personnel Officer and provide day-to-day HR support in employee relations, labor relations, recruitment, compliance, and strategic HR initiatives.

Under the Chief Personnel Officer, this role offers responsive consultation, conducts workplace investigations, assists with labor contract administration, and supports recruitment and retention efforts while upholding district policies and