EMPLOYEE RELATIONS SPECIALIST

$80,004 - $105,000/Yr

University of Washington - Bothell, WA

Full-time

Remote - Bothell, WA

Educational Services

About the position

The Employee Relations Specialist position at the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) is a pivotal role within the People and Performance (PNP) subteam, which is part of the larger Organizational Development and Training (ODT) team. This position is designed to support IHME's diverse workforce throughout the employee lifecycle, from onboarding to exit. The PNP team is responsible for a wide range of functions that promote the growth, development, and success of IHME's personnel. This includes recruiting top talent, developing leaders, engaging managers, and supporting employees at all levels to foster a vibrant and thriving community aligned with IHME's mission. The Employee Relations Specialist will play a crucial role in managing employee relations, performance management, community-building, coaching, mediation, and facilitating personnel processes in collaboration with campus HR. In this role, the Employee Relations Specialist will serve as a technical leader, providing guidance to leadership, managers, and employees on sensitive employee matters. This includes managing grievances, resolving employee concerns, advising on performance management and corrective actions, and guiding on complex leave of absence and disability accommodations. The specialist will need to demonstrate excellent organizational skills and sound judgment in high-pressure situations, maintaining independence while managing delicate issues such as layoffs, workplace climate concerns, and conflict resolution. The position requires the ability to handle sensitive and confidential matters with discretion, thorough documentation, and analysis of employee relations issues to identify trends. The Employee Relations Specialist will act as a key advisor to management, offering guidance on corrective measures and addressing issues that could impact public relations or workplace climate. This role will frequently encounter unique challenges that require thoughtful solutions and sound decision-making. Additionally, the specialist will liaise with campus HR and Labor Relations to address employee relations cases that require collaboration on performance management, complaint resolutions, and union-related matters. To excel in this position, the ideal candidate will possess exceptional interpersonal and communication skills, enabling them to build strong relationships across IHME and the University of Washington (UW). Empathy, accountability, and an understanding of organizational complexities are essential for success in this role.

Responsibilities

• Investigate formal and informal employee inquiries and complaints; counsel staff on complaint resolution options; facilitate resolutions.
• Provide guidance with employee coaching, conflict conversations, expectation setting, documentation of employee performance, performance improvement plans, and possible terminations.
• Research, analyze, and respond to employee/manager questions and/or issues regarding HR policies and processes.
• Manage organizational layoffs due to funding, re-orgs, or lack of work and serve as a liaison between managers, employees, and the UW to support seamless communication on resources, support, and problem-solving.
• Coach and advise staff on leave of absences and accommodations; recommend and facilitate effective solutions in alignment with applicable policies and laws.
• Participate in policy writing and interpretation.
• Develop and/or deliver formal and informal supervisory training on a variety of topics pertaining to people management and leadership development.
• Partner with senior leaders to implement employee programs that build a positive culture which creates a positive employee relations climate.
• Support the employee experience as new initiatives arise and time allows (support event planning, onboarding, mentorship program, internship programs, exiting, etc.).
• Other duties as assigned.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Human Resources, Organizational Development, Psychology, or related field plus four years of employee relations experience.
• Proven capability to effectively manage exceptionally challenging or unpredictable situations and individuals.
• Exhibited ability to engage constructively with professionals of all levels within the organization.
• Proven expertise in advising managers and employees on intricate and significant matters related to employee relations.
• Demonstrated effectiveness in collaborating with management and staff groups, integrating their ideas, adjusting to their needs, and persuading them to adopt actions and decisions that align with IHME's goals.
• Demonstrated competency in guiding management through conflict and change management.
• Proven effectiveness in aiding individuals and management teams to embrace change and in facilitating the resolution of conflicts through negotiation and dispute resolution.
• Exhibited exceptional judgment in handling requests related to employee relations and confidentiality.
• Proven ability in creating client service-oriented programs.
• Comprehensive understanding of management, supervision, and leadership principles to offer expert advice and guidance.
• Demonstrated ability to apply management, training, and development theories and practices into effective human resource strategies.
• Demonstrated success in the implementation of performance management systems and in advising managers on performance evaluation processes.
• Knowledgeable in human resource practices within a large and complex organization, particularly regarding performance management programs.
• Effective communication skills, both written and oral.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate successfully with the public, faculty, students, and staff in routine operations and through formal presentations.
• Demonstrated project management skills, including the ability to think independently, track many details and logistics concurrently, be flexible, and juggle priorities for multiple ongoing projects with minimal supervision.
• Adept diplomacy and exemplary interpersonal skills required.

Nice-to-haves

• Six years of employee relations experience.
• Knowledge of University rules and regulations.
• Knowledge of the State & Federal Employment Laws.
• Experience working in human resources in a higher education institution.
• Experience working in human resources in a unionized environment.

Benefits

• Outstanding benefits
• Professional growth opportunities
• Unique resources in an environment noted for diversity, intellectual excitement, artistic pursuits and natural beauty.