Senior Employee Relations Consultant

Overview

We are seeking an experienced Senior Employee Relations Consultant who will serve as a strategic advisor to assigned departments, staff, and other customers on HR matters and help further city initiatives and goals. The Senior Employee Relations Consultant will be one of three team members providing consultative support to the city's 13 departments and a workforce of over 1800 employees. The position will collaborate with stakeholders to administer, apply, and integrate citywide approaches and policies to solve customer needs.

The Senior Employee Relations Consultant will manage employee relations and be the primary point of contact for department management and employees in providing support for addressing workplace concerns. A key component of this role will be to lead and conduct investigations into complaints raised, on performance-related issues, or to manage any investigations handled externally. The Senior Employee Relations Consultant collaborates, communicates and coordinates with other HR colleagues on a variety of HR issues given their role serving as a primary contact for city departments' staff to include partnerships with the labor relations, recruitment & workforce planning, classification & compensation, benefits, leave management, and organizational training and development.

In the HR Department, you\'ll be a part of an engaged, enthusiastic team, dedicated to providing exceptional services to the city\'s managers and employees, and to job seekers and external partners. Bellevue employees embrace the values of innovation, integrity, stewardship, collaboration, accountability, diversity, equity, and inclusion, and take pride in the work they do. The City Council\'s vision is that Bellevue welcomes the world, our diversity is our strength, and we embrace the future while respecting our past.

Responsibilities

HR Consulting – Provide human resources support to department management and employees. Through a strategic and collaborative approach, work with others in the human resources department to address organizational needs, either leading or advising on communications, training, team building, needs assessments, or other organizational development focused activities to proactively address departmental needs. Familiar with using organizational data to aid leadership in strategic direction and identification of opportunities to increase overall performance. This position will also provide consultative support as needed to departments on workplace staffing strategies involving reorganizations, layoffs, creation of new positions, and realignment of existing positions.

Employee & Labor Relations – Serve as an advisor to managers on handling performance or disciplinary issues, complaints and grievances, inappropriate behavior, and other aspects of employee issues that may arise. Manage complex employee relations issues from coaching up to termination. Implement policies and procedures and provisions in the collective bargaining agreements to ensure consistent application, ensuring precedence and past practice are taken into consideration. Develop and maintain respectful labor relations.

Workplace Investigations – Oversee external or conduct internal investigations as required with an objective, impartial lens. Ensure that key stakeholders receive the necessary communications throughout the process until the conclusion of the investigation. Draft investigative documents (e.g., summary findings) and any related corrective actions as needed and maintain documentation of investigation in compliance with records retention guidelines.

Special Projects and Other Duties as Assigned – Coordinate and oversee special long-term and short-term projects as required or any other duties as assigned to further advance city initiatives and programs.

Work is performed in a hybrid environment, with two days in office days or as needed.

Supervision Received and Exercised

Works under the general supervision of the HR Manager.

No formal supervisory responsibilities but may act as lead to other staff and given responsibility for various HR related programs.

The successful candidate must have a strong understanding of the human resources field, with experience advising managers on employment issues while utilizing their knowledge of federal, state, and local regulations to ensure that compliance and best practices are achieved. It is important that the individual understands HR business process systems, has great collaborative skills to build positive relationships with multi-disciplinary teams / departments, and be able to engage our customers in a way that provides the level of consultation needed to educate, inform, resolve, partner or provide the services or products requested. We are looking for a dynamic, highly motivated individual with great interpersonal skills, technical knowledge, and proven experience in the HR field, who wants to join a future-focused, diversity and equity driven, high performing collaborative city team.

Education and Experience Requirements :

• Five or more years of professional related experience in human resources in a business partner / generalist capacity with demonstrated experience and expertise in employee and labor relations, performance management, workplace investigations, employee engagement and development, workplace planning and staffing.
• Graduation from an accredited college or university with a bachelor\'s, master\'s, or doctorate degree in human resources, psychology, communications, business, public administration or related field highly desired but not required.
• Or any equivalent combination of education, experience, and training that provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities will be taken into consideration.
• Relevant education credentials including HR certifications (IPMA-HR, HRCI, or SHRM) highly desired but not required.

The physical demands and work environment described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Flexible / Hybrid Working :

The City is implementing a flexible / hybrid work policy that will allow staff to work remotely. Remote work for this position is subject to department\'s operational needs and will be discussed with candidates during the selection process. Once hired, employees must reside in the State of Washington.

J-18808-Ljbffr