Employee Relations Specialist

• JOB NUMBER: 520976

• CLASSIFICATION: Human Resources Professional 4

• GRADE: Grade 80

• WORK TYPE: Hybrid, On Campus, Staff Full-time

• ADMINISTRATIVE UNIT: University of Alaska Statewide

• SCHOOL/BUSINESS UNIT: SW Human Resources

• LOCATION: Fairbanks

• CATEGORIES:Human Resources

Position Summary:

This position is part of the UA HR Labor and Employee Engagement (LEE) team and focuses on supporting the University of Alaska Fairbanks. The incumbent must work to build professional successful relationships with UAF leadership, staff, faculty, and union representatives. Responsible for providing expert advice, guidance, and support in the areas of performance management and assist to resolve grievances and complaints which sometimes requires conducting formal investigations.

Duties:

Provide expert advice and coaching to executive management, deans, directors, HR staff, labor representatives, and employees to gather information/evidence relevant to employee relations issues and to resolve grievances, complaints, and disciplinary actions. Provide guidance for department reorganizations and layoffs and facilitate mediation when needed. Maintain current knowledge of employment case law, statutes, regulations, and trends. Handle the most sensitive, critical, and complex HR issues. Assemble and analyze data and formulate recommendations on issues. Consult with the LEE team lead, director, and general counsel as needed to ensure adherence to state and federal laws, UA Board of Regents Policy and Regulations, and applicable University CBAs. Proactively document and track cases, create case files and maintain all relevant documents and communications, provide appropriate follow up and insure closure for each assigned case. When applicable, document and close case in Maxient (when applicable), or other tracking systems.

Conduct professional formal investigations and informal inquiries using processes developed by the HR team. Conduct in-depth, accurate, and timely investigations or inquiries as needed or directed, which require a documented investigative plan and coordination, identifying applicable standards, i.e., CBA, UA Policy and Regulation, employment law, etc., ensuring proper notification, developing interview questions, identifying witnesses, assembling, and analyzing data. Must write investigative reports and informal inquiries professionally using university standards and include all relevant details, an overview of the investigation process, document all evidence used, and provide an analysis, a conclusion, and finding as it relates to any and all allegations.

Participate in all HR team meetings, workshops and trainings. Other duties assigned as they relate to the position and support the LEE team.

Knowledge/Skills/Abilities:

Well-rounded knowledge of general HR best practices. Knowledge of applicable UA Policy and Regulations and state and federal requirements, collective bargaining agreements and labor laws or similar knowledge base.  Excellent verbal, written, and presentation skills are required. Able to handle multiple tasks, adapting to change as necessary. Must be extremely well organized, and diligent at maintaining notes and summarizing meetings. Must be prepared to meet deadlines and objectives. Advanced skills in Microsoft Office Access, Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and Google applications. PHR certification preferred.

Requires extensive knowledge (preferred) or evidence of ability to quickly learn and adapt to providing professional HR guidance in conjunction with collective bargaining agreements (CBA)/labor unions.  Requires knowledge and experience, or ability, to accurately interpret and apply CBA articles, serve on union negotiating teams and successfully and timely process grievances as required by UA Policy and Regulation, or applicable CBA. Able to analyze labor relations issues, obtain relevant information through fact-finding and research, identify solutions/recommendations, and provide timely advice.

Ability to analyze issues, obtain relevant information, consider applicable standards, and provide timely advice and support to employees, faculty and leadership on employee relations matters, to include performance evaluations, feedback, performance management, discipline, mediation, reorganization and layoff guidance.

Able to successfully establish/maintain effective professional working relationships with leadership, supervisors, administrators, labor representatives, and employees. Able to express ideas clearly, effectively, and persuasively, orally and in writing. Able to maintain composure during stressful/intense interactions with others.

Ability to plan, prepare, conduct, and document in-depth investigations of potential violations of applicable standards governing employees and faculty of the university. Requires advanced analytical thinking, excellent listening skills, ability to conduct effective research, fact-finding, and witness interviews in a confidential, sensitive, highly organized, timely and well documented process. Must have professional level report writing skills with ability to summarize investigative process and written conclusion with concise analysis of findings.

REQUIRED EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE, OR TRAINING:

Bachelor's degree in Human Resources or other related field and five years progressively responsible experience in human resources, business, or similar experience, or an equivalent combination of training and experience. Professional in Human Resources (PHR) certification preferred. Advanced professional writing experience required. Investigation experience preferred.

Salary Information:

This position is a full-time, Grade 80, (minimum $58,698/yr DOE), 12-month position complete with a competitive salary and UA employee benefits package. UA provides a generous compensation package that includes excellent benefits including retirement options, annual leave, 12 paid holidays per year, tuition waivers for employees and family members, and affordable medical, dental and vision care coverage. 

This position is open until filled with the initial application review taking place on July 11, 2022. To ensure your application is considered, apply by 11:55 pm Alaska Standard Time, 7/10/2022. 

To be eligible for this position, applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States without restriction. Applicants who now or may in the future require visa sponsorship to work in the United States are not eligible.

UAF COVID Requirements:

Effective immediately, all new UAF hires, whose job function or work location results in the employee being subject to the UAF vaccine requirements guided by the Federal Contractor Employee vaccine mandate*, must be fully vaccinated with an FDA- or WHO- authorized or approved COVID-19 vaccine or have obtained a university-approved disability/medical or religious exemption no later than six weeks from the new hire's start date.

*Employees based on UAF’s Troth Yeddha’ (Fairbanks) campus, regardless of university affiliation and remote work status; Employees based in UAF research units outside Fairbanks (including Seward Marine Center, Kodiak Seafood and Marine Science Center, HAARP, Poker Flat, Lena Point, and Toolik Field Station); and Employees, regardless of their work location, paid by or directly working on impacted UAF federal contract.

Reasonable Accommodation Statement:

The University of Alaska (UA) is responsible for providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities throughout the applicant screening process. If you need assistance in completing this application or during any phase of the interview process, please contact UA Human Resources by phone at 907-450-8200.

Affirmative Action Statement:

UA is an AA/EO employer and educational institution and prohibits illegal discrimination against any individual: www.alaska.edu/nondiscrimination

Background Check:

The successful applicant is required to complete a background check. Any offer of employment is contingent on the background check.

Probationary Period:

Pursuant to University Regulation 04.07.020, new employees of the University are employed in an at-will probationary status for the first six months of employment. During the probationary period, employment may be terminated for no reason or any reason. Promoted employees also serve a probationary period with limited rights of retreat.

Public Disclosure Statement:

Your application for employment with the University of Alaska is subject to public disclosure under the Alaska Public Records Act.

University of Alaska is a Drug-Free Workplace. University of Alaska campuses are Tobacco-Free. 

Training Policy:

It is the policy of the University of Alaska (UA) that all employees are required to complete training to meet the requirements of the positions they hold, and to complete the required training within a specified period to remain employed at the UA.

Contact Information:

If you have any questions regarding this position, please contact University of Alaska HR at 907-450-8200.