Academic Labor & Employee Relations Specialist

Who We Are

Founded in 1965, UC Irvine is a member of the prestigious Association of American Universities and is ranked among the nation’s top 10 public universities by U.S. News & World Report. The campus has produced five Nobel laureates and is known for its academic achievement, premier research, innovation and anteater mascot. Led by Chancellor Howard Gillman, UC Irvine has more than 36,000 students and offers 224 degree programs. It’s located in one of the world’s safest and most economically vibrant communities and is Orange County’s second-largest employer, contributing $7 billion annually to the local economy and $8 billion statewide.

To learn more about UC Irvine, visit www.uci.edu.

Join our energized and effective team, committed to the success of brilliant academic personnel at UC Irvine! Office of Academic Personnel at UC Irvine is shaping the future by supporting and developing a thriving academic community, through trusted partnerships, expert guidance, and leadership. As part of the Provost's Office team, we implement policies and create programs that enable our faculty and other academic appointees to focus on their innovative research, teaching, and service responsibilities. Within Office of Academic Personnel, the Academic Labor and Employee Relations unit supports all levels of leadership in administering our academic collective bargaining agreements and building successful and productive workplaces.

This is a two year contract position.

Your Role on the Team

Within the large, complex, and dynamic setting of the University of California, the Academic Labor and Employee Relations Specialist (LER Specialist) is a key member of the UCI Academic Personnel labor and employee relations team. This team works to enhance the relationship between the University and campus employees by providing direction and guidance on unions, policies, agreements, and more. The team works closely with managers and supervisors across campus to ensure that the correct application of policies, procedures, and laws are being used to manage UCI's diverse and dynamic workforce. Through various forms of intervention, Academic LER offers balanced advocacy to protect respective rights of management and employees, and to facilitate a more harmonious work environment and productive labor relations.

The LER Specialist will utilize academic employee and labor relations knowledge and experience to provide consultation and recommendations to academic leadership regarding strategic decision-making on a wide range of matters, including performance management, compliance, conflict management, grievance resolution for both represented and non-represented academic appointees, and other related areas.

The LER Specialist is a technical leader who is responsible for labor and employee relations matters that are diverse and complex in scope, requiring analysis of many factors and development of solutions in creative and effective ways that balance risk and business needs. The LER Specialist will regularly lead employee and labor relations projects critical to the organization and work on systemwide projects and objectives. The LER Specialist will develop internal and external contacts and determine methods and procedures on new assignments.

The LER Specialist provides high impact employee and labor relations support to managers and supervisors in order to resolve all levels of issues; facilitates meetings with union representatives, employees, and management in an effort to resolve problems; identifies issues requiring corrective action and provides alternatives for resolution; assists with formal documentation of disciplinary actions up to and including dismissal; makes necessary referrals and obtains required approvals as appropriate; and, regularly updates stakeholders.

The LER Specialist will ensure UCI’s compliance with academic personnel policy and procedure, labor agreements, and employee/labor relations laws within the scope of the position. The LER Specialist works effectively with people from diverse cultures to provide employee and labor relations support; works collaboratively with systemwide and campus stakeholder offices; and reviews and responds to complex and sensitive complaints and information requests, including discrimination, harassment, retaliation, whistleblower, abusive conduct, and EEOC.

The LER Specialist coordinates campus response and addresses requests for information from unions and outside legal counsel in preparation of litigation, grievance proceedings, or adjudication. In consultation with the Director and other members of the Academic Labor and Employee Relations team, the LER Specialist may be asked to present the University’s position at grievance and arbitration hearings; prepare written responses, analyses, and recommendations; write responses for University management; assist hearing officers or committees with the administrative/grievance review process. In consultation with the Director, the Specialist facilitates settlement of disputes both formally and informally, and negotiates and finalizes written settlement agreements in accordance with University policies and procedures. The LER Specialist provides subject matter expertise and expert testimony at depositions, hearings, adjudication proceedings, grievance hearings, and litigation.

Under minimal direction and in consultation with UCI’s Director of Academic Labor and Employee Relations, the LER Specialist demonstrates good judgment in selecting methods and techniques for obtaining solutions. The LER Specialist normally receives little direction on assignments and may serve in a lead capacity, providing guidance to other employee and labor relations professionals. The LER Specialist prioritizes work assignments, adapts to changing priorities, and conducts complex and varied analyses and develops resulting recommendations.

UCI seeks candidates with employee and labor relations experience in a large, complex academic and health sciences setting, preferably within the University of California.

What It Takes to be Successful

Required:

• Possesses advanced analytical skills to conduct analysis and develop recommendations, demonstrating organization and problem-solving skills.
• Demonstrates advanced knowledge of organizational policies and procedures; advanced knowledge of functional area and understands how work impacts other areas in Academic Personnel and the organization.
• Has advanced knowledge of labor / employment law and the principles and techniques of labor negotiations; strong knowledge of dispute resolution and grievance procedures and expert knowledge of administering and ensuring adherence to labor/union contracts.
• Has advanced knowledge of applicable state and federal laws and court decisions regarding employment related matters needed to minimize exposure.
• Has advanced knowledge of other areas in human resources for academic personnel; capable of developing, interpreting, implementing and administering organization-wide academic personnel policies and processes.
• Demonstrates the advanced level skills necessary to bargain and represent the university's interests effectively.
• Demonstrated skills to provide guidance to managers and employees on complex and significant labor and employee relations issues.
• Demonstrated skills and abilities in leading management in the areas of conflict and change management.
• Demonstrated ability to exercise excellent judgment in responding to employee and labor relations related requests.
• Understanding of the principles related to management, supervision and leadership to provide expert level advice and counsel.
• Demonstrated success in administering performance management systems and mentoring managers on the process of evaluating performance.
• Demonstrates advanced knowledge of the principles of advocacy in order to represent the organization in complex and sensitive dispute forums.
• Possesses specialized knowledge within labor relations field.
• Demonstrates ability to lead and mentor other labor relations professionals. Demonstrated ability to handle extremely difficult or volatile situations / individuals effectively.
• Written, verbal and presentation skills for presenting and communicating complex information to managers at varying levels in the organization on employee relations issues.
• Bachelor's degree in related area and / or equivalent experience / training
• Juris Doctorate.
• Minimum 5 years in field of labor and employee relations with progressive responsibilities with bachelor’s degree; minimum 3 years in field of labor and employee relations with progressive responsibilities with master’s degree or juris doctrate.

Preferred:

• Demonstrates expert knowledge of systemwide, campus and / or other postsecondary academic institution or medical center policies and procedures; expert knowledge of functional area and understands how work impacts other areas in Academic Personnel and the system.
• Master's degree in Human Resources, Business, or related field.

Total Rewards

In addition to the salary range listed below, we offer a wealth of benefits to make working at UCI even more rewarding. These benefits may include medical insurance, sick and vacation time, retirement savings plans, and access to a number of discounts and perks. Please utilize the links listed here to learn more about our compensation practices and benefits.

The expected pay range for this recruitment is $135,000- $169,000 (Annual).

Conditions of Employment:

The University of California, Irvine (UCI) seeks to provide a safe and healthy environment for the entire UCI community. As part of this commitment, all applicants who accept an offer of employment must comply with the following conditions of employment:

• Background Check and Live Scan
• Employment Misconduct*
• Legal Right to work in the United States
• Vaccination Policies
• Smoking and Tobacco Policy
• Drug Free Environment

*Misconduct Disclosure Requirement: As a condition of employment, the final candidate who accepts a conditional offer of employment will be required to disclose if they have been subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct; received notice of any allegations or are currently the subject of any administrative or disciplinary proceedings involving misconduct; have left a position after receiving notice of allegations or while under investigation in an administrative or disciplinary proceeding involving misconduct; or have filed an appeal of a finding of misconduct with a previous employer.

The following additional conditions may apply, some of which are dependent upon business unit or job specific requirements.

• California Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act
• E-Verify
• Pre-Placement Health Evaluation

Details of each policy may be reviewed by visiting the following page - https://hr.uci.edu/new-hire/conditions-of-employment.php

Closing Statement:

The University of California is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, or other protected categories covered by the UC Anti-Discrimination Policy.

We are committed to attracting and retaining a diverse workforce along with honoring unique experiences, perspectives, and identities. Together, our community strives to create and maintain working and learning environments that are inclusive, equitable, and welcoming.

UCI provides reasonable accommodations for applicants with disabilities upon request. For more information, please contact Human Resources at (949) 824-0500 or [email protected].

Consideration for Work Authorization Sponsorship

Must be able to provide proof of work authorization