Director of Employee Relations

Department: Human Resources

Classification: Administrative Faculty

Job Category: Classified Staff

Job Type: Full-Time

Work Schedule: Full-time (1.0 FTE, 40 hrs/wk)

Location: Fairfax, VA

Workplace Type: Hybrid Eligible

Salary: Salary commensurate with education and experience

Criminal Background Check: Yes

About the Department:

The primary purpose of the Human Resources Department is to support the university mission through the development and implementation of policies, programs, and practices that attract, compensate, train and reward faculty and staff.

About the Position:

The Director of Employee Relations manages the employee relations function, team, and programs at George Mason University and oversees the criminal background check process. This position partners with critical stakeholders within and outside of the human resources department to ensure effective and efficient employee relations programming. Among other areas, the Director develops and maintains close partnerships with the Organizational Development & Learning (ODL) team to implement overall employee relations strategy, the Senior Leadership Team/designees to handle more complex executive and faculty level employee relations matters, and the Office for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) to ensure successful resolution of employee relations matters. This position is part of the leadership team in Human Resources, helping to drive change, improve processes and collaborate with multiple stakeholders across the university.

In addition to a first-class culture at Virginia’s largest public university, this position offers:

• Potential for flexible and hybrid telework scheduling
• A competitive salary
• Outstanding benefits, including:
• Health and life insurance
• Multiple industry-leading retirement plans, including the state VRS Hybrid Retirement Plan
• Accrued paid days off per year
• Paid holidays and winter break
• Paid sick leave
• Professional development opportunities
• Tuition reimbursement at George Mason University
• Employee assistance programs

Responsibilities:

• Supervises employee relations staff and oversees the management of employee relations cases, as well as the criminal background check process. 
• Provides confidential assistance to university employees and leadership to help identify and resolve work-related problems or proactively avoid potential problems;
• Advises Provost, Deans, department chairs, faculty and leaders of administrative areas regarding personnel issues;
• Provides individual coaching, group consultations, dispute resolution assistance including mediation and facilitate conversations;
• Advises supervisors on disciplinary procedures, manages grievances, advises on performance management in general, oversees unemployment claims, makes Employee Assistance Program referrals, and oversees environmental assessments;
• Interprets federal, state, and university laws and policies as it relates to employment law and procedures;
• Oversees federal and state policy changes related to employment and personnel;
• Works closely with subject matter experts and HR leaders to communicate the impact of potential changes to business operations within HR and the organization;
• Serves on Campus Threat Assessment Team (TAT), in addition to the Emergency Operations Group (EOG), Insider Threat Advisory Group, Faculty Handbook Committee, A/P Faculty Handbook Committee (chair) and other university committees as needed; and
• Participates as a trainer in areas of expertise, partnering with ODL, the Provost’s Office, and other university partners. 

Required Qualifications:

• Master’s degree in a related field or an equivalent combination of education, training, and experience;
• Demonstrated experience leading a team, including people management and creating and implementing a strategic vision;
• Demonstrated experience supervising others;
• Significant work experience with teams or other cooperative groups;
• Progressively responsible HR experience including cooperative group program development and evaluation;
• Knowledge of mediation and other dispute resolution techniques;
• Comprehensive knowledge of HR functions, such as compensation, training, policy development, employee communications, work/life balance, and HR information systems;
• Knowledge of applicable laws, policies, procedures and regulations (Title IX, ADA, FLSA, FMLA, Title VII, ADEA, etc.);
• Demonstrated strong written and oral communication skills;
• Ability to work effectively with diverse populations;
• Ability to handle complex sensitive issues in a professional and confidential manner; and
• Related professional certification, such as SPHR and/or SHRM-SCP, preferred.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Terminal degree in a related field highly preferred but not required to be a successful candidate;
• Experience in higher education and faculty matters;
• Experience with state classified grievance processes and alternative dispute resolution;
• Knowledge of typical HR data management and analysis techniques.

Instructions to Applicants: 

For full consideration, applicants must apply for Director of Employee Relations at https://jobs.gmu.edu/. Complete and submit the online application to include three professional references with contact information, and provide a Cover Letter/Letter of Intent with Resume for review.

Posting Open Date: August 23, 2024

For Full Consideration, Apply by:  September 23, 2024

Open Until Filled?:  Yes