CAREERS AT EASTERN

Job Title:

Director - Labor Relations - E99944

Location:

Cheney

FLSA Status:

Exempt

Work Schedule Type:

Regular

Work Schedule:

Monday-Friday 8:00 am-5:00 pm; occasional evenings and weekends

Term of Appointment:

12 Months

Job Summary:

The Director of Labor Relations manages a comprehensive labor relations program for Eastern Washington University. The Director of Labor Relations coordinates and participates in collective bargaining with the various Unions on campus, including the Washington Federation of State Employees (WFSE), Public School Employees (PSE), Police Guild (Guild) and United Faculty of Eastern (UFE). The position is also responsible for providing employee performance management advice to supervisors and managing disciplinary, grievance, and arbitration processes. The Director of Labor Relations is also responsible for providing guidance and training on a multitude of various labor and policy related topics for all employee groups and supervisors. This position is also responsible for tracking, and responding to, union information requests, and public records requests as assigned, as well as management of all demands to bargain, mandatory subjects notices, unfair labor practice filings, union management committee and joint labor management committee meetings. This position is responsible for establishing and maintaining productive and positive relationships with key union representatives and working carefully to resolve disputes at the lowest possible level.

EWU is committed to supporting and promoting a workforce that is welcoming to all and encourages applicants of all backgrounds to apply for this position.

The salary for this position is $120,331 - $125,000. Where the hired candidate will begin within this range is dependent on education, experience, and skills.

In addition to salary, the university offers a comprehensive benefits package including health insurance and disability insurance and retirement. In addition, EWU offers generous vacation and sick leave accruals, 12 paid holidays per year and fringe benefits, such as tuition waiver for employees and eligible family members, discounted EWU sports tickets, full access to our campus workout facilities at a minimum fee and free transportation through STA buses. For additional information regarding insurance benefits please see our Benefits page: https://inside.ewu.edu/hr/benefits-briefing/benefits/insurance/

Applications are open and accepted until recruitment is closed. Screening of applications will begin as they are received. A three-day notice will be provided prior to closure of recruitment. All materials will be held in strictest confidence; references will not be contacted until candidates have been notified.

Eastern Washington University provides an inclusive, equitable, and transformative learning experience, driving the pursuit of knowledge with affordable academic excellence.

About Eastern Washington University:

Eastern Washington University, a regional, comprehensive public university with an enrollment of over 10,000 students, is one of six state-funded four-year institutions of higher education in Washington, each governed by its own board of trustees. As the region’s polytechnic, we are recognized for our distinctive approach to hands-on learning that leads to in-demand careers. EWU’s 300-acre main campus is located in Cheney, a community of 12,000 residents 16 miles southwest of Washington’s second largest city, Spokane. Eastern also offers programs in downtown Spokane at the innovative, energy-efficient Catalyst building, the SIERR building which is a hub for research, development and advancement of health sciences. In addition, EWU programs can be found at select locations throughout the state, aligned with the needs of the community. Eastern contributes to the vitality of the region and the state through its wide array of bachelor’s and master’s degrees in over 100 fields of study, as well as applied doctorates in physical therapy and educational leadership, offering accessible pathways to career success and personal development to students of all socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds.

Eastern Washington University has been recognized for its commitment to helping undergraduate students learn, grow and succeed by Colleges of Distinction, a nationally trusted resource guide for college-bound students. The honor recognizes Eastern as a ’26 -’27 College of Distinction (CoD), the second consecutive year it has received the national recognition.

Tribal Land Acknowledgement:

At Eastern Washington University, we are proud to recognize the land of the Spokane Tribe and other tribes that shared the land for fishing and trading. The Spokane Tribe, Coeur d’Alene Tribe, Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, the Kalispel Tribe, and the Nez Perce Tribe are integral to the cultural heritage and traditional ethnological knowledge of the land.

Native American heritage is woven into the fabric of our institution, enriching our community through tribal culture, historical teachings, and tribal language, and is embraced daily by students, staff, faculty, and the Eastern Washington community.

At EWU, we are committed to reflecting on and acknowledging the historical injustices of genocide and the forced removal of tribal peoples and all our relatives. EWU recognizes and honors tribal sovereignty and government to government relationships with tribes.

From here forward, EWU will remain committed to supporting, honoring, and recognizing the Native American community and the dynamic contributions that are shared with our university.

Equal Opportunity Statement:

EWU does not discriminate in its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, citizenship or immigration status, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, genetic information, age, marital status, families with children, protected veteran or military status, HIV or hepatitis C, status as a mother breastfeeding her child, or the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability or the use of a trained guide dog or service animal by a person with a disability, as provided for and to the extent required by state and federal laws.

Conditions of Employment:

This position, during the course of university employment will be involved in the receipt of, or accountability for, university funds or other items of value, as well as the unsupervised access with the developmentally disabled, vulnerable adults or children under the age of 16. The offer of employment is contingent upon successful completion and passing of a background check prior to beginning employment.

Applicants must be authorized to work for ANY employer in the U.S. We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment Visa currently. Sponsorship is not available for this position at this time.

All new employees must comply with EWU Immunization Policy 602-02 and provide proof of immunity or vaccination to MMR before beginning work at EWU. Waivers for the immunization requirements are available for medical or sincerely held religious beliefs.

This is an Administrative Exempt position and is covered by EWU Policy 406- 01, Exempt Employment: https://inside.ewu.edu/policies/knowledge-base/ewu-406-01-exempt-employment/After starting employment, employees will complete the required training via Canvas. The Office of Employee Belonging, Development, and Leadership will reach out to you concerning Workplace Belonging training and asynchronous New Employee Orientation.

Note: Interviews might be conducted via Zoom (camera must be enabled). If so, candidates must be able to demonstrate competence using Zoom and other technologies.

Physical Demands:

Contact Human Resources at jobs.ewu.edu to obtain a copy of the Essential Functions Analysis which will describe conditions of employment, such as physical demands.

Protective Equipment: 

University, local, regional, and state mandates for public and personal protection should be followed as needed.

Required Qualifications:

Any combination of nine (9) total years of experience in labor relations, human resources, business or public administration, with an emphasis on labor relations, preferably in public organizations and/or institutions of higher education.

Progressively responsible experience to include:

• Labor contract negotiation, administration and strategies
• Interpretation and managing grievances and other union related issues
• Arbitration and progressive discipline processes
• Labor and employee relations principles and practices

This position will be expected to:

• Apply appropriate research methods, data collection and analysis
• Review, understand and explain relevant federal, state and local employee relations laws, rules and regulations, collectives bargaining agreements and university policies
• Comply with records retention and management requirements
• Advise the university concerning labor relations matters, producing work that is accurate and thorough to ensure a high-quality work product, advise and/or interpretations
• Effectively multi-task and work in a demanding work-environment with quick deadlines
• Develop and facilitate training
• Work confidentially
• Establish, and maintain, complex and effective working relationships with others across the university, as well as union counterparts and negotiators
• Remain up to date on current legal decision making, and impacts on the university, as well as any law, rule or policy changes that impact labor relations; membership on the National Labor Relations Board may be requested.
• Will collaborate closely with Human Resources colleagues to ensure labor relations recommendations, strategies, and decisions are informed by a comprehensive understanding of their broader organizational and operational impacts.
• Will proactively consult with HR team members regarding potential implications for compensation, benefits, classification, recruitment and retention, employee relations, policies and procedures, HR operations, and other areas of workforce management.
• Will incorporate relevant HR expertise and perspectives into labor relations strategies and recommendations to promote consistency, identify unintended consequences, assess risk, and support sound institutional decision-making.
• Will maintain open and timely communication with HR leadership and appropriate team members regarding significant labor relations matters, proposed agreements, bargaining positions, and other decisions that may affect HR programs, practices, systems, budgets, or employees.
• Will maintain thorough, accurate, timely, and well-organized documentation of labor relations activities, including negotiations, bargaining proposals, tentative and final agreements, grievances, significant communications, decisions, and other relevant records.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s Degree or Master’s Degree in human resources, business or public administration.
• SHRM-CP, SHRM SCP

PHR, SPHR Master’s degree in human resources, labor relations, business or public administration, or related field preferred. Higher education experience in Human Resources or Labor Relations preferred.

Special Instructions to Candidates:

It is strongly recommended that you print a copy of these instructions and the position posting before you begin to complete the online application, as the instructions will not be viewable once you begin the application process.
Required documentation includes all of the items listed below.
1. Attach a detailed cover letter in which you explain how you meet each of the required qualifications [and preferred qualifications, if applicable]. It is preferred that you provide the information in a bulleted list or as a table within your cover letter.
2. Attach a chronological resume including work history and major duties, education, and any specialized training or skills related to the position. List at least 3 professional references including: names, titles, organization name, phone numbers, email addresses, and connection to you (these can be identical to the references listed on the application).
3. Complete the online application form and respond to the online questions, if applicable.
4. Mission Statement Response - EWU’s mission is to provide an inclusive, equitable, and transformative learning experience, driving the pursuit of knowledge with affordable academic excellence. We are committed to serving first-generation, Pell-eligible students. How would you contribute to this mission?
5. Please do not upload resumes that include photos of yourself.

Proposed Job Duties & Responsibilities

40%

Coordinates and collaborating with investigative team members, managing the disciplinary process, working with supervisors to review performance and investigative issues and recommending the appropriate level of discipline

Maintains all disciplinary backup records and meeting notes; working with Human Resource staff and supervisors/managers to proactively address issues as they arise, and conducting or assisting with investigations, drafting disciplinary documents.

30%

Provides expert advice, guidance and on-going training for university management/supervisors and Human Resource staff on labor contracts and practices, interpretations, discipline and grievances in conjunction with university policies, regulations and state and federal laws

Serves as primary contact for labor relations matters with unions and Public Employment Relations Commission (PERC); providing monthly union reports and responding to information requests from the union and PERC; maintaining tracking records for the union information requests; and assisting with public records requests.

10%

Manages grievance cases through all levels of the grievance process, up to and including arbitration;

Works with supervisors preparing for the grievance meetings and preparing grievance findings;

Works with supervisors and Assistant Attorney General preparing for the arbitration hearings by reviewing all backup documentation, creating a chronology, identifying the university position; writing findings; maintaining all grievance records and meeting notes.

Other duties as assigned.