Labor Relations Specialist II/III, Grade N23/N26

The Office of Labor Relations (OLR) is committed to fostering effective, collaborative, and productive relationships between the County, its union partners, and its employees. OLR provides guidance and support on complex labor and employee relations matters while promoting fairness, consistency, accountability, and trust throughout the organization.

In our daily work, Labor and Employee Relations professionals:

• Negotiate and administer collective bargaining agreements and support effective labor-management relations.
• Manage joint labor-management programs, committees, initiatives, and activities.
• Administer processes for addressing workplace disputes, grievances, complaints, and appeals.
• Provide guidance regarding employee relations matters involving bargaining and non-bargaining unit employees.
• Advise managers and supervisors regarding disciplinary and adverse actions and applicable contractual and personnel requirements.
• Conduct research and analysis of collective bargaining agreements, personnel regulations, labor laws, policies, procedures, and past practices.
• Facilitate conflict resolution, mediation, and other alternative dispute resolution processes.
• Develop and deliver training and educational programs for supervisors, managers, and administrative professionals.
• Implements changes to personnel policy and personnel regulations.
• Utilize technology platforms to maintain accurate records, track assignments, and support labor relations activities.
• Collect and analyze workforce information to identify trends and support organizational decision-making.

WHO WE ARE LOOKING FOR

The Office of Labor Relations is currently recruiting mid-level and experienced Labor Relations Specialists who are interested in applying their professional expertise in a dynamic local government environment and contributing to an effective and collaborative labor relations program.

The ideal candidate must have a proactive approach to their work and have a willingness to effectuate solutions and improvements. This candidate will be able to draw on their analytical abilities, communication skills, and professional experience (ideally from prior collective bargaining and labor relations roles) to assist the Office of Labor Relations to build, improve, and maintain a model labor relations program. In their day-to-day engagements, this candidate takes an interest-based and collaborative approach to their interactions, work, and ideas. 

Highly successful Labor Relations Specialists routinely:

• Conduct extensive research and analysis of collective bargaining agreements, personnel regulations, labor and employment laws, policies, procedures, and past practices.
• Develop well-reasoned positions, proposals, recommendations, and action plans based on sound judgment, risk assessment, and organizational objectives.
• Represent the County in collective bargaining and labor-management activities with our union partners*.
• Independently manage multiple assignments involving sensitive and complex employee and labor relations matters.
• Conduct high-quality grievance hearings, mediations, investigations, and other dispute-resolution processes.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with colleagues, clients, union representatives, negotiating teams, and other stakeholders.
• Communicate complex labor and employee relations issues clearly, professionally, and persuasively.
• Exercise discretion and maintain confidentiality when handling sensitive employee and labor relations matters.

*Fraternal Order of Police (FOP), International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF), Montgomery County Volunteer Fire Rescue Association (MCVFRA), and UFCW Local 1994 Municipal & County Government Employees Organization (MCGEO). 

Conflict Facilitation, Training, and other related/assigned duties

Facilitate Labor Management Relations Committee (LMRC) meetings, create and implement trainings, determine bargaining unit designations for positions. 

Duties to support these functions include but are not limited to the following:

• Interpreting Collective Bargaining Agreements and Regulations: Conducting reviews of adverse actions proposed by departments to ensure compliance with union contracts, Personnel Regulations, Administrative Procedures, and departmental policies.
• Employee and Labor Relations: Meeting with employees, department representatives, and union representatives to address and resolve complaints and grievances.
• Grievance Administration and Mediation: Conducting grievance hearings and mediations and preparing final grievance decisions for review and signature by the Chief Labor Relations Officer.

• Collective Bargaining: Leading department-level bargaining and supporting collective bargaining activities, including research, negotiation documentation, drafting contract language, coordinating bargaining logistics, and facilitating post-negotiation review and implementation.
• Research and Training: Conducting research on labor and employee relations issues and developing and delivering labor relations training.
• Labor-Management Programs and Initiatives: Coordinating, administering, and supporting labor programs and activities, including coordinating and leading joint labor-management committees and initiatives.

Work is performed with considerable independence and latitude but is subject to administrative review and approval by the Chief Labor Relations Officer, Deputy Chief Labor Relations Officer, senior staff members, or designee(s). These positions require the ability to attend meetings or perform work at locations outside the office, and sometimes for additional work hours that fall outside of our normal work schedules.

*During periods of term bargaining, Labor Relations Specialists are required to work outside of normal business hours. This may include working very late nights during the week, weekend hours, and additional hours in excess of 40 per week. The duration of this requirement is approximately 2 weeks per year.

• Experience in labor-management negotiations/collective bargaining activities, ideally with Police, Firefighter, and/or Public Employee unions.

• Union-side experience, including but not limited to representational and collective bargaining activities
• Experience administering conflict facilitation or alternative dispute resolution programs.
• Experience providing guidance and training to employees and/or managers on a full range of labor relations issues.
• Experience developing, interpreting, and implementing labor policies, labor contract provisions and personnel regulations.
• Experience in labor and employee relations within a local government agency.
• Experience writing labor contract provisions, grievance decisions, or similar types of documents.
• Experience in drafting documents necessary for disciplinary actions and in the administration of progressive discipline.