EMPLOYEE RELATIONS LIAISON

Employee Relations Liaison

The Division of Campus Community Safety leads planning, prevention, response and recovery for the UW through three key emergency and safety response units : UW Emergency Management, UW SafeCampus, and UW Police (in Seattle). We have an outstanding opportunity for an Employee Relations Liaison. Reporting directly to the Vice President for the Division of Campus Community Safety (DCCS), and with day-to-day guidance and collaboration provided by the Executive Office Associate Director for Employee Relations, the DCCS Employee Relations Liaison is responsible for pro-actively providing leadership, consultation, expert advice and project execution regarding employee relations to subunits of the Division, which includes : Vice President's Office, SafeCampus, Emergency Management, Husky Assist, and UW Police Department (Seattle campus).

Areas of leadership, guidance, execution and consultation for the Division include : policy, rule, and law interpretation; recruitment and retention strategies; reasonable accommodation; complaint resolution; leave administration; labor relations; performance management and corrective action; workplace violence, workplace culture and other training. The ER Liaison must develop service strategies, processes, and programs that are responsive to, and anticipatory of, the needs of DCCS units. This position is expected to partner closely and collaboratively with the Executive Office Human Resources (EOHR) Team and central UW Human Resources (UWHR) on all issues, cases, and matters related to employee relations, ensuring continuity of service and consistency in best practices and policy guidance.

The Employee Relations Liaison must demonstrate excellent management and administrative judgement, discretion in handling sensitive HR matters, and skill in analyzing complex human resources issues. As the subunits of the Division may have different goals, business cultures, and other attributes, the ER Liaison must also demonstrate flexibility, excellent judgement, and problem-solving skills in providing high quality service to subunits. Because of the relative size of UWPD compared to other DCCS units, a large amount of time and effort is expended with UWPD. The ER Liaison is expected to stay current and informed of all HR policies and procedures and actively integrates and implements them as needed.

The duties assigned to this position can be highly sensitive and dynamic and require the incumbent to be flexible, respectful, ethical, supportive, and discrete. The ER Liaison must be able to analyze and identify appropriate solutions or next steps to any number of nuanced issues. The successful candidate must be capable of managing multiple and competing priorities with frequently tight deadlines skillfully, reliably, accurately, and confidentially while demonstrating discretion and independent judgement in all areas of operation. Input and demand come from multiple directions, people, organizations, and activities. Managing this breadth and complexity requires a good working relationship with colleagues, excellent communication and organizational skills, an ability to deal with the unexpected, an acceptance of a certain level of stress, an ability to maintain an optimistic outlook, a capacity for innovation, and a willingness to embrace change and process improvement.

Duties & Responsibilities

Employee Relations, Engagement, and Culture

• Working closely and collaboratively with the Vice President and other DCCS leadership, serve as a strategic partner and cultural steward for DCCS. Drive processes and initiatives (recognition programs, surveys, direct outreach etc.), to create a culture of appreciation, inclusivity, and purpose.
• Maintain and propel workplace culture and anti-bias training and other activities for UWPD and the unique needs of a law enforcement workplace.
• In partnership with the Associate Director for Employee Relations and central UWHR partners, facilitate complaint resolution process. Provide guidance to the Vice President and other DCCS unit leadership responding to employee complaints. Working in partnership with the Associate Director for Employee Relations, conduct investigations to resolve allegations and work with parties towards resolution of employee complaints or negotiate settlements and prepare settlement agreements.
• In close partnership with the Associate Director for Employee Relations, lead performance management and corrective action processes. Launch and maintain proactive and collaborative approach to the annual performance review process. Educate and guide supervisors on preparing for the annual review process, including developing general resource guides as well as offering 1 : 1 coaching and guidance to unit managers.
• Act as liaison to facilitate communication with other functional Human Resources units when specialized knowledge or interpretation is needed. Serve as an expert resource drawing from a broad base of human resources / employment knowledge for day-to-day human resources advice and counsel. Serve as primary contact and principal resource for all departmental employee relations needs.

Recruitment & Retention Strategy and Management

Policy & Compliance

Special Projects and Committees

Required Qualifications