Manager, Employee and Labor Relations (UHR)

The Manager, Labor Relations is instrumental in maintaining represented employee engagement and collective bargaining agreements compliance for Auxiliary Services employees. This role will manage labor relations and grievance processes to ensure that the university adheres to legal, compliance, collective bargaining agreements and leading practice standards. The Manager, Labor Relations provides oversight and expertise in the provision of labor relations services to Auxiliary Services represented employees and plays a role in programs aimed at increasing represented employee engagement and workplace performance, including union relationships, contract administration, contract negotiation strategies, strike preparedness, and union campaign strategy and management. The role will support the unit in designing labor strategies, contract negotiations, grievances, discipline hearings, arbitrations, and other matters regarding labor relations, working closely with the Office of General Counsel, external legal counsel, or other stakeholders, as needed. The Manager, Labor Relations will recommend labor strategies and negotiate initial and renewal labor agreements in accordance with university priorities. This role will work to implement proactive and reactive labor strategies to improve employee engagement and reduce risk and will advise and educate university staff and faculty on labor relations matters to promote compliance. This role will help enable USC’s vision while championing USC’s culture and values.

Minimum Qualifications

The candidate for the position of Manager, Labor Relations must meet the following qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in business, psychology, communications, employment law, industrial relations, or another related field.

• Seven or more years of experience in one or more of the following fields: human resources (supporting union and non-union workforces), behavioral or social science, or organizational psychology.

• One or more years of experience leading teams in a management or leadership role.

• Experience in areas of employment law and/or labor relations.

• Extensive knowledge of collective bargaining, grievance processes, contract negotiation, contract administration and labor and management relationships.

• Extensive knowledge of current major employment and labor laws such as ADA, FMLA, National Labor Relations Act, Taft-Hartley, etc.

• Experience in developing and implementing both proactive and reactive labor relations strategies and plans in close collaboration with organizational leadership.

• Experience at the table in contract negotiations, contract administration and interpretation, investigations, and grievance handling.

• Knowledge of leading practice procedures used to investigate and resolve grievances including approaches to reducing bias during the investigation process.

• Experience ensuring compliance with applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations.

• Experience establishing collaborative initiatives with multiple departments.

• Demonstrated experience building and managing exceptional teams and providing consistent feedback to achieve results in line with strategic goals.

• Demonstrated excellence providing a customer experience including the design and implementation of metrics to measure service effectiveness.

• Demonstrated project management experience, providing effective oversight of design, delivery, and measurement of outcomes.

• Demonstrated ability to effectively manage time, prioritize tasks, work independently, and maintain confidentiality.

• Excellent communication and facilitation skills, proven track record of building strong collaborative relationships with senior stakeholders.

• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint).

Preferred Qualifications

The ideal candidate for the position of Manager, Labor Relations has the following qualifications:

• Advanced degree in human resources, psychology, communications, law, industrial relations or another related field, or Juris Doctorate (JD) degree.

• Ten or more years of experience in one or more of the following fields: human resources (supporting union and non-union workforces), behavioral or social science, or organizational psychology.

• Prior experience managing labor relations in the hospitality, food services, custodial, transportation, and logistics sectors, with demonstrated success working collaboratively with labor unions such as UNITE HERE, Local 11, and SEIU, Local 721.  

• Four or more years of experience leading teams in a management or leadership role.

• Experience in higher education and/or employment law.

• Experience in contract renewal negotiations. administration, interpretation, and a track record of success in establishing credibility with unions across multiple industries.

• Prior experience working in a manager-level role overseeing labor relations.

• Knowledge of leading practices as they relate to improving employee engagement, reducing bias, designing, and administering the complaint and grievance process including investigations, in union and non-union environments.

• Ability to identify knowledge, skills, and resource gaps to recommend action plans utilizing industry trends.

• Track record of positive influence of department culture including employee engagement during change through communications, trust-building, and inclusion.

• Ability to train staff on emerging industry trends and ensure quality baseline of department knowledge and skills.

• Experience with Meyestro case management software or other case management software.

• SHRM Certification.

Job Responsibilities

The candidate for the position of Manager, Labor Relations will be responsible for:

• Mitigating the potential impact of labor issues, while cultivating dedicated labor relations efforts to create alignment, consistency, and accountability across the university. Administering and interpreting labor/union contracts for compliance with applicable requirements and for providing ongoing guidance to university managers and supervisors on meeting responsibilities as defined by collective bargaining agreements such as but not limited to union notices, union business leaves, requests for information and meet and confer obligations. Overseeing the fact-finding and investigations in response to labor grievances in a timely manner, and reducing risk and bias. Managing and continually improving the maintenance of records for grievance actions, formal investigations, and complaints ensuring compliance with all university policies and applicable federal, state, and local laws.

• Maintaining knowledge of and serving as a point of contact for a broad range of relationships, labor laws, and policies that could impact the management and represented employee relationship including knowledge of applicable federal, state, and local laws, university policies, practices, and ethical obligations to investigate, evaluate, and recommend an appropriate resolution to labor relations matters. Reviewing incident reports to determine policy and/or technical requirement(s) allegedly violated; evaluating evidence discovered; and discussion of potential action plans.

• Ensuring company compliance with federal, state, and local labor and employment laws applicable to bargaining unit employees. Managing the labor relations services to the campus and plays a leadership role in programs aimed at improving employee engagement and workplace performance including union avoidance (in non-union work units), contract negotiation strategies, strike preparedness, and union campaign strategy and management. Working closely with the Office of the General Counsel and other departments in representing the university in grievances, discipline hearings, and other meetings regarding employee and labor relations.

• Ensuring communication and coordination with partnering units and outside counsel to respond to labor matters including litigation. Advising university staff and faculty regarding the rights and responsibilities of management and employees with respect to the interpretation and application of the collective bargaining agreements, compliance requirements of labor and regulatory laws, as well as discipline and other personnel issues to ensure compliance with collective bargaining agreements and university policies.

• With a view toward improving employee engagement, reducing risk and contract compliance, ensure that learning and training initiatives are provided to staff and faculty on labor relations topics including collective bargaining agreement administration/interpretation, policies, practices, laws, effective communications, managing people and other management/union leading practices. Developing and implementing reactive and proactive labor relations strategies to reduce risk across the university. Reviewing Collective Bargaining Agreements to develop opportunities for economic efficiencies and new strategies to improve employee engagement. Supporting preparation of draft economic authorizations, elimination of problematic language, and prepare draft management contract proposals. Implementing systems and processes to identify labor relations issues and areas of the university with potential risk and to create action plans for reducing that risk. Identifying standard methodologies and emerging issues in the areas of labor relations.

• Representing campus interests in system-wide contract negotiations, and for implementation and administration of collective bargaining agreements and relevant policies. Drafting and preparing recommendations of policies and procedures to ensure compliance with relevant laws, policies, and regulations, including revisions to existing policies.

• Assessing current labor relations policies and procedures for potential bias and determine action plan to address. Promoting an environment that fosters inclusive relationships and creates unbiased opportunities for contributions through ideas, words, and actions that uphold principles of USC’s values including Code of Ethics. Ensuring that legal and regulatory requirements are met in terms of labor and employee relations to minimize exposure to liability for the organization.

• Demonstrating, through words, actions, and ideas, alignment to USC’s strategic plan and the HR organization’s strategic plan. Enabling the university to fulfill its academic and people missions through enhanced HR service.

• Performing other related responsibilities as requested and when necessary. The university reserves the right to add or change duties at any time.

The annual base salary range for this position is $127,980.13 - $135,000.00. When determining an offer, the University of Southern California considers factors such as the scope and responsibilities of the role, the candidate’s experience, education, training, key skills, internal peer alignment, applicable laws, contractual requirements, grant funding, and market conditions.

The University of Southern California is an Equal Opportunity Employer

Minimum Education: Bachelor’s degree

Minimum Experience: 7 years

Minimum Field of Expertise: Bachelor’s degree in business, human resources, industrial relations, employment law, or related field. Seven years’ labor and employee relations experience in large, complex organizations. Experience negotiating collective bargaining agreements with multiple unions and preparing and presenting labor arbitrations. Knowledge of current major employment and labor laws (e.g., ADA, National Labor Relations Act, Taft-Hartley). Knowledge of best-practice procedures used to investigate and resolve grievances while reducing bias during the investigation process. Experience managing a team by providing feedback, assessment, and encouragement to achieve goals and drive positive change. Demonstrated project management experience, providing effective oversight from inception to delivery. Excellent written and oral communication skills with ability to effectively communicate with a wide range of internal/external stakeholders.

USC is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability, or any other characteristic protected by law or USC policy. USC will consider for employment all qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with the requirements of the Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring ordinance. We provide reasonable accommodations to applicants and employees with disabilities. Applicants with questions about access or requiring a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process should contact USC Human Resources by phone at (213) 821-8100, or by email at uschr@usc.edu.  Inquiries will be treated as confidential to the extent permitted by law.

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Minimum Education: Bachelor’s degree Minimum Experience: 7 years Minimum Field of Expertise: Bachelor’s degree in business, human resources, industrial relations, employment law, or related field. Seven years’ labor and employee relations experience in large, complex organizations. Experience negotiating collective bargaining agreements with multiple unions and preparing and presenting labor arbitrations. Knowledge of current major employment and labor laws (e.g., ADA, National Labor Relations Act, Taft-Hartley). Knowledge of best-practice procedures used to investigate and resolve grievances while reducing bias during the investigation process. Experience managing a team by providing feedback, assessment, and encouragement to achieve goals and drive positive change. Demonstrated project management experience, providing effective oversight from inception to delivery. Excellent written and oral communication skills with ability to effectively communicate with a wide range of internal/external stakeholders.