Labor Relations Negotiator Jobs

The King County Office of Labor Relations is seeking an experienced and collaborative professional to join our team as a Labor Negotiator. This is an excellent opportunity to join the Office of Labor Relations and play a role in Executive Constantine's goal to be "the best-run government" by supporting progressive labor and employee relations. This position will serve as the County's spokesperson in negotiating and administering complex labor contracts, including advising on the interpretation and application of the contract and conducting grievance hearings. In addition, this position may provide support in administrative hearings involving unfair labor practices, bargaining unit clarification, union representation proceedings, classification appeals, grievance and interest arbitration hearings. This position also serves as a strategic advisor to management on labor and employment laws, personnel matters, contract administration and participates in briefing senior management and elected officials on labor policies and complex and/or county-wide labor relations issues.
This position will report directly to the Manager of Labor Relations and have extensive contact with all levels of County management, elected County Officials, interagency professionals, labor union representatives, and legal counsel.
ABOUT KING COUNTY
With 2.2 million residents in 39 cities and unincorporated areas, King County is the nation's 13th-largest county. It also has one of the most diverse populations in the United States. As the only county in the United States named after Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., one of the most influential civil rights leaders in our nation's history, King County is a vibrant community with residents who represent countries from around the world. It is a region with increasing diversity that values the artistic and social traditions of many cultures. King County is changing the way government delivers service and winning national recognition as a model of excellence.
The County continues to build on an enduring legacy of shared values of equity and social justice, employee engagement, innovative thinking, and continuous improvement. If you share King County Executive Dow Constantine's mission to cultivate and maintain collaborative working relationships with our labor partners, employing innovative and creative solutions to challenges, to achieving just and sustainable results for all this job is for you.
ABOUT THE OFFICE OF LABOR RELATIONS
The Office of Labor Relations (OLR), is an arm of the Executive Office with approximately 16 employees, the majority are Labor Negotiators who negotiate and help administer the County's 80 Labor Agreements covering approximately 12,500 of employees. To learn more about OLR, please check out our website at: http://www.kingcounty.gov/depts/executive/labor-relations.aspx

Successful candidates for this position will, at a minimum, be able to clearly demonstrate skill and ability to:

• Formulating strategy and coordinating resources to present the County's interest in mediation, arbitration, grievances and grievance arbitration, unfair labor practices, and state and federal agency proceedings.
• Formulating strategy and coordinating resources to present the County's interest in labor negotiations, advising departments and Executive Leadership on contract interpretation and application.
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  Provide strategic and tactical input on:
  • The development of proposed labor policies for recommendation to the King County Executive and/or King County Council. Includes preparation and presentation of briefing materials to the Executive, Executive Committees, County Council and Council Committees and staff.
• Serve as the spokesperson on complex labor contracts by:
  • Formulating strategy and coordinating resources to present the County's interest in labor negotiations, advising departments and Executive Leadership on contract interpretation and application.
  • Negotiating labor contracts and Memorandum of Agreement with unions that represent County employees.
• Consulting with management and HR professionals on labor and employment law and contract administration concerning a wide range of personnel matters, including but not limited to, performance management issues and employee disciplines.
• Serve as a strategic advisor to King County departments by:
  • Consulting with management and HR professionals on labor and employment law and contract administration concerning a wide range of personnel matters, including but not limited to, performance management issues and employee disciplines.
  • Formulating strategy and coordinating resources to present the County's interest in mediation, arbitration, grievances and grievance arbitration, unfair labor practices, and state and federal agency proceedings.
• Negotiating labor contracts and Memorandum of Agreement with unions that represent County employees.
• The development of proposed labor policies for recommendation to the King County Executive and/or King County Council. Includes preparation and presentation of briefing materials to the Executive, Executive Committees, County Council and Council Committees and staff.

• Experience conducting research, assistance with preparing exhibits and preparing cases for arbitration.
• Experience applying labor and employment law and consulting with clients and stakeholders on labor and employment issues.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• An interest in and commitment to continually improving how they approach work.
• A track record of successful collaboration with clients and an array of stakeholders.
• Can adapt as necessary, while working in a multi-faceted and continuously changing environment.
• Demonstrated experience with labor contract administration and labor/management committees.
• Familiarity with negotiation, mediation and other forms of pre-litigation conflict resolution.

Forbes recently named King County as one of Washington State's best employers.
Together, with leadership and our employees, we're changing the way government delivers service and winning national recognition as a model of excellence. Are you ready to make a difference? Come join the team dedicated to serving one of the nation's best places to live, work and play.
Guided by our "True North", we are making King County a welcoming community where every person can thrive. We value diversity, inclusion and belonging in our workplace and workforce. To reach this goal we are committed to workforce equity. Equitable recruiting, support, and retention is how we will obtain the highest quality workforce in our region; a workforce that shares and will help advance our guiding principles-we are one team; we solve problems; we focus on the customer; we drive for results; we are racially just; we respect all people; we lead the way; and we are responsible stewards. We encourage people of all backgrounds and identities to apply, including Native American and people of color, immigrants, refugees, women, LGBTQ+, people living with disabilities, and veterans.
King County provides a generous employee benefits package including comprehensive health benefits, paid parental leave, and paid time off to volunteer. For details, see: https://www.kingcounty.gov/audience/employees/careers/why-work-here.aspx?
King County is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Employer
No person is unlawfully excluded from employment opportunities based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation and pregnancy), age, genetic information, disability, veteran status, or other protected class. Our EEO policy applies to all employment actions, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, selection for training, promotion, transfer, demotion, layoff, termination, rates of pay or other forms of compensation.
To Apply
If you are interested in pursuing this position, please follow the application instructions carefully. If you need this announcement in an alternate language or format, would like to request accommodation or assistance in the application or assessment process, or if you have questions, please contact the HR professional listed on this job announcement.
Who May Apply
This position is open to all qualified candidates.
Application Process
The following items are required to be considered for this position:

• An attached letter of interest/cover letter.
• An electronic application through www.kingcounty.gov/jobs or www.governmentjobs.com (use the "Apply" link) including work history and position duties.
• Responses to supplemental questions. Do not copy and paste your resume or resume sections as Supplemental Question responses. If you do and the do not directly answer the question, this will be considered an incomplete application.
• An attached resume.