Employee Relations Officer

Austin Community College is a public two-year institution that serves a diverse population of approximately 41,000 credit students each Fall and Spring semester. We embrace our identity as a community college as reflected in our mission statement. We promote student success and community development by providing affordable access, through traditional and distance learning modes, to higher education and workforce training, including appropriate applied baccalaureate degrees, in our service area.

As a community college committed to our mission, we seek to recruit and retain a workforce that:

• Reflects the diversity of our community
• Values intellectual curiosity and innovative teaching
• Is attracted by the college mission to promote equitable access to educational opportunities
• Cares about student success and collaborates on strategies to facilitate success for under-represented populations
• Welcomes difference and models respectful interaction with others
• Engages with the community both within and outside of ACC

Commitment to Equity and Inclusion

ACC is committed to the ongoing systemic changes needed to ensure the increased recruitment, inclusion, retention, and completion of historically underserved and under represented populations. Through continual strategic community engagement and professional development of administrators, faculty, staff, and students, the college demonstrates its dedication to fostering a culture and climate for equitable outcomes.

As an open access and low-cost institution, ACC is proud to serve a diverse student body. Dedicated faculty members are excellent professors who help students achieve their educational goals and are sensitive to the diverse cultures and socio-economic backgrounds of our students. In 2017 our faculty adopted a Statement of ACC Faculty Values. This Statement affirms that ACC's faculty members value collaboration, service, agency, scholarship, inclusion, and teaching, all of which attest to our commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion at the heart of our mission.

Job Posting Title:

Employee Relations Officer

Job Description Summary:

Responsible for the implementation and operation of employee relations within the Equal Opportunity Compliance Office, including: management of the employee grievance process; upholding administrative rules and policies; serving as a resource regarding employment matters; and training and compliance with applicable federal and state laws and regulations. The focus of this role is to facilitate the resolution of employee and supervisor concerns regarding non-discrimination based issues.
Provides employee relations expertise and services to include, but is not limited to: advising employees and supervisors, guiding complex workplace investigations, facilitating the informal resolution of concerns, and managing investigation findings and recommendations.

Job Description:

Description of Duties and Tasks

• Receives, promptly responds, and manages grievances. Communicates with all parties regarding the status of a grievance and the appeal process.
• Oversee complex employee investigations through appropriate investigation strategies, including recommendations for the prompt and equitable resolution of all cases.
• Advises administrators, supervisors and employees in the management of workplace concerns and grievances, and ensures procedures are followed in accordance with College policy.
• Collaborates with District-wide stakeholders to execute thorough investigations.
• Facilitates positive employee relationships through the use of coaching, resource referrals, and other supportive measures.
• Develops, implements, and evaluates training programs with College partners.
• Reviews College policies to ensure compliance with state and federal laws, and recommends changes as necessary.
• Provides an annual report summarizing the state and use of the grievance process and recommendations for improvement.
• Manages and coordinates the work of the Grievance Appeals Committee.
• Stays abreast of pertinent state and federal laws relating to employee relations.

Knowledge

• Serve as a content expert on employee complaint resolution.
  
  
• Human Resource principles and management practices, and conducting lawful investigations.
  
  
• Dispute resolution, mediation, and effective complaint resolution procedures.
  
  
• Advanced understanding of effective employee grievance resolution practices.
  
  
• Proven experience handling situations with differing perspectives and working through conflicts for the best possible outcomes for everyone involved.
  
  
• Use of professional discretion in facilitating crucial conversations.
  
  
• Expertise in diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts in the workplace.
  
  

Skills

• Manage a complex caseload, multiple priorities, and procedural timelines.
  
  
• Exceptional interpersonal, writing, and presentation skills.
  
  
• Expertise in communicating with individuals who are directly impacted by decisions.
  
  
• Ability to influence and guide supervisors to ensure equitable, transparent and consistent decision making.
  
  
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with a wide variety of individuals.
  
  
• Effective management, implementation, and planning skills.
  
  
• Attention to detail and follow-through.
  
  
• Use tact, discretion and sound judgment when working with sensitive and personal information.
  
  

Technology Skills

• Use of a variety of spreadsheet, word processing, database, and presentation software.
  
  
• Ability to analyze reports and statistical data in a variety of mediums.
  
  
• Use a sophisticated interactive database system for case management.
  
  

Required Work Experience

• Three years of related work experience including one year of supervisory experience. Education cannot be substituted for supervisory experience.
  
  
• Completion of the ACC Supervisor Certificate Series Program will satisfy the supervisory experience required for this position.
  
  

Preferred Work Experience

• Three or more years of experience working in higher education.
  
  
• Five to seven years of related work experience in employee relations and/or dispute resolution
  
  

Required Education

• Master's degree.
  
  

Preferred Education

• Master’s degree in a related field such as human resources management, conflict resolution, organizational management/leadership, or higher education administration.
  
  

Special Requirements

Licenses/Certifications; Other

• Valid Texas Driver's License and reliable transportation for travel in the Austin area as required.
  
  

Other Preferred Qualifications

• Human Resource Professional Certifications.
  
  
• Certification in workplace investigations.
  
  
• Mediation Certification.
  
  
• Counseling or administrative experience in higher education.
  
  

Physical Requirements

• Work is performed in a standard office or similar environment.
  
  
• Subject to standing, walking, sitting, bending, reaching, pushing, and pulling.
  
  
• Occasional lifting of objects up to 10 pounds.
  
  
• Occasional travel between campuses as needed
  
  

Safety

• Work safely and follow safety rules. Report unsafe working conditions and behavior. Take reasonable and prudent actions to prevent others from engaging in unsafe practices.
  
  

Reports to Director, Equal Opportunity Compliance Office

Salary Range: $70,645 - $100,922

Number of Openings:

1

Job Posting Close Date:

February 1, 2022

ACC Benefits Overview

Full-time faculty and staffing table employees who work in full-time and/or part-time positions at the college are eligible for ACC medical benefits effective the first of the month after their first 60 days of employment. Benefits include medical, dental, life insurance, short- and long-term disability, retirement plans and AD&D.

ACC does not participate in Social Security. ACC participates in the Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS) and the Optional Retirement Program (ORP-Faculty and Administrators Only). Part-time and Hourly employees participate in the ACC Money Purchase Plan (ACCMPP) as a retirement program required by federal law.

EEO Statement

The Austin Community College District is an Equal Opportunity Employer advancing inclusive excellence. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, political affiliation or other protected categories.

Clery Act

As required by the US Department of Education, employees are required to report violations under the Title IX and, under the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Crime Statistics Act (Clery Act), select individuals are required to report crimes. If this position is identified as a Campus Security Authority (Clery Act), you will be notified, trained, and provided resources for reporting.

Disclaimer

The above description is an overview of the job. It is not intended to be an all-inclusive list of duties and responsibilities of the job, nor is it intended to be an all-inclusive list of the skills and abilities required to do the job. Duties and responsibilities may change with business needs. ACC reserves the right to add, change, amend, or delete portions of this job description at any time, with or without notice. Employees may be required to perform other duties as requested, directed, or assigned. In addition, reasonable accommodations may be made by ACC as its discretion to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

If you are a current Austin Community College employee, please click this link to apply through your Workday account .