HAMILTON POLICE SERVICE (HPS)

NOTICE OF A CIVILIAN CAREER OPPORTUNITY

SENIOR OFFICERS’ ASSOCIATION

SENIOR LABOUR RELATIONS OFFICER

City of Hamilton PeopleSoft Posting Job ID #13233

Notice/Date:  #2017-37 – November 3, 2017

Job Title & No.:  Senior Labour Relations Officer - PS Job Code #6751

Reports to:  Manager, Human Resources (HR)

Job Location:  Central Police Station, 155 King William St, Hamilton, ON, but will need to attend other locations, as required      

Hours of Work:  Monday to Friday, from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm, however, must be flexible to work other hours to meet the needs of a 24 hour/day, 365 day/year operation

Salary:  Grade 7 (4 steps) – $104,804 to $123,299 per annum (As of January 1, 2016; wage increase for January 1, 2017 still needs to be applied)

New Job:  June 2011

Updated:  November 2017

Job Summary

Reporting to the HR Manager, the Senior Labour Relations Officer is responsible for providing a full range of labour/employee relations expertise to all HPS members, including all Sworn and Civilian Senior Officers, Supervisors, and Police Service Board Members. 

General Duties

1.       Provide specialist advice and interpretation/assistance to HR practitioners, managers, supervisors, and employees on a wide variety of labour/employee relations matters (e.g. collective agreement administration and negotiation, application of HPS policies and case law, union relations, grievance handling, discipline; effective strategies, best practices, and application of collective agreements/employment related statutes, etc.).

2.       Research, interpret, and apply three (3) Collective Agreements, the Police Services Act, Ontario Labour Relations Act, Employment Standards Act, Ontario Human Rights Code, and any other relevant legislation.

3.       Analyze and recommend changes to policies, procedures, and programs consistent with HPS needs and requirements, by collecting and analyzing information, and researching case law and best practices of related employers.

4.       Assist supervisors with preparing performance improvement plans for members, as required.

5.       Facilitate grievance process, preparing data and analysis in advance of grievance meetings.

6.       Arrange and carry out alternative dispute resolution (ADR) processes, to resolve grievances and other disputes.

7.       Assist Legal Counsel/HR Manager with preparing cases for administrative tribunals and arbitrators (e.g. Ontario Labour Relations Board, Workers Compensation Board/Appeals Tribunal, Employment Standards Board, Human Rights Tribunal), supporting employer position/view.

8.       Assist HR Manager with developing information packages and proposals for the collective bargaining processes; participate in negotiations, as required.

9.       Work with the Finance Manager to prepare costing scenarios during grievance, arbitration, and collective bargaining negotiations, as well as to assess the impact of legislative changes.

10.    Assist with the implementation of settlements/arbitration decisions.

11.    Conduct research and analysis for benchmarking purposes, within relevant external/market sectors.

12.    Create and maintain grievance and collective agreement historical data files, including the Labour Relations Tracking System (e.g. entering new grievances, updating current/old grievance, etc.).

13.    Coordinate and extract statistical data, to be used for negotiation, conciliation, mediation, and arbitration.

14.    Prepare and distribute monthly meaningful statistical information to the Management Team, identifying important trends on grievances, collective agreement interpretations/difficulties, and other labour relations related matters.

15.    Develop and administer ongoing training programs for Frontline Supervisors and Managers on contract interpretation, interpretation of employment related statutes, attendance counseling, performance management, constructive discipline, grievance procedures, etc. (e.g. Performance Leadership Training, Frontline Supervisor Training, Civilian Supervisory Training, etc.)

16.    Responds to external labour relations inquiries from outside of the organization.

17.    Participate as a member of assigned committees and meetings (e.g. Commanders, Labour/Management meetings, Joint Job Review/Evaluation Committee, etc.); preparing and delivering both verbal and written reports, as required.

18.    Provides secondary backup for the HR Manager, during periods of absence.

19.    Perform other duties, as assigned, which are related to the major responsibilities of the job.

Supervisory Responsibilities:  No direct reports, but will provide training to supervisors and members on matters such as collective agreement administration, performance management, etc.

Working Conditions:  Regular office environment, but may need to travel to and from various work locations.  Duties may involve exposure to highly confidential and sensitive information which cannot be shared except in the course of judicial proceedings or pursuant to the order of a Command Officer or Supervisor.

Physical & Sensory Demands/Dexterity:  Assignments will involve activities such as reading, writing, keyboarding, talking, listening, sitting, walking, and standing.

Training:  Limited on-the-job training will be provided, so initiative will be critical.

Required Competencies

1.       Education:  Minimum three (3) year University Degree in Labour/Industrial Relations, Human Resources, or a related field.  Masters of Industrial Relations (MIR) and/or Human Resources (e.g. MIRHR), or a related field, is an asset. 

2.       Experience:  Minimum five (5) years progressively responsible labour relations experience, in a complex unionized environment, managing grievances, attending conciliations/arbitrations, conducting negotiations, and providing assistance during collective bargaining.  Demonstrated knowledge of employment/labour law, labour relations, and grievance/arbitration process/administration, and researching of case law and best practices is required.  Municipal experience is an asset.

3.       Certificates/Licenses/Apprenticeships:  Valid Class G Driver’s Licence, or the equivalent, with no more than six (6) accumulated demerit points, permitting you to drive an automobile in Ontario with full driving privileges is required.  Professional designation (e.g. CHRL or equivalent) or working towards considered an asset.

4.       Excellent computer skills (i.e. Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint), and the ability to learn new HR software quickly (e.g. PeopleSoft, Labour Relations Tracking System).

5.       Strong research and policy development skills; must possess in-depth, highly developed technical expertise and interpretive/analytical skills required to perform data collection, quantitative and qualitative analysis, costing calculations, and produce statistical analysis and reports.

6.       Exceptional verbal and written communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills; ability to work with all levels of the organization, as well as Association staff and various external contacts.

7.       Advanced conflict resolution/mediation skills.  ADR certification would be an asset.

8.       Must possess a broad knowledge of labour relations/HR practices, combined with the demonstrated ability to accurately apply sound investigative, analytical, and problem solving skills.

9.       Good knowledge and understanding of collective bargaining, related budget and costing procedures, as well as sound knowledge of the grievance/arbitration process.

10.    Comprehensive working knowledge of the Ontario Labour Relations Act, the Employment Standards Act, and Ontario Human Rights Code.

11.    Highly self-motivated and self-directed.  Excellent self-initiative.

12.    Excellent multi-tasking, planning, and organization skills.

13.    Ability to work in a team environment.

14.    Ability to maintain confidentiality.

Posting Deadline and Instructions

Applications (i.e. cover letter and resume – all one document, cover letter first) are to be submitted via the City of Hamilton's Careers website before 11:59 pm on Monday, November 20, 2017, and should clearly indicate what you have to offer in terms of all of the Required Competencies in either a chart or paragraph format as part of your cover letter or resume (see sample below).

To apply for the position you will need to:

·         Have/create a user name and password for the City of Hamilton Careers website

·         Upload an application (i.e. cover letter and resume – all one document, cover letter first) to the City of Hamilton Careers website

·         Complete a questionnaire as part of the online application process

Email correspondence is an essential part of the recruitment process. Ensure you include your email address, as well as your business/day phone number, your home/evening number, and/or your cell phone numbers on your application and online, to facilitate our ability to contact you.  Failure to provide an e-mail address will result in your application being rejected.  Also, please ensure you allow your email to accept messages from @hamiltonpolice.on.ca and/or check your junk mail regularly after applying. 

We thank all applicants, however, only those candidates selected for testing and/or an interview will be contacted. No phone calls or emails please. We are unable to respond to all applicants.

Please note that the Hamilton Police Service is committed to the principles of equal opportunity and reflecting the diverse community that we serve. Fluency in a second language is an asset; please indicate if you are able to speak another language on your application.

The Hamilton Police Service is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to inclusive, barrier-free recruitment and selection processes. If contacted for an employment opportunity, please advise Human Resources if you require accommodation for testing, interview, or employment purposes.

We invite you to visit the Hamilton Police Service website or Victim Services homepage to obtain further information on the Service, or visit our Careers webpage to obtain further information on career opportunities with our Police Service (e.g. Police Constable, Police Cadet, Civilian, Volunteer, and Auxiliary opportunities).  Information on the Constable Selection System (CSS) can be found on the Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services website.

If hired, the incumbent shall comply with all Health and Safety Policies and Practices for their position and the workplace.

By applying, you agree that the statements made by you are true, complete, and correct to the best of your knowledge. Further, you understand that any falsification of statements, misrepresentations, and/or deliberate omission or concealment of information may be considered just cause for dismissal.

Sample Competency Summary