The Director of Employee Relations leads a team to provide equitable, proactive, business-focused initiatives that help build and support OHSU’s commitment to people and culture. The person in this position is responsible for developing the strategy in collaboration with the AVP, HRBP, Employee and Labor Relations, setting goals and priorities for the team, and creating accountability for equitable outcomes. This position builds partnership with the business and delivers relevant training and communication to ensure consistent application of HR practices across the organization.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead the function that provide equitable, timely, and consistent interpretation and guidance on HR policies and procedures, employee and labor relations matters, performance management conversations and documentation, conflict resolution, compensation, benefits, discipline, grievances, arbitrations, support services and resources, and other employee services.
• Develop and maintain relevant policies and procedures using an equity framework to ensure consistency in implementation, experience, and outcomes. Identify, implement, and communicate policy improvements to team members and stakeholders.
• Identify, develop, and implement opportunities to further diversity, equity, inclusion, and anti-oppression in all aspects of the work.
• Manage team members, including making hiring decisions, providing onboarding, coaching and training, setting priorities and assigning work, implementing discipline, and setting and assessing progress towards goals.
• Provide employee relations trainings and develop supporting tools and resources aimed at promoting a healthy work environment.
• Conduct, analyze, and develop action plans using employee feedback to develop and maintain positive employee relations. Analyze data and diagnose challenges to resolve ongoing issues.
• Provide guidance on complex employee relations issues and complaints to team members to ensure timely, thorough, culturally aware approaches are taken in the assessment, recommendation, resolution, and follow-up.
• Influence leadership around employment decision-making, including those around discipline, promotion, and termination, to ensure decisions are consistent.
• Develop policies and procedures that support consistent employment decisions and analyze HR data regularly to assess for equitable outcomes. Promptly adjust HR and management practices to resolve identified inequities or inconsistencies.
• Provide coaching to OHSU managers, employees, and HR team members on the integration of consistent, transparent, and inclusive practices into their approaches and recommendations.
• Develop practices that foster collaboration with the Labor Relations, Legal, OCIC, and CAP teams as needed, and seek guidance from these functions to ensure an effective, aligned approach on matters that overlap.
• Address confidential and sensitive personnel issues that require follow up and consultation with senior leadership.
• Implement programs and practices that provide an equitable and inclusive workplace.
• Track progress towards goals by analyzing trends in HR data. Make data-driven recommendations and decisions. Ensure HR team members have access to the data they need to make data-informed recommendations.
• Monitor the team and related project budgets, review financial reports, and make recommendations on adjustments to the AVP, HRBP, Labor and Employee Relations to ensure goals are met.
• Develop and provide HR communications to the workforce to promote openness and accessibility of HR services.

• Bachelor’s degree in business, HR or related field, or equivalent combination of education, experience, and training.
• 7 years of progressively responsible Human Resources work experience in a represented environment. 3 years of experience managing an HR function that involved responsibility for employee relations, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Expert-level experience ensuring the HR function follows federal, state, and local employment laws as well as organizational policies and values.
• Excellent organizational, coaching, and leadership skills, including ability to lead and support diverse teams.
• Experience identifying opportunities and taking action to build inclusion and equity into organizational strategy, culture, employee engagement, and employee relations.
• Effective, clear, and culturally aware communication verbally and in writing; ability to draft concise and factually accurate reports and documents, influence leadership in decision-making, and communicate HR information clearly to the workforce.
• Demonstrated ability to develop and maintain an equitable and inclusive workplace through interactions, decisions, and recommendations.
• Excellent people management skills, including the ability to foster collaboration and inclusion, provide individualized support to employees, build relationships with remote team members, and foster a team culture of engagement and accountability.
• Effective conflict resolution skills and the ability to navigate sensitive, emotional, or difficult situations with empathy.
• Experience using HR data to inform equitable policy development, decision-making, and program implementation.
• Ability to apply principles of change management to promote adoption of new processes, systems, and policies.
• Ability to thoughtfully and appropriately individualize employee relations strategies to meet the varying needs of individuals, teams, and missions.
• Experience applying restorative practices to address and promote healing from harm caused in the workplace, in addition to other corrective measures.

Oregon Health & Science University values a diverse and culturally competent workforce. We are proud of our commitment to being an equal opportunity, affirmative action organization that does not discriminate against applicants on the basis of any protected class status, including disability status and protected veteran status. Individuals with diverse backgrounds and those who promote diversity and a culture of inclusion are encouraged to apply. To request reasonable accommodation contact the Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Department at 503-494-5148 or aaeo@ohsu.edu.