Hybrid Labor Relations Negotiator (Term-Limited Temporary or Special Duty) bei King County, WA

About the Department

The King County Office of Labor Relations (OLR) is seeking an experienced and collaborative professional to join our team as a Labor Negotiator in a special duty or term-limited temporary role.

This is an excellent opportunity to join the OLR team and play a role in 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 contract provisions 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 a Labor Relations Manager 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’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

OLR is an office within 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 employees. To learn more about OLR, please check out our website at: http://www.kingcounty.gov/depts/executive/labor- relations.aspx

Position Duties

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

Serve as the spokesperson on complex labor contract bargaining 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.

 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 discipline matters.
•  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.

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.

Minimum Qualifications

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

Other Qualifications

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? team dedicated to serving one of the nation's best places to live, work and play.

Guided by our 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

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 assistant 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 qualified internal candidates (current employees of King County government). 

Application Process

The following items are required to be considered for this position:

An electronic application through or www.governmentjobs.com (use the "Apply" link) including work history and position duties.

•  An attached resume.
•  An attached letter of interest/cover letter.

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.

Your application may be rejected as incomplete if you do not include the relevant information in the application. Cover letters and/or resumes are not accepted in lieu of a completed application. Applications and/or Supplemental Questionnaires that state "see my resume" or "see my personnel file" are considered incomplete and will not be accepted.

Work Schedule

This position will work onsite at the Chinook Building located at 401 5th Avenue, Seattle three (3) days per week. 

Union affiliation

This position is not represented by a labor union.