Employee Relations Specialist

POSITION:                 Employee Relations Specialist STATUS:                    Permanent; Full-Time   with benefits SHIFT:                        35 hours per week LOCATION:                Provincial Office in Vancouver, BC CLASSIFICATION:    Exempt            WAGE:                        Salaried                                                           CLOSING DATE:       Open Until Filled   We welcome diversity, value differences, and foster inclusion in our employment practices. Find out more about our commitment to diversity and inclusion by reading our Foundational Principles on our website. We invite applications from all qualified individuals who are philosophically aligned with our mission, vision and values.   The BC SPCA is a dynamic organization with facilities and services across the province of BC. Join an expanding team in an exciting time of change in an organization that makes a difference! Please read below for additional details and let us know if you have the skills and experience we are looking for by submitting your application.   About the Position: Reporting to the Senior Director, Human Resources, the Employee Relations Specialist provides day-to-day coaching and problem-solving on matters related to employee and labour relations, acting as a point of contact for employees, managers, and union representatives. The incumbent proactively builds relationships and works collaboratively with other members of the Human Resources team to steward the implementation of best people practices.   Some specific duties:   Employee/Labour Relations duties include: Provides advice, guidance, and coaching to managers on employee and labour relations issues, including but not limited to: terms and conditions fo employment, performance management, investigations/complaints, policy interpretation, collective agreement interpretation, conflict resolution and disability management. Liaises with union representatives, as required, to ensure the Society’s obligations under the collective agreements are met; builds effective relationships with union representatives to enhance problem-solving. Leads labour-management meetings and handles the initial stages of the grievance procedure; may be involved in collective bargaining, as required. Conducts research into relevant case law and provides findings/recommendations to supervisor as required. Provides input into collective bargaining. Provides practical, business-oriented HR advice and services in support of the Society’s mission and strategic plan. May attend meetings between managers and employees (and union representatives where applicable). Assists managers in the preparation of letters of expectations, training plans, and corrective action as required to help resolve issues, increase effectiveness, build relationships and achieve goals. Coaches managers in matters related to Human Rights including disability management, the duty to accommodate, and safe/sustainable returns to work. Liaises with other positions/units in the People Resource Centre (e.g. Volunteer Resources; Health, Safety & Wellness, Recruitment) where issues/opportunities overlap. May be asked to backfill aspects of these functions during times of absence.   Human Resources strategy and project-related duties include: Participates in the development and/or revision and implementation of people programs, practices, strategies, and policies consistent with the Society’s strategic objectives, legislation and best practices. Recommends new approaches, policies and procedures to lead continual improvements in efficiency and effectiveness of the HR department and services performed. Supports the Senior Director, Human Resources on projects, as assigned. Examines exit interview results and creates reports on trends and/or areas where there are opportunities to improve the employee experience. Tracks and analyzes HR metrics, as assigned, such as turnover and employee cases to identify trends and recommend solutions to improve employee engagement, performance, recognition, and retention. Participates in the development and delivery of training resources related to employee/labour relations topics. Makes recommendations on programs to enhance supervisory, management, leadership and technical skills to improve the capacity of all team members to proactively address and resolve issues independently.  Other duties as assigned.   Qualifications you need to have: Degree in Business/Human Resources and Chartered Professional of Human Resources (CPHR) designation plus a minimum 8 years’ related experience; or an equivalent combination of education and experience acceptable to the employer.  Relevant experience includes, but is not limited to the following: Implementation of human resources best practices HR policy and procedure interpretation Application of Employment Standards, Human Rights, Labour Code and other applicable employment law Discipline investigation processes Collective agreement interpretation/administration and early stage grievance handling Conflict resolution/mediation Disability management Dealing with sensitive and confidential information/situations Continuing education in the field of human resources. Training in privacy legislation is considered an asset. Emotional intelligence and sound conflict resolution skills with an ability to understand broad complex organizational issues and competing interests. Strategic and creative thinker with a passion for continuous improvement. Demonstrated ability to rank competing priorities and communicate challenges. Excellent communication skills and ability to work with internal/external stakeholders at all levels and from diverse backgrounds in a positive and respectful manner. Strong working knowledge of MS Office – Outlook, Excel, Word and PowerPoint; experience using HRIS is considered an asset. Exceptional analytical, coaching, and record-keeping skills. Philosophical harmony with the vision, mission & strategic directions of the BC SPCA.   How to apply:   If you are interested in joining our team and are legally entitled to work in Canada, we would like to hear from you. Click on apply now or use the link to apply https://spca.bc.ca/about-us/careers/   We are committed to a transparent, human-led hiring process. While we use technology to support application management, applications are not screened, scored, or ranked by AI systems. All hiring decisions are made by human hiring managers based on skills, experience, and alignment with the organizational values.   We thank you for your interest in the BC SPCA, however; only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted. No telephone calls, please.    The BC SPCA is a Registered Charity BN 11881 9036 RR0001