EMPLOYEE RELATIONS PROGRAM MANAGER

Job Specifications

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY

DEFINITION

Under general direction, to plan, organize, and manage the day-to-day employee relations program for the County; to conduct special studies and projects; to plan, organize and direct the systems and records division; and to do other work as required.

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS

This single position class is responsible for managing the day-to-day employee relations program, and the systems and records division of the Personnel Department. The incumbent prepares and administers the departmental budget and acts for the Personnel Director in his/ her absence, or as directed. This class differs from the class of Supervising Personnel Analyst by the Employee Relations assignment and the assignment of acting for the Director as directed.

TYPICAL TASKS

Plans, organizes and manages the day to day Employee Relations Program; administers and implements the memorandum of understanding by updating codes and regulations, developing procedures and coordinating changes to personnel/payroll system; may serve as the chief negotiator or serves as a negotiations team member for the County; meets and confers with recognized employee organizations to reach agreement on conditions of employment and compensation; prepares drafts, proposals, position papers and summaries for presentation to the Board; gathers, analyzes and interprets data; participates in the formulation of the management position; provides advice and interpretations to departments on rules, regulations, policies and provisions of the memorandum of understandings, and on other employees relations matters; in conjunction with County Counsel, researches and prepares responses to appeals and grievances; acts as the departmental liaison for data processing and information system requirements; supervises the records section which processes new employees, maintains employee records and control files; selects, trains and evaluates the work of clerical support staff; assists in the preparation and administers the department budget; acts as the County representative for PERS, coordinates amendments to the contract and answers employee/retirees questions or makes referrals to PERS; conducts special studies of complex problems, makes recommendations for resolution and implements solutions as approved; acts for the Personnel Director in his/her absence; may operate a computer to store, retrieve and analyze data; prepares and presents reports; attends meetings and conferences.

EMPLOYMENT STANDARDS

Knowledge:

• Thorough knowledge of the principles and practices of employee relations;
• Thorough knowledge of the principles and practices of public Personnel Administration;
• Thorough knowledge of principles and techniques of administrative analysis;
• Working knowledge of the principles and practices of handling grievances, contract preparation and negotiations;
• Working knowledge of the techniques of office management, and the application of data processing to personnel programs;
• Working knowledge of Equal Employment Opportunity/Non- Discrimination regulations and laws;
• Working knowledge of the principles of supervision and training;
• Some knowledge of budget preparation and administration.

Ability to:

• Understand, interpret, explain and apply laws, rules, regulations, memorandum of understandings, and policies and procedures;
• Negotiate mutually satisfactory agreements and resolve grievances and complaints;
• Define problems, collect, interpret and evaluate data and develop solutions to problems;
• Establish a cooperative and credible working relationship with others;
• Supervise, train and evaluate subordinate staff;
• Prepare clear and concise written reports and make effective oral presentations;
• Plan, organize, coordinate and/or perform a variety of research and statistical studies;
• Learn to operate a computer to store, retrieve and analyze data;

Training and Experience:

Any combination of training and experience which would provide the required knowledge and abilities is qualifying. a typical way to obtain these knowledge and abilities would be:

• Four years of increasingly responsible professional personnel experience with one year of journey level or higher experience in employee relations, one year of the experience must have been in a public agency.