Senior Director - Employee Relations
Job Description
Job Title
Position Title: Senior Director, Employee Relations
Location: Central Office, Office of Human Resources, Employee Relations, 3011 West Grand Boulevard, 10th Floor, Detroit, MI 48202
Salary: $96,588 - $130,678
Reports to: Executive Director, Employee Relations
Bargaining Unit: N/A
Benefits Eligible: Yes
Hours: Pursuant to policies and administrative guidelines. Must observe regular working hours for Central Office.
Telecommuting Eligibility: Eligible for up to 40% telecommuting (i.e., up to 2 days per week remote work)
Position Summary:
The Senior Director of Employee Relations (ER), under the supervision of the Executive Director of ER, is a member of the Office of Human Resources management team and oversees the day-to-day operations of ER. The Senior Director of ER manages, leads, coaches, trains, develops, and evaluates staff in ER. The Senior Director of ER clarifies the ER team’s direction, prioritizes the work of ER, and manages ER resources, to ensure alignment with established goals and achievement of targeted results. The Senior Director of ER maintains effective systems, processes, and procedures in ER to track cases, capture and analyze data, and generate relevant reports. The Senior Director of ER ensures that ER processes and procedures are fully codified. The Senior Director of ER provides review, analysis, interpretation and administration of District policies and work rules pertaining to employee conduct. The Senior Director of ER serves the District by promoting the existence of a work environment that is compliant with employee-related District policies, work rules, and laws, and is free of illegal discrimination and retaliation, through the development and implementation of effective systems, processes and procedures designed to support these goals. The Senior Director of ER handles all facets of investigations concerning employee civil rights complaints and employee misconduct issues, from intake through to completion of the investigations, including evaluating and analyzing facts, data and evidence, conducting witness interviews, making findings, facilitating resolutions and follow-up assessments. The Senior Director of ER provides consultation and support to principals and other worksite administrators with respect to the handling of employee civil rights complaints and employee misconduct matters. The Senior Director of ER develops and provides preventative training throughout the District.
Minimum Qualifications:
Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited institution in human resources, pre-law, or related field, in combination with significant experience in law, or employee or labor relations required.
Juris Doctor degree or graduate degree in Labor Relations or Human Resources or related degree preferred
Minimum of 4-6 years progressively more responsible related experience, including a minimum of 3 years’ experience in the practice of law, or in human resources disciplines of labor and/or employee relations
Comprehensive knowledge of federal and state employment laws relating to illegal discrimination and harassment
Comprehensive knowledge of laws and legal concepts related to employee discipline, including understanding due process
Ability to balance team and individual responsibilities
Ability to conduct thorough investigations to completion and analyze facts in accordance with related laws and applicable District policies, including applicable collective bargaining agreements
Highly self-motivated with the ability to successfully drive change with minimal supervision
Attention to detail and ability to multi-task in a fast-paced environment
Demonstrated excellent oral and written communication skills
Demonstrated excellent organizational skills
Prior experience managing staff preferred
Proficiency in Office 365 applications preferred
Essential Functions:
Under the direction of the Executive Director, the Senior Director shall perform the following essential functions:
Model excellent judgment, including under pressure, and manage the continuous improvement process in ER, including proactively identifying issues, considering nuances in decision making, and designing and implementing thoughtful and innovative solutions to problems.
Consistently and effectively prioritize the work of ER and manage ER resources to ensure alignment with established goals and achievement of targeted results.
Maintain effective systems, processes, and procedures in ER to track cases, capture and analyze data, and generate relevant reports.
Skillfully develop and implement new ways of work while supporting others to manage change, and implement clear systems to monitor the progress of work, including tasks, cases and projects, and revise approach when work is off track.
Design and codify workflows, systems, operating practices, and protocols, to ensure the consistent implementation of efficient, high-quality processes in alignment with District goals.
Build relationships with stakeholders, develop cross-functional work groups, collaborate, and work across the District to advance the ER work, streamline processes, and foster innovation.
Provide consultation and guidance to District staff, including but not limited to, senior leaders, administrators, managerial staff, and Human Resources staff, concerning a wide variety of issues related to employee conduct, including with respect to disciplinary issues, civil rights complaints, conflict resolution, and interpretation of school District policies, work rules, regulations, and procedures related to employee conduct.
Receive, process, and manage investigation of internal employee civil rights complaints, including complaints of discrimination and retaliation, and complaints regarding allegations of employee misconduct and work rule/policy infractions, including but not limited to, interviewing witnesses, gathering facts, taking statements, obtaining and analyzing evidence, drafting investigation summaries, and doing all other things necessary to investigate and resolve the complaints.
Handle employee discrimination and retaliation complaints filed with the Michigan Department of Civil Rights, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, U. S. Department of Education, Office of Civil Rights, and other agencies with jurisdiction over such matters, including preparing position statements and responding to requests for information.
Review, on an ongoing basis, state and federal laws (including, but not limited to, Title VII, Title IX, Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act, ADA, ADEA, Michigan Teachers’ Tenure Act, and Michigan Revised School Code), District policies, work rules and labor contract agreements to reach findings concerning allegations of discrimination, retaliation, and misconduct issues, and monitor compliance to ensure a positive, productive, equitable work environment and to prevent discriminatory and retaliatory workplace practices.
Prepare written recommendations for employee discipline, conduct disciplinary meetings, and administer employee discipline, including suspensions without pay in coordination with worksite administrators/supervisors.
Prepare tenure charges for certificated teachers and implement the statutory process.
Attend Board meetings, grievance meetings, arbitrations, tenure appeal hearings, and other meetings/proceedings, as required.
Develop and provide effective training, resources and tools to staff pertaining to civil rights legal compliance, workplace best practices, conflict resolution, and disciplinary issues.
Participate in the District policy and administrative guidelines review, drafting and revision process concerning employee-related District policies and administrative guidelines.
Maintain appropriate files, documents, and records in a confidential manner consistent with federal, state and local regulations and District policies.
Plan and execute tasks, projects and events adhering to stated timelines.
Supervise ER team members, as assigned, to execute the activities involved in the performance of their duties, and ensure that they provide responsive, courteous and helpful customer service to the schools, staff and other stakeholders they serve.
Train and evaluate the performance of assigned personnel, and provide timely feedback and coaching to team members, to ensure performance metrics are being met or exceeded.
Fulfill other duties and responsibilities as assigned or required.
Security Clearance:
Internal Applicants
If you are a current Detroit Public Schools Community District employee, you do not have to submit to a new security clearance, unless your new role requires a different type of criminal background check.
External Applicants
In alignment with Michigan law, if you are hired to fill a position, you will be required to submit to a Detroit Public Schools Community District criminal background check. Information regarding required background checks will be shared at point of hire.
Method of Application:
Applicants must apply through the online application system. Only applications submitted through the online application system will be considered for any posted position and all applications require a resume to be considered.
Successful candidates are required to submit official transcript(s) at point of offer to hire. Teaching service outside of the Detroit Public Schools Community District must be verified by the applicant's prior employer(s) prior to hire. It is the applicant's responsibility to provide all documentation (including copies) as requested.
Applicants requesting assistance during the application process should contact the Office of Human Resources via email at [email protected] or phone at (313) 873-6897.
DPSCD does not discriminate based on race, color, national origin, sex, disability and/or religion. Contact the Civil Rights Coordinator for more information at (313) 240-4377 or detroitk12.org/compliance.
