Employee and Labor Relations Manager

Full Job Description

Bring your passion for employee and labor relations and advance your career with our exciting leadership opportunity. Join the County of Sonoma's Human Resources Department as our next

Employee and Labor Relations Manager.

Starting salary up to $100.81/hour ($210,402.57/year) and a competitive total compensation package!*

If you’re motivated by building strategic business partnerships, thrive on intellectual challenges, excel in negotiation and conflict resolution, and enjoy the energy of working in a fast-paced, ever-evolving environment, while being part of a supportive team, come join us!

What We Offer

Working at the County of Sonoma offers expansive opportunities for growth and development, the ability to be a part of a challenging and rewarding work environment, and the satisfaction of knowing you're working to better our communities.

You can also look forward to flexible work arrangements and excellent benefits* including:

• Hybrid Telework - A schedule that meets the needs of our staff, department operations, and the communities we serve may be available depending on the assignment
• Salary Advancement - A salary increase after 1,040 hours (6 months when working full-time) for good work performance; eligibility for a salary increase for good performance every year thereafter, until reaching the top of the salary range
• Paid Time Off - Competitive vacation and sick leave accruals, 12 paid holidays, and an additional 8 floating holiday hours per year
• Staff Development/Wellness - Annual benefit allowances of up to $2,000 and ongoing education/training opportunities
• County Paid Health Premium Contributions - 100% premium contribution for the majority of employee-only and employee + family health plan options
• Post-Retirement Health Reimbursement Arrangement - County contributions to help fund post-retirement health insurance/benefits
• Retirement - A pension fully integrated with Social Security
• Incentive Retirement Savings Plan (IRSP) and 457 Voluntary Deferred Compensation - 3%/1.9% of salary County contribution to a 401(a), in addition to the County matching up to 1% of base salary in 401(a), based upon employee contribution
• Paid Parental Leave - May be eligible for up to 8 weeks (320 hours) after 12 months of County employment
• Student Loan Debt Relief – County employees may be eligible for Public Service Loan Forgiveness through the U.S. Department of Education

Join Our Team

The Human Resources Department (County HR) is a team of 60+ employees who provide human resources and risk management services to 32 agencies, departments, and special districts that employ 4,700+ positions.

These diverse services include employee benefits, classification plan management, recruitment and examination, countywide training, employee and labor relations, equal employment opportunity, HR information systems, occupational health and safety, risk management, and workplace violence prevention.

Our mission is to be a trusted partner, providing our clients with HR services that work to effectively recruit, develop, and retain an outstanding workforce committed to providing quality public service.

We value customer service, collaboration, professionalism, consistency, proactive planning, flexibility, and innovative problem-solving.

County HR is committed to creating a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace where everyone who works with, for, and/or receives services from the County of Sonoma is welcomed, supported, and empowered to reach their full potential.

Reporting to the Director of Human Resources and operating under the direction of the County Executive and the Board of Supervisors, the Employee and Labor Relations (ELR) Manager leads the County’s ELR Program.

This program supports all County departments, agencies, and special districts under the Board’s jurisdiction, as well as affiliated entities, including the Northern Sonoma County Air Pollution Control District, Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District, Sonoma County Community Development Commission, Sonoma County Employees’ Retirement Association, Sonoma County Fair and Exposition, Inc., and the Sonoma County Water Agency.

In this role, the ELR Manager leads the ELR Unit within County HR - a team of five highly motivated, solution-driven professionals and paraprofessionals dedicated to delivering excellent customer service to County management and employees.

Team members are supportive and collaborative, working together to successfully research, analyze, and address many difficult and complex employee and labor relations matters.

The team thrives on open communication and shared problem-solving, regularly sharing ideas, discussing cases, and refining recommendations to ensure consistent guidance and alignment with the Board of Supervisors’ priorities and human resources best practices.

What You Bring

As manager of the ELR team and trusted advisor to executive leadership and department heads on sensitive personnel matters, the ELR Manager guides departments through complex employee relations issues, assesses risk, and recommends appropriate courses of action.

This role manages grievances, recommends strategies for addressing workplace disputes, facilitates difficult conversations, maintains productive relationships with bargaining unit representatives, and leads contract negotiations.

Success in this fast-paced environment requires adaptability and the ability to pivot quickly during negotiations.

The ideal candidate exercises strong judgment to evaluate complex issues and provide recommendations with significant, far-reaching impact. Additionally, the ideal candidate possesses:

• Strong verbal and written communication skills with the ability to actively listen, clearly convey complex concepts, and engage diverse audiences
• Critical thinking skills to interpret and analyze complex information to inform sound decisions
• The ability to manage multiple, complex matters simultaneously without losing attention to detail
• Negotiation skills to resolve points of contention and build credibility and trust with executives, department leaders, supervisors, union representatives, and staff
• The ability to interpret and apply Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs), policies, case law, statutes, and related labor relations guidance
• Leadership skills to effectively direct, mentor, and train staff, fostering a high-performing, collaborative team

In addition to technical labor relations expertise, the ideal candidate brings strong interpersonal and leadership qualities that enhance a collaborative and high-performing work environment. Key traits include:

• Collaboration and Teamwork – Builds strong working relationships within the department and across County departments
• Discretion – Handles sensitive and confidential information with integrity and professionalism
• Conflict Resolution – Facilitates difficult conversations with composure and constructively resolves workplace issues
• Emotional Intelligence – Demonstrates self-awareness, political acumen, and empathy, effectively reading group dynamics and managing sensitive situations tactfully
• Coaching and Development – Provides constructive feedback, guidance, and support to foster employee growth and team development

Above all, the ELR Manager demonstrates integrity, sound judgment, and a commitment to excellence. We value diverse lived experiences, and a sense of humor is a must!

While the work is consequential and often confidential, we prioritize a supportive environment where our team can succeed and enjoy their time together.

Additionally, possession of a Senior Professional Human Resources (SHPR) certification and/or Certified Legal Risk Manager (CLRM) is welcomed.

The position’s hours are typically Monday through Friday, from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, and work is performed in an office environment. Depending upon operational needs and during contract negotiations, the position may work extended hours.

We are interested in finding the best candidate for our position and will consider any equivalent combination of knowledge, skills, abilities, experience, education, and training to meet the minimum qualifications described below.

If you are interested in applying, we encourage you to think broadly about your background and transferable skill set and how they set you up to be the best candidate for this position.

Bring Your Commitment to Public Service to the County of Sonoma

The County of Sonoma is the place to live, grow, and build your career legacy. When you join the County of Sonoma, you'll have the freedom to explore the beauty of our county - its picturesque coastline, majestic redwoods, historic towns, fine dining, award-winning wineries, and a wide variety of entertainment and cultural activities. For additional information about the beauty of our community and the valuable services and support that the County provides our communities, please visit sonomacounty.gov and sonomacountyconnections.org.

This recruitment is being conducted to fill the Employee and Labor Relations position in the Human Resources Department. This employment list may also be used to fill future full-time or part-time positions as they occur during the active status of the list. Qualified County employees who wish to be considered for future positions should consider applying to this recruitment.

*Salary is negotiable within the established range. Benefits described herein do not represent a contract and may be changed without notice. Additional information can be found in the Salary Resolution (SalRes) and our Employee Benefits Directory.

Application submissions require the Supplemental Questionnaire to be completed.

Requirements

Any combination of education, experience, and training that would provide knowledge and abilities listed herein.

Normally that would include a Bachelor's Degree in industrial relations, human resources, organizational psychology, public administration, business administration, psychology or a closely related field, or a Juris Doctorate; and four years of professional level labor relations experience.

Public sector labor relations experience and some supervisory experience are also highly desirable.

Qualifications

Thorough knowledge of: employer-employee/labor relations laws, precedents, regulations, and practices; labor negotiation principles and practices; the principles and practices of handling grievances, unfair practice charges, and employee-employer disputes; principles and administration of programs that support positive employee-employer relations; principle and practices of employee performance management.

Considerable knowledge of: accepted principles and practices of human resources management; and research methodology, report writing, and basic statistics.

Working knowledge of: principles of organization and management applicable to local governments.

Ability to: develop and maintain effective working relationships with County officials and management, labor representatives, and departmental colleagues; negotiate mutually satisfactory agreements; facilitate the resolution of disputes; understand, interpret and apply appropriate provisions of applicable laws, ordinances, rules, regulations, memoranda of understanding, and operating procedures; accurately perceive and judge formal and informal influences, analyze information, assess risks, take appropriate courses of action, and solve problems; plan, organize, and coordinate research and statistical work; plan, train, supervise, and evaluate the work of subordinates; listen and communicate effectively, prepare clear and concise written reports, and make oral presentations; be resilient and lead through challenging situations.

Additional Information

• Your application information and your responses to the supplemental questions are evaluated and taken into consideration throughout the entire selection process.
• You should list all employers and positions held within the last ten years in the work history section of your application. Be as thorough as possible when responding to the supplemental questions.
• You may include history beyond ten years if related to the position for which you are applying. If you held multiple positions with one employer, list out each position separately.
• Failure to follow these instructions may impact your competitiveness in this process or may result in disqualification.

Please visit Getting a Job with the County of Sonoma to review more detailed information about the hiring process, including the application process, examination steps, and department selection process.

Application submissions require the Supplemental Questionnaire be completed.

Responses to supplemental questions will be scored using position-specific criteria.

Please provide specific and detailed responses of a reasonable length to allow for a thorough assessment of your qualifications.

Responses that state, "See Resume" or "See Application" may be considered insufficient and therefore may not be scored.

The selection procedure will consist of the following examination:

An Application and Supplemental Questionnaire Appraisal Examination (weight 100%) will be conducted to evaluate each applicant's application and supplemental questionnaire for satisfaction of minimum qualifications (pass/not pass); and for educational coursework, training, experience, knowledge, and abilities which relate to this position.

Personally identifiable information (PII) is removed from the standard application fields and applicable attachments.

This PII blind screening practice redacts a candidate’s personal information that could potentially influence or bias the scoring process.

Personal information includes the applicant’s name, former last name, address, phone number, email, driver's license number, school name, education start and end dates, age, date of birth, gender, and race.

This PII blind screening practice helps contribute to a fair and equitable examination process.

Each applicant will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

• Relevance of work history, related experience, and achieved level of education and/or training as described in the application and responses to the supplemental questions.

Candidates demonstrating possession of the minimum qualifications will be placed on an employment list in order of most qualified to least qualified based on the achieved score received in the Application and Supplemental Questionnaire Appraisal Examination.

Scores may be adjusted based on such factors as the number of candidates, anticipated vacancies, past practice, and natural breaks in the scores achieved by this group of candidates.

Additional Information

A background investigation may be required prior to employment.

Candidates referred to departments for a selection interview are typically required to sign authorization and release forms enabling such an investigation.

Failure to sign prescribed forms will result in the candidate not being considered further for that vacancy. Reference information will not be made available to applicants.

Additional requirements, such as successful completion of a physical exam, drug screen, etc., may apply, depending on the duties and responsibilities of the position.

If you receive a conditional job offer for the position, the requirements upon which the offer is contingent will be outlined in the conditional job letter.

You may also review the Job Classification Screening Schedule to determine the requirements for this position.

How to Apply

Applications are accepted online at www.yourpath2sonomacounty.org. Paper applications may be submitted by person, fax (707-565-3770), email, or through the mail.

All applications and appropriate supplemental information as outlined in the job announcement must be received by the time and date specified on the first page of this job announcement.

Applications received after the recruitment closes will not be accepted.

The County of Sonoma values diversity and is dedicated to creating a workplace environment that provides individuals with a sense of belonging.

We are committed to having a diverse workforce that is representative of the communities we serve.

The County is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer where all aspects of employment are based on merit, competence, performance, and business need.

HR Analyst: CG

HR Tech: VH