Labor Relations Analyst

Full Job Description

Washington State Legislature

Office of State Legislative Labor Relations

Exempt Recruitment Announcement

The Office of State Legislative Labor Relations has an immediate opening for a Labor Relations Analyst (Nonpartisan).

The ideal candidate is excited about the challenges of supporting negotiations on behalf of an organization new to labor relations, is ready to perform a wide range of duties, and has demonstrated experience in labor relations, as well as identifying strategic, mutually beneficial approaches to conflict resolution.

The ideal candidate is also a resourceful problem solver who is enthusiastic about building relationships with people with diverse backgrounds and perspectives.

About the Office of State Legislative Labor Relations:

The Office of State Legislative Labor Relations (OSLLR) is a newly established legislative agency that provides strategic, customer-focused labor relations services across the Legislature and its affiliated agencies. We are a small office of highly motivated and creative problem solvers.

Our workplace is situated in the beautiful city of Olympia, Washington, on the Capitol campus, within a short walk of various restaurants, downtown, and the Olympia waterfront.

Requirements

Position Profile:

This position reports to the Director of OSLLR and is responsible for assisting the Legislature and legislative agencies with all aspects of public sector labor relations.

Under the guidance of the Director, the position will ultimately negotiate collective bargaining agreements, represent the employer in Public Employee Relations Commission (PERC) proceedings and grievance processes, serve in the Director’s absence on behalf of OSLLR, assist with research and costing of proposals, and provide expert-level advice and guidance to legislative appointing authorities on all labor relations issues.

The Labor Relations Analyst will have a unique and broad set of responsibilities with legislative-wide internal impact, encompassing a range of tasks from routine to highly complex.

This position is designed for candidates interested in developing into a skilled labor relations negotiator.

The selected individual will receive training and mentorship to acquire and apply essential knowledge of the collective bargaining processes.

The goal is to prepare the candidate to independently facilitate effective collective bargaining and labor relations activities.

How you’ll be expected to contribute:

• Serve as lead or second chair negotiator for bargaining with legislative employee unions; prepare materials needed for negotiations, including legislative proposals and counterproposals, notes of collective bargaining sessions, letters, memoranda, reports, spreadsheets, and other administrative documents;

• Foster a positive relationship with employees and labor organizations representing legislative positions;

• Advise and counsel management stakeholders regarding federal laws, state laws, and local labor laws, policies, and guidelines; current and emerging issues; and strategies for supporting performance, collective bargaining, discipline, and grievances;

• Represent the employer in grievance and PERC proceedings;

• Conduct a variety of surveys including compensation and benefits surveys; gather and analyze data; and prepare applicable recommendations and reports;

• Participate in developing strategy for labor negotiations;

• Prepare or assist in the preparation of presentations to legislative committees;

• Prepare and provide training on labor relations topics to legislative employees and managers;

• Facilitate labor-management committee meetings;

• Interact with diverse workgroups in a manner that involves tact, respect, flexibility, and the highest level of professionalism;

• Assure objectivity, quality, and accuracy in the work of others, and be able to draft, review and edit documents, spreadsheets, correspondence, and publications for correctness, grammar, and adherence to agency policies and procedures;

• Assist with responses to public disclosure requests;

• May conduct fact-finding interviews and investigations of charges of employee misconduct, grievances filed by employees, and allegations of violations of the collective bargaining agreement; prepare reports of findings and recommendations for resolution, and prepare appropriate corrective and/or disciplinary documents; and

• Serve in the Director’s absence.

Please Note: Incumbents may be eligible for later progression to Labor Negotiator based on performance (ability to meet the knowledge, skills, and abilities) and operational needs, as determined by the Director.

Qualifications

A successful candidate will have:

• A Bachelor’s degree in public or business administration, law, human resource management, psychology, finance, political science, communications or related field;

• Two years of professional labor relations experience;

• Demonstrated proficiency in Microsoft Office applications and applications relevant to the legislative environment;

• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills;

• Proficiency in time and resource management skills demonstrated by the ability to work on multiple assignments concurrently, applying appropriate prioritization;

• Ability to work both independently and within a team environment;

• Capability to maintain the highest standards of confidentiality;

• Ability to interpret, apply, and explain rules, regulations, policies, and procedures;

• Ability to exercise independent judgement in relieving the Director of administrative detail;

• Familiarity with purchasing, vendor payments, audits, contract administration, policies, and procedures; and

• Demonstrated ability to establish effective working relationships with customers, employees, elected officials, and public agencies, as well as an understanding of how the legislative process affects OSLLR customers and partners.

Additional consideration will be given to applicants with the following desired qualifications and experience:

• Knowledge in Change Management methodologies and/or certification, including leading, planning, and implementing organizational changes, with key responsibilities like creating strategies, assessing impact, developing communication plans, and managing stakeholder engagement to ensure smooth adoption and minimize resistance.

• Developing and delivering training programs for employees, including designing curricula, conducting workshops, assessing training needs, and evaluating program effectiveness. Including knowledge in training best practices and adult learning principles.

• Class and compensation. Demonstrated ability to conduct a wage study independently.

• Familiarity with the Washington State Legislature.

• Master's Degree, or another related degree, in Public Administration, Policy, or another related field.

The selected candidate will possess the following key competencies:

Technical Understanding of Labor Relations

Demonstrate in-depth knowledge of collective bargaining processes. Exhibit familiarity with the Public Employment Relations Commission (PERC) and its regulatory functions.

Familiarity with handling grievances, participating in dispute resolution and mediation, interpreting and administering labor contracts, conducting labor-management meetings, advising management on employee relations matters, overseeing compliance with labor laws, and maintaining effective communication with union representatives.

Analytical Research & Costing

Ability to conduct wage studies, analyze proposals, and cost contracts.

Advisory Skills

Ability to advise leaders with objectivity, sound judgment, and credibility.

Facilitation & Communication

Strong written, verbal, and meeting facilitation skills.

Conflict Tolerance & Conflict Resolution

Ability to stay calm, objective, and strategic during high-stakes, emotionally charged negotiation settings.

Flexibility & Comfort with Ambiguity

Thrives amid evolving laws, PERC rulings, and political environments. Comfortable with ambiguity, especially in situations where there are multiple valid ways to interpret information or approach a decision, and able to adapt strategies accordingly.

Note: All combinations of relevant lived, volunteer, educational, or professional experience, or a combination of education and experience that demonstrate the ability to perform the work will be considered.

We are committed to hiring the best and most innovative candidate for the job.

If you are excited about this role and your experience does not align perfectly with every qualification in this job posting, we encourage you to apply anyway.

Additional Information

Conditions of Employment/Working Conditions

This position is full-time, nonpartisan, and exempt from civil service.

This is a hybrid position and may be approved for partial in-state telework after the initial training period, however, you must be able to work in-person on a regular basis.

This position requires the ability to occasionally work more than 40 hours per week or adjust normally scheduled hours, which may include evenings and weekends during legislative sessions and/or negotiations.

The higher end of the salary range listed in this job announcement is anticipated to be a result of longevity and will not be a starting salary.

Benefits:

Employee benefits include vacation and sick leave; paid state holidays; health, life, and other optional insurance; retirement; social security; and military leave.

How to Apply:

Intrigued? To be considered for this position, you MUST submit the following; failure to do so will result in your application being disqualified:

• a letter of interest specifically addressing the qualifications;

• a current resume describing in detail your experience and education;

• a minimum of three professional references with contact information (e.g., address, e-mail address, and telephone); and

• a response to the following supplemental questions:

  • 1. Please explain your Labor Relations experience, including any experience you may have as a Lead Negotiator.

    2. Please describe your Labor Relations Philosophy.
    3. Please describe your additional experience in the following areas (does not have to be all of them): change management, adult education, class and compensation, and/or the WA State Legislature.
    4. Please describe your experience with meeting facilitation, conflict resolution, and/or analytical research.

Send application materials (preferably in PDF format) to:

Kacey Irwin Rowe, HR Business Partner, Legislative Support Services
E-mail: LSSHROffice@Leg.wa.gov
Phone: (360) 786-7337

The Office of Legislative Labor Relations is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to a respectful, equitable and inclusive workplace that reflects the diversity of the state we serve.

Persons needing accommodation in the application process or this announcement in an alternative format may contact Kacey Irwin Rowe, in the Human Resources Office at (360) 786-7337, or email kacey.rowe@leg.wa.gov.