Principal Employee Relations Analyst

Minimum Pay Rate: $123,531.20 

Maximum Pay Rate: $163,592.00 

Civil Service Status: Civil Service 

Apply by Date: 05/20/2025 

Posting Type: Open 

 

SMUD’s People Services and Strategies Department seeks a Principal Employee Relations Analyst to provideprofessional and analytical support as well as subject matter expertise on employee and labor relations matters.The Principal Employee Relations Analyst is a lead contributor that performs a wide variety of duties related toemployee and labor relations, such as providing professional guidance, advice, and training on employee andlabor relations matters at all levels of the organization; assisting supervisors with employee coaching, performancemanagement, and performance improvement; conducting and supporting fact-finding investigations of potentialpolicy violations and EEO complaints; writing defensible investigatory reports; recommending discipline anddrafting disciplinary documents; addressing sensitive employee matters; and, serving in a support role for laborrelations with one or more collective bargaining units, including day-to-day contract management, grievanceresponse and resolution, and labor negotiations. This position also serves as Substance Abuse Program Administrator and Designated Employer Representative (DER), providing day-to-day oversight to ensure compliance with applicable State and Federal rules, laws, and regulations.  

 

NOTE: This position is posted until a sufficient number of qualified applications are received and mayclose any time after 10 business days 5/20/2025. For immediate consideration, applicants are encouraged to apply early.

Purpose

To perform advanced professional analytical support and consulting services in the development, coordination, implementation, and administration of labor and employee relations policies, procedures, and programs; serves as a Chief Negotiator in negotiations with labor unions as well as in grievance resolution efforts; provides ongoing employee relations services to SMUD departments by keeping appropriate management abreast of changes in local Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs), conducting fact-finding investigations, guiding disciplinary processes, and recommending solutions to employee relations issues. 

Nature and Scope

There are four (4) levels in this job classification series that have similar job content but with progressively more challenging degrees and levels of skill, responsibility, knowledge, experience and qualification requirements:

 

Flex Classifications (that permit progression from lower-level classes to higher level classes without examination based upon assessment of an individual's experience and performance) within the series: 

 

• Entry: Incumbent acquires knowledge, skills and abilities to perform the tasks associated within the series but are not yet demonstrating these at the Journey level.
• Journey: Incumbent is demonstrating the required skills and knowledge to independently perform the full scope of the job.

Non-Flex Classifications (that promote from lower-level classes to higher level classes and require an examination, such as an interview, based upon individual experience and performance) within the series: 

 

• Senior: Advanced journey level resource who is responsible for advanced assignments, as dictated by the work needing to be performed; may serve in a lead role.
• Principal: Subject matter expert/lead level and is responsible for leading the most advanced work, as dictated by the work needing to be performed.

 

Entry to Journey: Incumbents at the entry level are required to successfully “progress” to the journey level within 60 months of appointment to remain within the job series.

 

Seniors and Principals must be hired through a promotional process and do not automatically progress from lower levels in the series.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Directs or oversees staff or a work team in accomplishing daily tasks and assignments; provides leadership and counsel on work methods and standards; inspects completed work for compliance with established work standards and processes; evaluates, trains and performance manages assigned staff; ensures accountability for delivery of programs, services and execution of strategies.    
• Represents SMUD in conducting good faith negotiations, in accordance with all applicable labor and employment laws; acts as a chief negotiator for union-related matters.    
• Builds and maintains effective relationships with unions and SMUD management.    
• Serves as an expert on SMUD’s Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs), providing advice and guidance to management on contract provisi