Assistant Director, Employee and Labor Relations

ABOUT US: - We believe that everyone deserves a home!

Breaking Ground operates nearly 4,000 units of housing across New York City, along with housing in upstate New York and Connecticut. Supportive housing - affordable housing paired with services designed to help people maintain their homes for the long-term - is widely recognized as a proven and cost-effective solution to chronic homelessness.

But we didn't stop at providing housing. Breaking Ground's programs and services help people experiencing street homelessness - especially those who have been on the streets the longest - to come indoors. Through our Street to Home outreach program and transitional housing resources, we help people get, and stay, on the path to a permanent home.


Assistant Director, Employee and Labor Relations
Under the direction of the Senior Director, Employee and Labor Relations, and with a high degree of autonomy, the Assistant Director, Employee and Labor Relations serves as a trusted leader and advisor responsible for implementation and management of centralized employee and labor relations policies and processes across the organization’s portfolio with an emphasis on field locations. The Assistant Director, Employee and Labor Relations assists the Senior Director, Employee and Labor Relations with development and administration of labor relations strategies, administering the collective bargaining agreements and implementing best practices to ensure compliance with all applicable laws and regulations. The Assistant Director is responsible for the administration of Human Resources compliance and other programs and processes to ensure the most effective utilization of talent needed to maximize organizational outcomes and service delivery. An as an influential and trusted partner to the Program and Property Management leadership, the Assistant Director works closely with the Operations leadership to ensure acceptance for strategic Human Resources initiatives and compliance.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
• Assists the Senior Director, Employee and Labor Relations with leading and facilitating the Employee and Labor Relations related functions
• Partners with the Senior Director, Employee and Labor Relations to design, develop, and implement proactive Employee and Labor Relations strategies, policies, and associated practices for union and non-union employee populations
• Collaborates with the department’s leadership and legal on updating Employee Handbook
• Develops and implements a metrics tracking system to effectively identify and analyze trends and opportunities for growth
• Ensures effective communication with employees, enhances management-employee interaction and ensures consistent policy and procedure application, including progressive discipline, problem resolution, and workforce diversity to maximize employee engagement, effectiveness and growth
• Investigates and evaluates workplace complaints to determine viability and proposes dispute resolution
• Provides training to management regarding labor contract application and grievance procedures
• Fosters a workplace environment consistent with the values and mission of the organization by acting as an HR business partner and advising field leadership on the matters of HR compliance
• Manages claims for unemployment insurance benefits, participates in unemployment hearings as needed
• Conducts exit interviews, analyzes exit interview data and makes recommendations for improvement
• Performs other duties as assigned

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

• Minimum of 6-8 years of previous Human Resources experience
• Bachelor’s degree in a related field, Master’s preferred
• SHRM or HRCI Certification highly desired
• Excellent organizational skills and ability to manage competing, high priority demands during times of organizational change
• High emotional intelligence, ability to interact effectively with people at all levels of the organization
• Strong knowledge of employment law, with an emphasis on investigations of workplace complaints
• Superb communication, interpersonal, and organizational skills
• Demonstrates teamwork, creativity, a desire for continuous improvement, and commitment to the profession
• Excellent ability to work under pressure, deal with demanding deadlines
• Strong detail orientation
• Advanced technical skills, including but not limited to expert level Word, Excel and PowerPoint, prior experience with HRIS systems required
• Experience or demonstrated understanding of social services sector, specifically in the areas of homelessness, mental health and substance use highly preferred

This is a field position with time divided between Program sites (Street to Home, Transitional Housing, Permanent Housing) and Property Management