Assistant Counsel of Employee Relations

Assistant Counsel of Employee Relations

About The State University of New York :

The State University of New York is the largest comprehensive system of higher education in the United States, and more than 95 percent of all New Yorkers live within 30 miles of any one of SUNY's 64 colleges and universities. Across the system, SUNY has four academic health centers, five hospitals, four medical schools, two dental schools, a law school, the state's only college of optometry, and manages one US Department of Energy National Laboratory. In total, SUNY serves about 1.4 million students amongst its entire portfolio of credit- and non-credit-bearing courses and programs, continuing education, and community outreach programs. SUNY oversees nearly a quarter of academic research in New York. Research expenditures system-wide are nearly $1.1 billion in fiscal year 2022, including significant contributions from students and faculty. There are more than three million SUNY alumni worldwide, and one in three New Yorkers with a college degree is a SUNY alum. To learn more about how SUNY creates opportunities, visit www.suny.edu.

Job Description:

POSITION SUMMARY:

The System Office of Employee Relations represents the University in its relations with unionized employees. We serve 29 campuses and System Administration in the development and implementation of employee relations policy and practice. The Assistant Counsel of Employee Relations represents the University in statewide negotiations, coordinates campus involvement in the bargaining process and communicates regularly with campuses regarding their rights and responsibilities under collective bargaining agreements, and related statutes, rules, regulations and case law. The incumbent serves as the Chancellor's representative in hearing appeals of disciplinary and contract grievances pursuant to the collective bargaining agreements, and coordinates the defense of improper practice charges before the Public Employment Relations Board. The incumbent also represents the State-operated campuses in the expedited disciplinary arbitration process for all CSEA represented employees.

SPECIFIC DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:

Under the general direction of the Assistant Vice Chancellor for Employee Relations, the Assistant Director of Employee Relations performs the following:

• Supervises the administration of six collective bargaining agreements (with CSEA, PBANYS, NYSCOPBA, PEF), and the application of the Civil Service Law Rules, Regulations and Procedures relating to terms and conditions of employment of employees in the classified service.
• Represents SUNY by serving on statewide negotiating teams and assists in formulation of employee relations policy for classified service employees.
• Serves as the University's representative in the administration of the grievance procedures (contract, non-contract and disciplinary) affecting classified service employees. 
• Serves as a hearing officer in such proceedings, mediates disputes, develops and executes dispute settlement agreements and renders decisions which are binding upon campus managers.
• Serves as the University's representative in the expedited disciplinary arbitration process for all CSEA represented employees.
• Advises campus officers on union contract interpretation, dispute resolution, disciplinary matters and other campus employee relations matters as required. This includes guiding campus designees in the preparation of grievance decisions.
• Serves as liaison to advocate campus and SUNY positions to various external constituencies including unions, Department of Civil Service, Governor's Office of Employee Relations, etc.
• Assists counsel from the Governor's Office of Employee Relations, SUNY Counsel's Office and Attorney General's Office in the preparation of contract and disciplinary arbitrations, improper practice charges before the Public Employment Relations Board, Civil Service Department hearings and other litigation.
• Serves as the University representative to statewide committees such as the CSEA and PEF Statewide Labor/Management Committees, the Statewide Clerical Advancement Committee, NYS/CSEA Partnership for Education and Training, the PEF Nursing Issues Committee and other joint labor-management ventures.
• Advises campus level labor relations designees.
• Provides assistance and training to campus officers as they develop and implement policies and programs such as attendance control, employee assistance, safety, clerical advancement, performance evaluations, counseling and discipline, etc.
• Coordinates lay-off activities of campuses for classified service employees.
• Assists the Assistant and Associate Vice Chancellors of Employee Relations on special tasks and projects as required.

Requirements:

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Admittance to the NYS Bar
• Experience working in a unionized environment,
• Minimum of 3 years' experience practicing public sector labor law in New York State.

Additional Information:

• Salary is dependent on a variety of factors, including but not limited to, experience, education, training, and certifications. The range for this position is $90,000-$105,000.
• Excellent Benefit Package which includes: NYS health insurance, free dental and vision coverage, competitive retirement options, tuition assistance, parental leave at full pay, and generous vacation, sick, and holiday time. 13 days of paid holidays per year; 21 days of vacation and 21 days of sick time accrued each year. Please see our Management/Confidential benefits summary for additional information.
• This position will be based in Albany.
• Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis.
• This is an FLSA exempt position. Frequent travel to the 29 state operated SUNY campuses is required.

Application Instructions:

Interested candidates are invited to apply online. Please submit a cover letter, resume and four professional references when applying. The review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled.

Application Instructions:
Interested candidates are invited to apply online at https://sunysystem.interviewexchange.com/jobofferdetails.jsp;jsessionid=9AE501FB7527C8C0B311091BB6C2C709?JOBID=174207

State University of New York System Administration is an affirmative action, equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, creed, age, disability, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, familial status, pregnancy, predisposing genetic characteristics, military status, domestic violence victim status, criminal conviction, or retaliation.

Pursuant to Executive Order 161, no State entity, as defined by the Executive Order, is permitted to ask, or mandate, in any form, that an applicant for employment provide his or her current compensation, or any prior compensation history, until such time as the applicant is extended a conditional offer of employment with compensation. If such information has been requested from you before such time, please contact the Office of Employee Relations at (518) 474-6988 or via email at info@oer.ny.gov.