Senior Employee & Labor Relations Specialist

at  St Jude Childrens Research Hospital

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is offering an exciting opportunity to join our Human Resources team as a Senior Employee and Labor Relations Specialist. We are searching for a knowledgeable and engaging individual who will provide expert guidance on all matters related to employee relations and labor issues. In this role, you will partner with managers, directors, and individual contributors to navigate complex, highly confidential investigations, leveraging industry best practices to deliver fair and effective solutions. This position offers you an opportunity to significantly impact and help maintain St. Jude’s culture of inclusiveness, innovation, and collaboration.

THE CANDIDATE WE ARE LOOKING FOR:

We are seeking a dynamic, well-rounded professional who can blend deep technical expertise with strong interpersonal skills. Success in this role will require:

• Emotional Intelligence: A high level of emotional intelligence to manage sensitive situations with professionalism, empathy, and discretion. You must possess the ability to resolve conflicts creatively and within policy.
• Analytical Skills: The ability to conduct fair, detailed investigations and communicate complex data in a way that helps to drive decision-making.
• Professional Demeanor: A proactive, engaging attitude, with a calm and even-keeled approach to handling stressful situations and ambiguous scenarios.
• Labor Relations Expertise: A solid understanding of labor contracts, grievance procedures, and performance improvement methodologies, along with the ability to apply best practices to resolve employee and labor-related issues.

If you are passionate about employee relations, dedicated to fostering a positive workplace environment, and ready to contribute to the groundbreaking mission of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, we want to hear from you!

MINIMUM EDUCATION:

• Bachelor’s Degree required.

MINIMUM EXPERIENCE:

• 4+ years of experience in an employee relations or similar role handling employee relations activities.
• Some experience researching complex human resources-related issues and implementing courses of action.
• Experience supporting audits, surveys, and performing complex reporting and analyses; Work Day experience, preferred.
• Strong experience with Microsoft Office Suite (e.g., Outlook, Word, PowerPoint, Excel) including Google Sheets Slides, preferred.
• Proven performance in earlier roles.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Complex Investigations: Conduct and resolve highly sensitive, confidential investigations by partnering with key stakeholders to ensure equitable resolutions.
• Unemployment Compensation Claims: Monitor and process unemployment compensation claims, representing St. Jude before the Tennessee Department of Unemployment Security. Maintain comprehensive records and compile reports related to unemployment claims.
• Exit Interviews & Trend Analysis: Conduct exit interviews and provide data-driven reports to management, highlighting trends and areas of concern, while recommending corrective actions.
• Labor Contract Negotiation & Grievances: Collaborate with the Director to interpret, administer, and negotiate labor contracts. Assist in preparing for union grievance meetings and contract negotiations with bargaining units.
• Performance Improvement Plans (PIP): Assist in developing and monitoring PIPs, reviewing processes and documentation to enhance job performance and ensure compliance with institutional standards.
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP): Promote the utilization of the EAP, and support employees and managers through return-to-work programs and other initiatives to ensure successful reintegration.
• Policy and Training: Review HR policies, the employee handbook, and union contracts regularly, recommending necessary updates. Assist in designing and delivering training on employee relations topics, such as workplace harassment, internet usage, workplace violence, and labor laws (e.g., ADA).
• Professional Development: Stay current on HR and employment laws, trends, and best practices. Build relationships within the HR and healthcare communities and engage in continuous skill and career development through committees, teams, and projects.

We are seeking a dynamic, well-rounded professional who can blend deep technical expertise with strong interpersonal skills. Success in this role will require:

• Emotional Intelligence: A high level of emotional intelligence to manage sensitive situations with professionalism, empathy, and discretion. You must possess the ability to resolve conflicts creatively and within policy.
• Analytical Skills: The ability to conduct fair, detailed investigations and communicate complex data in a way that helps to drive decision-making.
• Professional Demeanor: A proactive, engaging attitude, with a calm and even-keeled approach to handling stressful situations and ambiguous scenarios.
• Labor Relations Expertise: A solid understanding of labor contracts, grievance procedures, and performance improvement methodologies, along with the ability to apply best practices to resolve employee and labor-related issues