Employee & Labor Relations Advisor

Howard Community College ( HCC) is an exciting place to work, learn, and grow! We are proud to have received the Great Colleges to Work For honor for 12 consecutive years, 2009-2020.

Howard Community College values diversity among its faculty, staff and student population. We are an innovative institution that is committed to responding to the ever-changing needs and interests of a diverse and dynamic community. No matter where you want to go in your career, you can get there from here!

The Employee Relations & Case Management Advisor provides professional employee-relations, case-management, investigative, research, reporting, facilitation, and operational support within Human Resources. The Advisor independently conducts preliminary intake and triage, reviews records and evidence, manages confidential case files and complex document productions, researches policy and contractual issues, tracks deadlines, supports workplace investigations, and handles defined routine employee-relations matters within delegated authority. The role requires independent judgment, initiative, resourcefulness, technological fluency, strong customer service, and the ability to move work forward in an environment where processes, systems, and historical information may not always be clearly documented.

* Conducts preliminary employee-relations intake; assesses the nature, urgency, and apparent risk of concerns; identifies appropriate initial actions within established parameters; and determines when escalation is required.

* Reviews case records and communications to identify relevant information, factual gaps, inconsistencies, missing evidence, and additional sources requiring follow-up.

* Creates and maintains organized electronic case files, chronologies, evidence logs, correspondence files, interview materials, disciplinary records, policy and CBA references, and related documentation.

* Coordinates and prepares complex document productions for external agencies, grievances, investigations, subpoenas, litigation support, and other formal matters; assesses apparent relevance and responsiveness and flags sensitive materials requiring higher-level or legal review.

* Supports workplace investigations and fact-finding by scheduling interviews, preparing background materials, attending meetings, taking accurate notes, organizing evidence, and conducting defined preliminary interviews or follow-up inquiries as assigned.

* Researches policies, procedures, collective bargaining agreements, historical practices, organizational records, and other relevant sources; synthesizes findings and recommends next steps.

* Handles routine employee-relations questions and lower-risk matters within delegated authority and refers complex, sensitive, precedent-setting, or high-risk matters to HR leadership.

* Supports informal conflict resolution, facilitated problem-solving conversations, team discussions, and other appropriate early-intervention efforts; assists with ER presentations, workshops, and manager or employee education as assigned.

* Maintains accurate case-status, activity, outcome, and closure information; prepares basic reports and identifies recurring issues, delays, or patterns for higher-level review.

* Helps maintain ER knowledge resources, templates, precedent/reference materials, and case-closing practices so that institutional learning is preserved and assigned matters are driven through documented completion.

* Maintains the AVP's employee and labor relations case calendar, including agency deadlines, grievance dates, interviews, hearings, follow-up obligations, and other time-sensitive commitments; proactively flags upcoming deadlines and unresolved items.

* Uses approved AI-enabled and other workplace technologies to support document review, chronology development, research, comparison, drafting, and workflow efficiency while independently verifying accuracy and protecting confidential information.

* Navigates College organizational structures, systems, departments, record sources, and historical processes to locate information and resolve assigned work without requiring step-by-step direction.

* Demonstrates a strong service orientation through responsiveness, reliability, persistence, timely follow-through, professionalism, and willingness to perform both complex and routine work necessary to meet department needs.

* Supports administration of collective bargaining agreements by tracking contract obligations, grievance steps, information requests, deadlines, labor-management action items, and required notices; escalates interpretive or disputed issues.

* Compiles union roster, bargaining-unit eligibility, dues deduction, and information-request data in collaboration with HRIS and Payroll; identifies exceptions, verifies information, and routes proposed disclosures for authorized review.

* Prepares grievance files, meeting materials, relevant CBA extracts, preliminary correspondence, and draft responses for HR leadership and counsel; assists with bargaining preparation and labor-management committee logistics.

* Assists supervisors with documenting performance expectations, coaching, evaluations, performance-improvement plans, and corrective-action records, consistent with applicable policies and CBAs and within delegated authority.

* Performs other employee-relations, labor-relations, compliance, case-management, and Human Resources responsibilities as assigned.

* Three years of progressively responsible experience in human resources, employee relations, legal support, paralegal work, investigations, compliance, litigation support, case management, higher education administration, or similarly complex professional work. Education may be substituted for relevant professional experience.

* Demonstrated experience managing confidential information, multiple deadlines, and detailed case, legal, investigative, or HR work.

* Demonstrated ability to learn unfamiliar systems and processes, independently locate information, solve problems, and advance assignments with limited direction.

* Strong written communication, note-taking, organizational, analytical, interpersonal, and customer-service skills.

* Exceptional oral and written communication skills, including the ability to prepare clear, accurate, polished correspondence, case summaries, interview notes, chronologies, and sensitive documentation, and to communicate professionally with employees, supervisors, and other stakeholders.

* Demonstrated exceptional attention to detail, accuracy, and thoroughness in reviewing records, identifying inconsistencies and omissions, maintaining confidential files, and ensuring complete, reliable work products.

* Proficiency with electronic records, productivity software, PDF tools, spreadsheets, collaboration platforms, and electronic file-management systems.

* Proficiency in Microsoft Word and Excel; ability to organize and analyze case data and prepare accurate documents, spreadsheets, chronologies, and reports.

* Working proficiency with Adobe Acrobat Pro or comparable PDF tools, including PDF assembly, page organization, bookmarking, and secure redaction of confidential information; ability to verify that redacted content cannot be recovered.

* Ability to use approved AI-enabled tools responsibly to support research and drafting, independently verify outputs against authoritative sources, and protect confidential employee information.

* Ability to maintain confidentiality, exercise sound judgment, recognize limits of authority, and escalate appropriately.

* Ability to work a schedule established according to operational needs, including occasional evenings and weekends.

* At least one year of experience supporting labor relations, CBA administration, grievance processing, or HR work in a unionized setting is preferred.

* Paralegal certificate, legal studies education, or substantial experience supporting employment law, workplace investigations, litigation, administrative charges, regulatory responses, or complex document productions.

* Experience in employee relations, labor relations, higher education, government, public-sector employment, or another unionized or highly regulated environment.

* Experience preparing document productions, chronologies, case indexes, investigative materials, or external agency responses.

* Experience conducting intake interviews or supporting workplace investigations.

* Demonstrated responsible use of approved artificial-intelligence tools and emerging workplace technologies.

* Experience with mediation, conflict resolution, team facilitation, public speaking, training, workshop facilitation, or adult learning.

* Professional proficiency in Spanish for workplace communication is preferred; proficiency in other languages is valued. Qualified interpreters remain appropriate for sensitive or formal proceedings.

* Military or veteran experience demonstrating transferable skills in investigation, documentation, compliance, leadership, conflict resolution, or personnel administration.

* Relevant professional credentials, such as SHRM-CP, PHR, IPMA-HR, paralegal certification, or equivalent specialized training.

* Ability to exercise independent judgment in triaging concerns, evaluating information, assessing document relevance, and recommending next steps.

* Exceptional organization, attention to detail, and ability to manage multiple concurrent matters and deadlines.

* Resourcefulness and persistence in locating records and navigating complex organizational structures.

* Ability to operate effectively when processes, responsibilities, systems, or historical information are incomplete, undocumented, or evolving.

* Ability to interact professionally with employees who may be upset, frustrated, confused, or concerned while maintaining neutrality and appropriate boundaries.

* Ability to read and work with electronic, scanned, archived, and handwritten records, including cursive handwriting.

* Strong technology aptitude and willingness to learn new tools quickly.

* Ability to communicate clearly and credibly in one-to-one and group settings and to support presentations, facilitated discussions, and learning activities.

This is a full-time position. The work schedule is established by Human Resources based on College operational requirements and employee-relations needs and is not independently determined by the incumbent. Regular on-campus presence is required. The position may occasionally require work outside normal business hours, including evenings or weekends, to support investigations, hearings, meetings, urgent matters, external deadlines, or other operational needs. The incumbent routinely handles confidential, sensitive, and at times emotionally charged matters.

Howard Community College offers competitive salaries, excellent medical and dental selections, tuition reimbursement and paid leave programs. As a participating member of the Maryland Retirement and Pension System, HCC offers two retirement options: The Pension, which requires a 7% employee contribution and The ORP, a 403(b) with a 7.25% employer contribution only. Employees in positions that do not require a bachelor's degree must participate in The Pension. Employees that possess a bachelor's degree and hold professional positions that require a bachelor's degree may choose to participate in either The Pension or The ORP.

*Pre-employment criminal background investigation is a condition of employment.

HCC is interested in all qualified applicants who are eligible to work in the United States. However, HCC will generally not sponsor applicants for work visas. Due to HCC policy, only employees living in states contiguous to Maryland are eligible for work at HCC and include Virginia, West Virginia, Washington DC, Pennsylvania. Candidates must live in the commutable area or willing to relocate at their own expense if offered the position because HCC does not offer relocation benefits.

Please complete the entire HCC Employment Application (Candidates will be evaluated on completing the college's application in full).

Howard Community College ( HCC) is an Equal Employment Opportunity & Affirmative Action employer & values diversity within its faculty, staff & student population. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, disability or protected veteran status.

HCC understands that persons with specific disabilities may need assistance with the job application process and/or with the interview process. For confidential assistance with the job application process, please contact the Office of Human Resources at 443-518-1100.