Principal Employee and Labor Relations Analyst

Bring your passion for employee and labor relations and advance your career with our exciting leadership opportunity. Join the County of Sonoma's Human Resources Department as our nextPrincipal Employee and Labor Relations Analyst.

Starting salary up to $75.14/hour ($156,826/year) and a competitive total compensation package!*

If you’re motivated by building strategic business partnerships, thrive on intellectual challenges, excel in negotiation and conflict resolution, and enjoy the energy of working in a fast-paced, ever-evolving environment, while leading a supportive team, come join us!

What We Offer

Working at the County of Sonoma offers expansive opportunities for growth and development, the ability to be a part of a challenging and rewarding work environment, and the satisfaction of knowing you're working to better our communities. You can also look forward to flexible work arrangements and excellent benefits* including:

• Hybrid Telework - A schedule that meets the needs of our staff, department operations, and the communities we serve may be available depending on the assignment
• Salary Advancement - A salary increase after 1,040 hours (6 months when working full-time) for good work performance; eligibility for a salary increase for good performance every year thereafter, until reaching the top of the salary range
• Paid Time Off- Competitive vacation and sick leave accruals, 12 paid holidays, and an additional 8 floating holiday hours per year
• Staff Development/Wellness - Annual benefit allowances of up to $2,000 and ongoing education/training opportunities
• County Paid Health Premium Contributions- 100% premium contribution for the majority of employee-only and employee + family health plan options
• Post-Retirement Health Reimbursement Arrangement - County contributions to help fund post-retirement health insurance/benefits
• Retirement - A pension fully integrated with Social Security
• Incentive Retirement Savings Plan (IRSP) and 457 Voluntary Deferred Compensation- 3%/1.9% of salary County contribution to a 401(a), in addition to the County matching up to 1% of base salary in 401(a), based upon employee contribution
• Paid Parental Leave - May be eligible for up to 8 weeks (320 hours) after 12 months of County employment
• Student Loan Debt Relief – County employees may be eligible for Public Service Loan Forgiveness through the U.S. Department of Education

Join Our Team

The Human Resources Department (County HR) is a team of 60+ employees who provide human resources and risk management services to 30 agencies, departments, and special districts that employ 4,700+ positions. These diverse services include employee benefits, classification plan management, recruitment and examination, countywide training, employee and labor relations, equal employment opportunity, HR information systems, occupational health and safety, risk management, and workplace violence prevention. Our mission is to be a trusted partner, providing our clients with HR services that work to effectively recruit, develop, and retain an outstanding workforce committed to providing quality public service. We value customer service, collaboration, professionalism, consistency, proactive planning, flexibility, and innovative problem-solving. County HR is committed to creating a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace where everyone who works with, for, and/or receives services from the County of Sonoma is welcomed, supported, and empowered to reach their full potential.

Our Employee and Labor Relations (ELR) Unit in County HR is a team of five highly motivated, solution-driven professionals and paraprofessionals dedicated to delivering excellent customer service to County management, employees, and the affiliated entities we serve. We are supportive and collaborative, working together to successfully research, analyze, and address many difficult and complex employee and labor relations matters. Our team thrives on open communication and shared problem-solving, regularly sharing ideas, discussing cases, and refining recommendations to ensure consistent guidance and alignment with the Board of Supervisors’ priorities and human resources best practices.

Reporting to the ELR Manager, the Principal Employee and Labor Relations Analyst is responsible for supervising the ELR team and serving as a business partner to departments. Advising and collaborating with staff and County managers on the best application of rules, regulations, and best practices. If selected for the position, during onboarding, you will work closely with the ELR Manager and will ultimately work more independently, consulting and seeking guidance on highly complex employee and labor relations issues, including those with significant risk. You will also:

• Supervise a technician and three analysts, one of whom works as a Recruitment and Classification (R&C 50%) and ELR (50%) analyst
• Regularly represent the County and department clients as the lead negotiator in meet and confers related to employee safety, policy changes, transferring of bargaining unit work, change of work rules, etc.
• Ensure compliance with the Meyers-Milias-Brown Act (MMBA) and Public Employment Relations Board (PERB) statutes and rulings
• Perform in-depth research, gather information from a variety of sources, analyze findings, and provide recommendations for information requests, grievances, mediation, arbitration, and contract negotiations
• Support staff and management with difficult and complex contract interpretation, conducting discipline and performance management, and processing grievances
• Identify whether department issues may have widespread consequences across the broader organization and persuade staff and departments to ensure continuity of the County’s philosophy on employee and labor relations issues
• Liaison with unions on employee relations issues and facilitate labor/management committees and other interest-based processes

The position’s hours are typically Monday through Friday, from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, and work is performed in an office environment. Depending upon operational needs, this position must work extra hours intermittently to complete specific tasks and during contract negotiations with the County’s 14 different labor organizations. With manager approval, flexible scheduling and telework arrangements may be available.

What You Bring

Our ideal candidate will demonstrate that they can quickly assess problems and are a solution-oriented thinker with a strong customer-focused approach. They can communicate effectively with diverse groups of people, including staff, department heads, consultants, vendors, union representatives, and County officials. Additionally, we are looking for someone who is collaborative, adaptable, strategic, tactful, and detail-oriented, and who also:

• Has multiple years of negotiation and/or mediation experience, with a talent for uncovering solutions even in the most challenging situations
• Brings their well-developed analytical, critical thinking, judgment skills, and ability to see both details and the bigger picture
• Is proficient in current regulations and best practices in employee and labor relations and possesses a deep knowledge of public sector labor relations, including the MMBA and PERB decisions
• Demonstrates skills in researching, tracking, analyzing, synthesizing, and interpreting data with the ability to present information clearly and concisely, in a compelling way, to a variety of audiences
• Has superb organizational skills, including the ability to apply complex policies and procedures while meeting multiple competing deadlines
• Possesses high-functioning customer service skills with the ability to effectively address inquiries, coordinate services for various internal and external stakeholders, and maintain collaborative working partnerships with a variety of clients
• Is empathetic, maintains composure and professionalism in high-pressure or tense situations, and can assess the room and identify what information should be provided

Above all, the Principal Employee and Labor Relations Analyst demonstrates integrity, sound judgment, and a commitment to excellence. We value diverse lived experiences, and a sense of humor is a must! While the work is consequential and often confidential, we prioritize a supportive environment where our team can succeed and enjoy their time together.

Additionally, possession of a Senior Professional Human Resources (SHPR) certification and/or Certified Legal Risk Manager (CLRM) is welcomed.

We are interested in finding the best candidate for our position and will consider any equivalent combination of knowledge, skills, abilities, experience, education, and training to meet the minimum qualifications described below. If you are interested in applying, we encourage you to think broadly about your background and transferable skill set and how they set you up to be the best candidate for this position.

Bring Your Commitment to Public Service to the County of Sonoma

The County of Sonoma is the place to live, grow, and build your career legacy. When you join the County of Sonoma, you'll have the freedom to explore the beauty of our county - its picturesque coastline, majestic redwoods, historic towns, fine dining, award-winning wineries, and a wide variety of entertainment and cultural activities. For additional information about the beauty of our community and the valuable services and support that the County provides our communities, please visit sonomacounty.gov andsonomacountyconnections.org.

This recruitment is being conducted to fill the Principal Employee and Labor Relations Analyst position in the Human Resources Department. This employment list may also be used to fill future full-time or part-time positions as they occur during the active status of the list.Qualified County employees who wish to be considered for future positions should consider applying to this recruitment. The Civil Service title of the position in Supervising Human Resources Analyst.

*Salary is negotiable within the established range. Benefits described herein do not represent a contract and may be changed without notice. Additional information can be found in the Salary Resolution (SalRes) and our Employee Benefits Directory.

Application submissions require the Supplemental Questionnaire to be completed.

Experience: Training and/or experience that would provide the opportunity to acquire the knowledge and abilities listed. Normally, at least three years of increasingly responsible professional human resources experience, including at least one year at the level of Human Resources Analyst III, would provide such opportunity.

Education: Academic course work which would provide the opportunity to acquire the knowledge and abilities listed. Normally, substantial course work in public administration, political science, business administration, human resources management, economics, marketing, psychology, sociology, and/or other related courses would provide such opportunity.

License: Possession of a valid driver's license at the appropriate level including necessary special endorsements, as required by the State of California to perform the essential job functions of the position.
The position advertised on this announcement does not require possession of a valid California Driver’s License.Thorough knowledge of: modern human resources principles and practices; job analysis; test development, including types of exams, validation methods, item writing, structured behavioral interviewing, and test-related issues such as adverse impact; recruiting methods, including sourcing, marketing, and employment branding; principles and practices of classification and compensation; wage and salary administration; Federal and State employment laws, especially those relating to recruitment, examination, classification, and compensation in the public sector; English composition, grammar, usage, and syntax.

Considerable knowledge of: public sector human resources management policies and practices; human resources information systems; basic statistics sufficient to analyze examination results.

Working knowledge of: principles and practices of supervision and performance management; principles of organization and management applicable to local government; principles and practices of public administration.

Ability to: plan, organize, assign, prioritize, delegate, and coordinate the work of self and others; balance competing priorities; establish performance standards and evaluate performance; coach subordinate staff in order to develop their skills and knowledge; work independently; gather, organize, and analyze data, draw conclusions, and make recommendations; understand, interpret, and apply provisions of applicable laws, ordinances, rules, regulations, memoranda of understanding, and operating procedures; prepare a variety of written documents, such as correspondence, policies, and performance evaluations; explain rules, policies, procedures, and technical concepts; communicate information in verbal and written form to a variety of people; establish and maintain working relationships with colleagues, subordinate staff, representatives of other departments and agencies, and members of the public; maintain objectivity and confidentiality; use a personal computer and standard business software applications, including word processing, spreadsheet, and presentation software, e-mail, and Internet search engines; learn and use general and specialized computer applications.

• Your application information and your responses to the supplemental questions are evaluated and taken into consideration throughout the entire selection process.
• You should list all employers and positions held within the last ten years in the work history section of your application. Be as thorough as possible when responding to the supplemental questions.
• You may include history beyond ten years if related to the position for which you are applying. If you held multiple positions with one employer, list out each position separately.
• Failure to follow these instructions may impact your competitiveness in this process or may result in disqualification.

Please visit Getting a Job with the County of Sonoma to review more detailed information about the hiring process, including the application process, examination steps, and department selection process.

Application submissions require the Supplemental Questionnaire be completed.

Responses to supplemental questionswillbe scored using position-specific criteria. Please provide specific and detailed responses of a reasonable length to allow for a thorough assessment of your qualifications. Responses that state, "See Resume" or "See Application" may be considered insufficient and therefore may not be scored.

The selection procedure will consist of the following examination:

An Application and Supplemental Questionnaire Appraisal Examination(weight 100%) will be conducted to evaluate each applicant's application and supplemental questionnaire for satisfaction of minimum qualifications (pass/not pass); and for educational coursework, training, experience, knowledge, and abilities which relate to this position. Personally identifiable information (PII) is removed from the standard application fields and applicable attachments. This PII blind screening practice redacts a candidate’s personal information that could potentially influence or bias the scoring process. Personal information includes the applicant’s name, former last name, address, phone number, email, driver's license number, school name, education start and end dates, age, date of birth, gender, and race. This PII blind screening practice helps contribute to a fair and equitable examination process.

Each applicant will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

• Relevance of work history, related experience, and achieved level of education and/or training as described in the application and responses to the supplemental questions.

Candidates demonstrating possession of the minimum qualifications will be placed on an employment list in order of most qualified to least qualified based on the achieved score received in the Application and Supplemental Questionnaire Appraisal Examination. Scores may be adjusted based on such factors as the number of candidates, anticipated vacancies, past practice, and natural breaks in the scores achieved by this group of candidates.

Additional Information

A background investigation is required prior to employment. Candidates referred to departments for a selection interview are typically required to sign authorization and release forms enabling such an investigation. Failure to sign prescribed forms will result in the candidate not being considered further for that vacancy. Reference information will not be made available to candidates.

Additional requirements, such as successful completion of a physical exam, drug screen, etc., may apply, depending on the duties and responsibilities of the position. If you receive a conditional job offer for the position, the requirements upon which the offer is contingent will be outlined in the conditional job letter. You may also review the Job Classification Screening Schedule to determine the requirements for this position.

How to Apply

Applications are accepted online at www.yourpath2sonomacounty.org. Paper applications may be submitted by person, fax (707-565-3770), email, or through the mail. All applications and appropriate supplemental information as outlined in the job announcement must be received by the time and date specified on the first page of this job announcement. Applications received after the recruitment closes will not be accepted.

The County of Sonoma values diversity and is dedicated to creating a workplace environment that provides individuals with a sense of belonging. We are committed to having a diverse workforce that is representative of the communities we serve. The County is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer where all aspects of employment are based on merit, competence, performance, and business need.

HR Analyst: CG

HR Technician: VH