New York University Abu Dhabi (NYUAD) seeks to appoint a Manager of Employee Relations, reporting to the Director of Employee Relations.
They will be required to assist and support in managing the Employee Relations portfolio at NYUAD. You will be required to maintain and promote a positive work environment, foster employee engagement, promote and ensure fair and equitable treatment of all employees, and to minimize potential liability for the University, thereby minimizing/eliminating workplace impediments and problems.
They will support the Director of Employee Relations in shaping the strategic direction of the Employee Relations Department. You will assist in the management and resolution of Ad Hoc HR queries & issues working in collaboration with various HR teams, to facilitate the interface between HR and employees. They will balance their time between projects and crisis-response, proactively partnering with leadership, HR Business Partners, and HR teams to create and sustain positive employee relations programs and best practices. You will also work reactively on critical employee relations issues as they arise that are highly sensitive and confidential, and typically can only be successfully completed with limited time.
Key Responsibilities:
Manage grievances and concerns by evaluating claims and gathering required information, facilitating discussions and finalizing concerns/claims by either informal or formal resolution
Ensure compliance with policies, contractual provisions, and consistent practices, and provide direction throughout grievance process to all relevant parties
Engage in negotiations and interpret and uphold policies and contract provisions
Maintain employee relations case documentation, information regarding grievances, etc.,
Provide weekly updates to the Director of Employee Relations and prioritize work accordingly
Manage and conduct investigations of employee misconduct and other inappropriate workplace behavior and policy violations
Produce quality oral and written work presenting matters clearly and concisely and provide a clear message to ensure understanding of the findings and to make suggestions for corrective actions.
Provide Employee Relations Advisory services and counsel to managers and employees on performance management, conflict resolution, reorganizations, progressive discipline, formal grievance procedure/ mechanism and other employment matters
Counsel supervisors and employees on preventing and resolving routine to increasingly complex employee relations matters; mediate disputes; prepare related documentation.
Participate in developing and delivering employee relations training programs including new employee orientation
Provide advice, counsel and support for management and HRBPs on appropriately handling employee relations concerns whilst ensuring compliance with relevant policies; participate in developing and delivering workshops for supervisors and employees on ER matters
Manage NYUAD’s disciplinary process to ensure adherence to University policies and legal requirements
Guide and counsel supervisors and HRBPs in handling disciplinary matters and investigations; prepare recommendations on appropriate follow up action
Coordinate University’s efforts in any mediation and litigation matters related to employees matters
Partner with legal counsel as needed
Manage, initiate and facilitate to completion the separation process for leavers of various types
Work with employees, supervisors, HRBPS’s and various administrative units internal and external to HR to ensure the separation process is completed effectively
Conduct exit interviews and analyze data and trends to develop ways to improve employee retention and engagement
Monitor current trends and assist with improving/introducing employee relations policies and best practices as appropriate
Track completion of Probationary Reviews and monitor any issues requiring follow up measures
Report on the process by preparing metrics
Evaluate individual reports and expedite necessary actions to resolve issues and track results for a timely resolution
Ensure compliance regarding time-sensitive matters, (e.g. not satisfactorily completing probationary review, separation process, final payments, etc.)
Provide advice, counsel and support to managers, HRBPs and employees on reorganizations & restructures
Manage, initiate and facilitate to completion roles that have been identified as redundant
Partner with employees, HRBP’s, supervisors and various administrative units internal and external to HR to ensure the Redundancy process is completed effectively
Develop and implement separation proposals, communication strategies and hold redundancy meetings with employees
Prepare case files for claims made with the Ministry of of Human Resources and Emirtization Labour (“MOHRE”), working with various entities within the University including the General Council, Government relations and Immigration
Attend cases at the MOHRE on behalf of the University
Ensure all ER cases are managed in compliance with UAE Labour Law
Monitor current best practices in employee relations as appropriate
Review current polices and introduce employee relations policies, procedures and toolkits that reflect best practice to sustain positive employee relations
Partner with HR teams in developing new policies and procedures that contain employee relations matter
Required Education:
Bachelor's degree in HR or a related field
Preferred Education:
Professional Certification in Human Resources
Required Experience:
10 years relevant and recent experience as a Human Resources professional, at least 5 years of which has an Employee Relations’ capacity
Previous experience conducting investigations is required
Good knowledge of a variety of human resources areas and experience in advising managers and staff
Good consultative, negotiation, analytical and influencing skills
Confident in decision-making and providing advice and counsel
Ability to work both independently and within cross-functional teams
Independent and creative problem solver with an outcome focus. Ability to facilitate decision-making
Solid understanding of a client-facing, HR business partner service mode
Excellent English verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to compose a variety of correspondence and professional reports
Fluency with MS Office (Power Point, Excel, Word, Access, etc.). Fluent with spreadsheet creation and analysis
Extensive client support
Preferred Experience:
Recent experience in a higher education environment
Previous experience handing complex Employee Relations issues for a diverse, multi-cultural workforce
Knowledge of both the US and UAE labor laws and regulations
Possess a good understanding of all areas of HR
Knowledge of contemporary HRIS software
Other Information
About NYUAD
NYU Abu Dhabi is a degree-granting research university with a fully integrated liberal arts and science undergraduate program in the Arts, Sciences, Social Sciences, Humanities, and Engineering. NYU Abu Dhabi, NYU New York, and NYU Shanghai, form the backbone of NYU’s global network university, an interconnected network of portal campuses and academic centers across six continents that enable seamless international mobility of students and faculty in their pursuit of academic and scholarly activity. This global university represents a transformative shift in higher education, one in which the intellectual and creative endeavors of academia are shaped and examined through an international and multicultural perspective. As a major intellectual hub at the crossroads of the Arab world, NYUAD serves as a center for scholarly thought, advanced research, knowledge creation, and sharing, through its academic, research, and creative activities.
