Employee Relations Specialist

Overview

At Utah State University we believe in fostering an environment where employees can thrive. We are looking to add another Employee Relations Specialist to our Human Resources Team. A skilled Employee Relations Specialist is customer experience oriented and empowered to engage employees so they can contribute their strongest personal talents to achieving the mission of the University.

 

Summary:We have high expectations of performance and values. We believe in maintaining an open-minded approach to problem-solving, conflict management, and decision-making. Our staff members are team players who excel at building trusting relationships with customers and co-workers. We strive for a reputation of integrity. If you desire to work in such an environment and meet the qualifications, we welcome your application!

 

Exempt positions are eligible for excellent benefits including: 13 paid holidays, earn 22 days of paid leave and 12 days of sick leave per year, 50% tuition reduction for eligible employee, spouse, and children, competitive health benefits packages and a generous contribution into your retirement.

 

Employee Relations Specialist - This position must maintain strict confidentiality with case information. Responsibilities include the intake of employee relations cases, participating in university investigations, drafting reports and advising on outcomes. Conducts and documents moderately complex assignments where analysis of situations and data requires the review and interpretation of a variety of factors.

 

Employee Relations works collaboratively with other functional areas in Human Resources and the Office of Equity to promote and integrate the principles of equal opportunity, affirmative action, nondiscrimination, and inclusiveness at USU. The position documents these collaborative efforts and provides support during university risk assessments, case analysis and referrals. Incumbents serve as a resource to employees throughout the University by interpreting policies and procedures, advising and recommending solutions, and providing guidance to ensure compliance with human resource policies and procedures. They collect and analyze data to determine program effectiveness and recommend changes and improvements in policies, procedures, and practices.

Responsibilities

HR Partnership with Leadership:

• Partner with administrators to understand department goals and develop HR strategies to support them.
• Act as a trusted advisor to leadership on people-related matters.

Employee Relations:

• Provide high-level support in handling complex employee relations issues, including investigations, conflict resolution, and recommendations for disciplinary actions.
• Promote a positive organizational culture by advising supervisors on employee engagement, recognition programs, and team-building activities.
• Ensure compliance with USU policies and federal & state employment laws.

Performance Management:

• Advise leaders on performance management processes, ensuring alignment with business objectives.
• Work with supervisors to develop and implement performance improvement plans for underperforming employees.
• Help build a culture of accountability and continuous feedback.

HR Analytics:

• Leverage data and HR metrics to provide insights and drive decision-making.
• Track and analyze trends in turnover, employee satisfaction, and other key HR metrics.

Learning and Development:

• Work with leaders to identify learning needs and create development opportunities for employees.
• Promote leadership and employee development through training programs, mentorship, and career progression initiatives.
• Support leaders in fostering a learning culture within their teams.

Policy and Compliance:

• Ensure the college, division, or department complies with local, state, and federal employment laws.
• Update and maintain HR policies and procedures to support compliance requirements.
• Support the development and implementation of department employee procedures and guidelines.

Operational Decision Making and Impact:

• Supports the strategic and operational plans of the overall functional area. Work is performed independently except for new projects or concepts.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications:

• Six years of experience in human resources; or a bachelor’s degree plus two years of experience in human resources, or a related field, is required.
• Experience partnering effectively with all organization levels.
• Must be able to travel occasionally to other USU statewide locations.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience reviewing and working with highly confidential data.
• A professional human resources certification.
• Intermediate knowledge of workplace compliance.
• Experience in responding to and maintaining compliance with external regulatory requirements.
• Experience in working with Case Management systems (Service Now Case Management, Maxient, or Navex Ethicspoint is a plus), complaint handling, and preventive trainings.
• Experience supporting investigative or legal processes.
• In-depth understanding of policies overseen by the Office of Human Resources with policies, laws, and regulations.
• Working knowledge and experience interpreting and analyzing employer policies and implementing processes, protocols and procedures.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Strong knowledge of employment laws, regulations, and best practices.
• Excellent interpersonal and relationship-building skills.
• Strong written skills.
• Interviewing and investigation skills.
• Experience with change management, and performance management.
• Familiarity with HRIS systems and data analysis.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality required in handling employee related issues.

Required Documents

Along with the online application, please attach:

 

1. Resume to be uploaded at the beginning of your application in the Candidate Profile under “Resume/CV”

 

**Document size may not exceed 10 MB.**

Advertised Salary

Minimum $50,000. Commensurate with experience, plus excellent benefits

ADA

Employees work indoors and are protected from weather and/or contaminants, but not, necessarily, occasional temperature changes. The employee is regularly required to sit and often uses repetitive hand motions.

University Highlights

Founded in 1888, Utah State University is Utah’s premier land-grant, public service university. As an R1 research institution, Utah State is dedicated to advancing knowledge and serving the public good through innovative research and scholarly activities that are grounded in reciprocal engagement with local, regional, and global communities. USU prepares students to be active, civically engaged leaders who are prepared to address critical societal challenges. Dedicated to providing a high-quality and affordable education, USU remains a leader in research, discovery, and public impact.

 

USU enrolls 28,900 students, both online and in person at locations throughout the state. Utah State’s 30 locations include a main campus in Logan, Utah, residential campuses in Price and Blanding, and six additional statewide campuses, along with education centers serving every county. USU Online educates students from all 50 states and 55 countries. For over 25 years, USU Extension has served and engaged Utahns in all of Utah’s counties.

 

Competing at the NCAA Division I level, USU is a proud member of the Mountain West Conference and will join the Pac-12 Conference beginning in the 2026-2027 season. The Aggies’ long-standing tradition of athletic and academic excellence is exemplified by conference championships in multiple sports, reflecting USU's commitment to perseverance and achievement.

 

Utah State is dedicated to fostering a community where all individuals feel respected, valued, and supported. We seek to recruit, hire, and retain people from all walks of life who will champion excellence in education, research, discovery, outreach, and service. We believe that promoting a strong sense of community and belonging empowers and engages all members of USU to thrive and be successful. Forbes recognized our commitment to employees when they named Utah State the best employer in Utah in 2023. Learn more about USU. 

 

The university provides a Dual Career Assistance Program to support careers for partners who are also seeking employment. Additionally, USU is committed to providing access and reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities. To request a reasonable accommodation for a disability, contact the university’s ADA Coordinator in the Office of Human Resources at (435) 797-0122 or hr@usu.edu. 

 

*updated 02/2025

Notice of Non-discrimination

In its programs and activities, including in admissions and employment, Utah State University does not discriminate or tolerate discrimination, including harassment, based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other status protected by University policy, Title IX, or any other federal, state, or local law.

The following individuals have been designated to handle inquiries regarding the application of Title IX and its implementing regulations and/or USU’s non-discrimination policies:

 

Executive Director of the Office of Equity Matthew Pinner, discrimination@usu.edu, Distance Education Rm. 401, 435-797-1266

Title IX Coordinator Cody Carmichael, titleix@usu.edu, Distance Education Rm. 404, 435-797-1266

Mailing address: 5100 Old Main Hill, Logan, UT 84322

For further information regarding non-discrimination, please visit https://equity.usu.edu/, or contact:

U.S. Department of Education, Office of Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 800-421-3481, OCR@ed.gov

*updated 09/2023