Labor Analyst

We are seeking an experienced Labor Relations Analyst who will be responsible for a variety of integral tasks in support of the City’s Labor Relations team while maintaining a positive relationship with other HR stakeholders, other departments’ representatives, and our partners in other jurisdictions.

The ideal candidate will deliver exceptional customer service and assistance to all HR and other department stakeholders with the administration of labor agreements and HR policies while consistently providing multiple levels of support during labor contract negotiations. This will include labor and compensation analysis and research in preparation for and during bargaining, coordinating the scheduling of bargaining sessions, negotiations’ official note-taking, managing the electronic and physical filing of labor documents, assisting with payroll discrepancies and corrections, advising Management representatives on contract interpretation issues and questions with the supervision of labor negotiators, and fulfilling Management and Union information requests.

A Labor Relations Analyst within the Human Resources Department at the City of Bellevue is part of an engaged, dedicated team, consistently providing exceptional services to the City’s managers, employees, and external partners. Bellevue employees embrace the value of innovation, integrity, stewardship, collaboration, accountability, diversity, equity, and inclusion, and take pride in the work they do. The City Council’s vision is that Bellevue welcomes the world, our diversity is our strength, we embrace the future while respecting our past.

The City of Bellevue currently administers and negotiates collective bargaining agreements (CBAs) with various unions representing approximately half of the City’s workforce. Learn more about the City’s CBA’s and the bargaining units on our website.

• Serves as the point of contact and subject matter expert for the labor agreements and labor relations issues under the guidance of labor negotiators.
• Provides research, benchmarking and data gathering as needed while helping evaluate the City’s place amongst competitors of bargaining.
• Provides the active costing of potential proposals during negotiations. 
• Partners with HR’s recruitment, HRIS, and Class/Comp teams to ensure the correct allocation of benefits for newly hired represented employees based on their specific labor agreement. 
• Maintains documentation of negotiations materials to preserve for future reference and possible litigation. 
• Assists with the scheduling of and attends labor negotiation sessions, management caucuses, grievance meetings, and other types of labor related meetings with the purpose of identifying action items, taking notes, and gathering information to help evaluate employer and union proposals.
• Provides tracking, documentation, and overall review of contract issues that arise during a contract term so that the City can assess necessary changes during future negotiations.
• Drafts required notices to unions.
• Effectively and timely documents relevant communications with Union and Management representatives.
• Educates management about labor agreements and ensures compliance with those agreements by answering questions, developing and maintaining processes, and identifying improvement opportunities for processes and agreements for the Labor Relations team.
• Serves as the Human Resources Department’s liaison to the City Clerk’s office to ensure that agendas, contracts, and other legislation that require council action is properly and timely filed.
• Preserves confidentiality of the City’s labor strategies with exceptional discretion and professionalism.

Education and Experience Requirements

• Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with a degree in human resources or related field.
• Two or more years of direct experience working with data pertaining to labor contracts, benefits, and compensation.
• Two or more years of experience with accounting-related concepts, such as cost allocation, contract costing, payroll calculations, compensation, benefits, benefit deductions, retroactive pay, premium pay, salary schedules, reconciliations, audits, human resources, labor relations, finance, or a related field. 
• Two or more years of professional experience in labor relations.
• Or any equivalent combination of education, experience, and training that provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities.

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Self-starter, motivated and proactive.
• Strong decision-making, problem-solving, and analytical skills.
• Strong spreadsheet programs skills.
• Strong Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, Outlook); and document management skills.
• Ability to build positive relationships at all levels across the organization as well as with external jurisdictions on behalf of the City.
• Excellent administrative, organizational, and prioritizing skills, detail oriented, and ability to handle multiple tasks and assignments.
• Manage assigned work and coordinate multiple projects to meet critical deadlines. 
• Excellent and professional oral and written communication skills.
• Professional and personable skills, exercising sound judgment when dealing with sensitive and confidential matters.
• Cultivate confidence as a subject matter expert on the application of labor contracts.
• Demonstrate ability to identify and anticipate client needs, convey appropriate options, and make recommendations for implementation.
• Completion of specialized certification or training in Labor Relations is preferred.

Physical Demands

The physical demands and work environment described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee in this role to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Work involves walking, talking, hearing, using hands to handle, feel or operate objects, tools, or controls, and reaching with hands and arms.
• Vision abilities required by this job include close vision and the ability to adjust focus.
• The employee may be required to push, pull, lift, and/or carry up to 20 pounds.
• The noise level in the work environment is usually moderately quiet.

Flexible/Hybrid Working: A hybrid work schedule is available for this position following an orientation period of 30 days in person working in the office after hire. Remote work for this position is subject to the department's operational needs and will be discussed with candidates during the selection process. Full-time remote work is not an available option. Once hired, employees must reside in the State of Washington and within reasonable commuting distance to Bellevue City Hall.