Description

POSITION TITLE: Director of Employee Services and Labor Relations 

FLSA Status: Exempt

LOCATION: District Office

JOB GOAL:
The Director of Staff and Student Services provides leadership, coordination, and oversight for district human resources operations, employee relations, labor relations, compliance functions, staffing systems, and organizational support services. The position supports districtwide systems that promote legally compliant, equitable, collaborative, and student-centered practices aligned with district goals, collective bargaining agreements, board policy, and state and federal requirements.
The Director serves as a strategic partner to district leadership in supporting staff effectiveness, organizational culture, employee support systems, compliance monitoring, and crisis response planning.

QUALIFICATIONS:
1. Master's degree in Human Resources, Educational Administration, Organizational Leadership, or related field required.
2. Valid Washington State administrative certification preferred.
3. Experience in public school human resources, labor relations, personnel administration, or educational leadership preferred.
4. Demonstrated knowledge of federal and state employment laws, RCWs/WACs, OSPI regulations, collective bargaining agreements, and Board policy.
5. Knowledge and experience in employee relations, investigations, labor relations, grievance resolution, conflict resolution, and employee discipline processes.
6. Demonstrated ability to interpret and apply policies, procedures, contracts, and legal requirements consistently and effectively.
7. Strong communication, interpersonal, collaborative decision-making, and relationship-building skills.
8. Demonstrated skills in crucial conversations, accountability systems, conflict resolution, and collaborative problem-solving.
9. Strong organizational, analytical, and problem-solving skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities and compliance requirements.
10. Experience supporting recruitment, hiring, onboarding, staffing systems, and employee support programs preferred.
11. Demonstrated ability to maintain confidentiality, exercise professional judgment, and foster a positive organizational culture.
12. Experience supporting performance evaluation systems, employee improvement processes, and compliance procedures preferred.
13. Experience supporting crisis response planning, emergency preparedness, SMART team coordination, or critical incident management preferred.
14. Commitment to collaborative leadership, continuous improvement, professionalism, equity, and high-quality service to students, staff, and the community.

REPORTS TO: Executive Director of Human Resources

SUPERVISES:
Assigned district staff and programs as designated by the Executive Director of HR. 

PERFORMANCE RESPONSIBILITIES
1. Serve as a strategic advisor and thought partner to district leadership regarding human resources strategy, organizational development, employee relations, labor relations, recruitment, retention, staffing systems, and employee support services.
2. Provide leadership and technical guidance regarding HR policies, procedures, compliance requirements, operational practices, and best practices.
3. Collaborate with district and building administrators to ensure employee investigations, disciplinary actions, and personnel decisions are legally, contractually, and procedurally compliant.
4. Direct and oversee prompt, thorough, equitable, and well-documented investigations related to employee complaints, workplace concerns, misconduct allegations, discrimination, harassment, and other personnel matters.
5. Assist in labor relations activities, including negotiations, labor-management collaboration, grievance resolution, contract interpretation, and procedural compliance.
6. Collaborate with district leadership to analyze staffing allocations, forecast workforce needs, and support organizational planning aligned with enrollment projections, student programming, district priorities, and budgetary considerations.
7. Provide leadership for recruitment, candidate screening, hiring support systems, recruitment outreach, and retention initiatives for certificated and classified staff.
8. Coordinate and oversee recruitment programs, including job fairs, university partnerships, candidate outreach, credential review, interview scheduling, recruitment communications, and analysis of recruitment and retention data.
9. Provide leadership and technical support to administrators in conducting effective, legally compliant, growth-oriented employee evaluations and performance improvement processes.
10. Support compliance and consistency in the implementation of evaluation systems, plans of assistance, probationary procedures, and employee improvement processes in accordance with RCW, WAC, district procedures, and collective bargaining agreements.
11. Monitor and support district compliance with federal, state, and civil rights laws and regulations related to employment practices, employee rights, workplace protections, and staff accommodations, including Section 504, ADA, FMLA, FLSA, Title IX, and related compliance requirements.
12. Support district implementation of policies and procedures related to discrimination, harassment, intimidation, bullying, sexual misconduct, and workplace conduct involving students, employees, and community members.
13. Provide oversight of personnel licensure, certification, endorsement, and compliance requirements in accordance with Washington State law and OSPI regulations.
14. Oversee district substitute employee systems, training, assignment procedures, operational support, and related processes.
15. Assist in maintaining accurate and compliant personnel records management systems related to employment history, evaluations, contracts, leave, retirement, licensure, investigations, and personnel actions in accordance with records retention requirements and public disclosure laws.
16. Coordinate and oversee the district student teacher, intern, and practicum placement program, including partnerships with higher education institutions and evaluation of program effectiveness.
17. Coordinate and oversee district volunteer outreach, screening, onboarding, training, and support systems, including collaboration with schools and community partners to promote effective volunteer engagement and compliance with district procedures and safety requirements 
18. Ensure the Human Resources Department provides responsive, professional, and customer-focused support to employees, administrators, applicants, and community stakeholders regarding employment-related questions, concerns, and processes.
19. Coordinate and support district crisis response planning, SMART Team coordination, emergency preparedness efforts, employee support systems, crisis communication planning, and critical incident response procedures.
20. Collaborate with district leadership, safety personnel, school administrators, and outside agencies during emergency situations and post-crisis response efforts.
21. Demonstrate strong collaborative decision-making, conflict resolution, accountability, and communication practices that support positive organizational culture and effective working relationships.
22. Prepare reports, presentations, recommendations, and compliance updates for district leadership and the Board of Directors as assigned.
23. Perform other duties as assigned consistent with the scope of the position.

TERMS OF EMPLOYMENT:
Work Year: 12 months, 260 days
Salary: Determined annually by the Board of Directors
Benefits: Determined annually by the Board of Directors include Medical, Dental, Vision, Retirement, Life Insurance, Long-Term Disability, Phone and Auto Allowance

EVALUATION:
The performance of this position will be evaluated according to the Board's policy for Central Office Administrators, using the WASA Central Office Leadership Framework.

WORKING CONDITIONS:
The noise and light levels in the work environment are usually moderate.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand, walk, talk, and hear. The employee frequently is required to use hands to operate office equipment. The employee is occasionally required to sit and reach with hands and arms. The employee must frequently lift and move up to 10 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, and the ability to adjust focus.

To perform this job successfully, an individual must satisfactorily perform the essential job functions. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential job functions described herein. As every duty associated with this position may not be described herein, employees may be required to perform duties not specifically spelled out in the job description, but which may reasonably be considered incidental in the performance of their duties as though they were included in this job description.