Employee Relations Manager (20682595)

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The City of Berkeley invites you to apply for Employee Relations Manager in the Human Resources Department! In this role, you'll have the opportunity to manage essential programs in employee and labor relations, workers' compensation, safety, and benefits. In addition to supervising a team of up to ten professional and technical staff, day-to-day responsibilities include interpreting and implementing labor contract language, representing the City with its bargaining groups, and resolving employee relations issues.

The City currently maintains agreements with eight bargaining units representing over 1000 employees. The Employee Relations Manager will play a key role in Spring 2026 renegotiations with public safety labor groups through research, coordination, and participation in negotiations, training the management bargaining team, and working closely with the Director of Human Resources to make recommendations for approval.

Our ideal candidate is a subject matter expert in the area of labor relations and negotiations, who can tactfully navigate conflict and ambiguity. This person can confidently present information and recommendations to governing bodies, develop and implement effective performance management and discipline procedures, and effectively train assigned staff.

Employee Relations Manager is an unrepresented, at-will classification. This classification receives a 5% salary differential (non-pensionable) for a total base salary up to $210,513.

See the full job class specification here: https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/berkeley/classspecs/105077

 

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

A typical way of gaining the knowledge, skills, and abilities for this position is:
Education
Equivalent to graduation from a four-year college with major course work in business or public administration, industrial relations, or a closely related field.

Experience
Four years of progressively responsible experience in public personnel administration and management and labor relations, including one year in a lead, supervising, or management capacity. Experience in a municipal public agency setting is desirable. Additional professional-level experience as outlined above may be substituted for the college education on a year-for-year basis.

Licenses, Certifications, and Other Requirements
Must be willing to work such hours as are necessary to accomplish the job requirements. Must be able to travel to various locations within and outside the City of Berkeley to meet the program needs and to fulfill the job responsibilities. When driving on City business, the incumbent is required to maintain a valid California driver’s license as well as a satisfactory driving record.

 

APPLICATION PROCESS

Applications must be received by 5:00 PM Pacific on November 24, 2025 and must include a completed application and answers to the supplemental questions. Please note that resumes are not a substitute for a completed application. 

Applications are available in alternative formats (audio-format, braille, large print, electronic text, etc.) upon request to ada@berkeleyca.gov. Please allow 10 days for production of the material in an alternative format.

 

EXAM PROCESS

The exam process will include, but may not be limited to: 

• Application review for minimum qualifications (qualifying experience will be calculated based on the application filing period closing date)
• Review of answers to supplemental questions
• Oral Board Exam (tentatively scheduled for December 15 and/or December 16, 2025)

Tests may consist of any combination of written, oral or other exercises or assessment procedures that test content and may include, but are not necessarily limited to, typing, math, reading, writing and analytical skills; problem solving ability; computer and software proficiency, or any other job-related knowledge, skill, ability or qualification. The examination process and dates are subject to change. The City may, without notice, change or eliminate any assessment component as needs dictate. Applicants passing all examination phases will have their names placed on an employment eligible list that hiring departments will use to conduct final selection interviews (tentatively scheduled for early January 2026).

Reasonable Accommodations: The City is committed to making reasonable accommodations in the examination process and in the work environment. Individuals requesting reasonable accommodations in the examination process must submit a request in writing to hr@berkeleyca.gov at the time of application.