Competition Number: REQ 7332
TITLE: Senior Labour Relations Advisor
DIVISION: People & Culture
SALARY: Payband 10, $92,900 to $109,265 annually
HOURS PER WEEK: 37.5
LOCATION: 230 Richmond Street East
WORK MODALITY: Hybrid
STATUS: Full Time Admin
VACANCY: Replacement
EFFECTIVE DATE: Immediately
CLOSING DATE: Open until filled.
Land Acknowledgement
George Brown Polytechnic is located on the traditional territory of the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation and other Indigenous peoples who have lived here over time. We are grateful to share this land as treaty people who learn, work, and live in the community with each other.
Equity Statement
George Brown Polytechnic is committed to creating and sustaining an equitable and inclusive learning and working environment. We encourage and actively seek applications from Indigenous, Black, racialized people, visible minorities, 2SLGBTQIA+ persons, all genders, and persons with disabilities.
GBP Vision
To be a polytechnic renowned for its inclusion, excellence, relevance, impact, and leadership.
Position Description:
Reporting to the Senior Manager of Labour Relations, the Senior Labour Relations Advisor provides authoritative leadership for the Polytechnic, exercising independent professional judgment to determine and implement responses to complex, high-risk labour relations matters.
The role functions as a senior subject matter expert on the interpretation, application, and administration of collective agreements, employment policies, and legislation, while establishing the Polytechnic’s position in grievances, arbitrations, workload compliance, and strike-related issues with significant financial, legal, or precedent-setting risks. The incumbent holds institutional accountability for labour relations systems, processes, and compliance, including grievance and arbitration frameworks, settlement and workload administration, financial controls, reporting, and strike contingency planning, ensuring consistency and defensibility across the organization.
Additionally, the Senior Labour Relations Advisor leads investigations, grievance strategy, settlements, and arbitration preparation, serves as the primary liaison with unions, legal counsel, and senior management on sensitive matters, and plays a key role in collective bargaining preparation, strike readiness, and providing strategic guidance to protect College interests.
Key Responsibilities:
Strategic Labour Relations Leadership
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Provides strategic labour relations leadership by establishing institutional labour relations positions, advising senior leadership on emerging risks and compliance issues, and analyzing trends to identify risks and recommend preventative strategies.
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Contract Administration, Grievances, and Arbitration
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Exercises independent judgement in interpreting and applying Academic and Support Staff collective agreements and related legislation, and leads the Polytechnic’s response to grievances, mediations, and arbitrations, including strategy development, settlement authority, and hearing preparation.
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Acts as the Polytechnic’s principal representative in advanced grievance and arbitration matters, instructs and manages external legal counsel, and leads settlement discussions, determining institutional positions and authorizing Memoranda of Settlement.
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Advises senior management on discipline and discharge matters with heightened legal or reputational risk, and conducts or directs complex investigations into workplace misconduct, harassment, and collective agreement violations, providing defensible recommendations.
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Labour Relations Systems, Compliance, and Financial Accountability
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Has institutional accountability for the design, governance, accuracy, and integrity of labour relations systems and records, and ensures Polytechnic compliance with collective agreement obligations, employment stability fund entitlements, reporting requirements, and settlement implementation.
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Oversees labour relations financial processes, including union billing, legal invoices, ESF (Employment Stability Fund) calculations, settlement payments, and strike-related expenditures, while identifying and mitigating financial and legal risks arising from errors in administration or compliance.
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Polytechnic–Union Relations and Committees
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Determines and articulates the Polytechnic’s labour relations position in Union/Polytechnic Committees and other joint forums, resolves escalated or complex matters, maintains senior-level relationships with OPSEU and sector stakeholders, and ensures consistent application of institutional labour relations positions across departments.
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Other duties as assigned.
Educational and Experience Requirements:
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Post-graduate degree in Labour Relations, Industrial Relations, Human Resources, Education or related discipline.
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Minimum seven (7) years of significant labour relations experience in a complex unionized environment, preferably post-secondary, including grievance arbitration, collective bargaining support, and high-risk labour relations matters.
Skills and Attributes:
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Knowledge of HR and academic systems such as Banner, SWF (Standard Workload Form), Faculty Assignment Database, and Partial Load Registry are an asset.
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Solid case management, planning, and coordinating skills, along with the ability to prioritize competing deadlines.
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Excellent communication, collaboration, teamwork, and interpersonal skills.
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Demonstrated commitment to uphold the Polytechnic’s priorities on diversity and equity.
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Able to travel to various campuses.
Interview process may consist of a practical skills component.
Notes:
- The Polytechnic requires proof of degrees, credentials, or equivalencies from accredited regional or federal post-secondary institutions and/or their international equivalents. Credentials may require validation at the time of interviews or offer.
About Us:
George Brown Polytechnic prides itself on educating students through real-world learning, in the heart of Toronto. Our faculty and employees make this vision a reality, and we support them by making George Brown a great place to work. See why we are consistently ranked as one of GTA’s top employers.
Why work here?
George Brown Polytechnic offers hybrid work opportunities, a competitive pension plan, generous holiday and vacation time, a tuition assistance program, discounted rates for employees taking Continuing Education courses, and an equitable work environment where everyone matters.
George Brown Polytechnic is committed to accommodating applicants with disabilities throughout the hiring process, in accordance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). Candidates who require accommodation in the hiring process may contact [email protected] confidentially.
Notice Regarding Employment Postings and Recruitment Fraud
If you become aware of any job postings or employment opportunities advertised on external websites that are not currently listed on George Brown Polytechnic employment website, please report them to [email protected].
Please note that George Brown Polytechnic maintains a no-fee recruitment policy. At no time will George Brown request payment, fees, or financial information from applicants as part of the recruitment or hiring process.
Applicants are advised to remain vigilant of recruitment-related scams and to rely only on official George Brown communications and postings published on our official employment website.
