The Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE or Agency) is a mission-driven and dynamic organization and is seeking a Human Resources Specialist to join its team to provide substantive and specialized support to the Human Resources Division by carrying out essential workplace functions in a unionized environment.

The Human Resources Specialist will serve in the role of Employee Relations Specialist. As an Employee Relations Specialist at OSSE, you will be responsible for assisting, guiding, supporting, and participating in the administration of labor relations policies and the enforcement of collective bargaining agreements. This position involves being a subject matter expert on complex workplace matters and ensuring compliance with District Government’s policies and practices. You will use your skills and expertise to provide pragmatic and timely advice to staff at all levels of the organization in order to mitigate risk. The Employee Relations Specialist reports to the Employee and Labor Relations Manager.

SPECIFIC FUNCTIONS OF THE EMPLOYEE RELATIONS SPECIALIST INCLUDE:

• Conduct formal investigations into allegations of employee misconduct, providing resolution and recommendations for disciplinary action.
• Advise and assist managers and other internal stakeholders on employee relations issues.
• Interpret District and Agency policies to recommend and enforce appropriate disciplinary actions.
• Prepare corrective and adverse disciplinary actions in accordance with District personnel policies and established deadlines.
• Collaborate with internal stakeholders within all levels of the Agency as well as external resources while obtaining facts surrounding reported concerns and deriving appropriate recommendations and determinations in alignment with organizational policies and practices.
• Educate managers and employees, through one-on-one interactions and formal training, District policies and procedures.
• Maintain thorough records of personnel actions for HR and metrics reporting.

KEY QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor’s degree in business administration, human resources, industrial psychology, or equivalent work experience.
• Minimum of two years’ experience in employee relations required; prior experience in a unionized setting required.
• Strong analytical skills and logical reasoning, with the ability to identify and resolve sophisticated and sensitive human resources related issues/problems.
• Ability to deal with ambiguity, prioritize and multitask effectively in a fast paced, confidential environment with competing priorities.
• Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to maintain effective working relationships with union officials, employees, and management.
• Strong work ethic and highest level of integrity.

Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) – Who We Are

OSSE is focused on sustaining, accelerating and deepening the progress being made for the District’s 90,000+ students. As the state education agency, OSSE serves as the District’s liaison to the US Department of Education and works closely with the District’s 470+ early childhood facilities, 250+ schools, 60+ local education agencies (including the District of Columbia Public Schools and charter organizations), and community-based organizations.

Over the years, OSSE has worked hard to improve systems and supports to help close the achievement gap and ensure people of all ages and backgrounds are prepared to succeed in school and in life. DC remains the fastest improving state and urban school system in the country on the National Assessment of Educational Progress, also known as the Nation’s Report Card.

Salary: This position is a grade 12 on the District government’s career service non-union salary scale. The salary ranges from $80,784 to $103,333. Actual salary is determined by a variety of factors including years of experience, applicant qualifications, internal equity comparisons, and organizational structure.

Application Process: This position is posted on the DC government’s Department of Human Resources (DCHR) website. Interested applicants are encouraged to follow the steps below to apply for the position:

• Click on the following link:
• DCHR Careers
• In the Search Jobs section, enter 25847
• Click on the job requisition entitled Human Resources Specialist

If you are having technical issues, please contact DCHR at (202) 442-9700