Director, Employee and Labor Relations

Considerable training, education and experience which would demonstrate the ability to perform the above tasks and the possession of the following knowledge and abilities. Training and Experience Note: The required knowledge and abilities would typically be acquired through education and experience equivalent to a bachelor’s degree in business, public administration, political science, or a closely related field and four (4) years of managerial and administrative experience directing labor relations programs and dealing with a wide variety of complex issues for a large and diverse public organization.

Reimagine Employee & Labor Relations. Support Public Service.

The County of Santa Clara is not just any government agency—it’s a premiere public agency known for its high standard of excellence, strategic leadership, and innovative thinking. With a population of more than 1.9 million residents, Santa Clara County is the largest of the nine Bay Area counties in Northern California, and larger than 12 states. With a workforce of more than 23,000 employees across 30+ departments, the County of Santa Clara delivers critical safety-net services in health, public safety, social services, housing, and more. Our organization is made up of public servants who are dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for everyone in our community, and especially for those most in need.

The Employee Services Agency serves the County of Santa Clara’s employees, retirees, and agencies and departments, and ultimately ensures the smooth operation of the County’s workforce. Its departments include Employee & Labor Relations, Recruitment & Classification, Benefits, Executive Services, and Administration.

We are launching a major effort to modernize and strengthen what Employee & Labor Relations (ELR) can look like in the public sector, elevating ELR from a reactive function into a proactive, insight driven, and collaborative strategic partner shaping organizational strategy. We’re looking for a visionary Director, Employee & Labor Relations to lead the way.

A key responsibility as the Director will be to facilitate effective negotiations and contracts with the County’s 17 unions, taking a proactive approach to managing multiple staggered 3- and 4-year agreements each year, ensuring that negotiations are conducted effectively and aligned with fiscal year requirements. This involves formulating management strategies for labor negotiations, handling the intricacies of labor contracts and Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs), and resolving disputes with diplomacy and political acumen.

As the Director, you won’t just lead labor negotiations, you’ll shape the County’s labor strategy and employee experience for years to come. This is your opportunity to build a best-in-class ELR function that sets a new standard for public sector labor relations.

Your Mission

Lead and modernize a full service, centralized ELR department that is trusted, consistent, and equity driven. In this role, you’ll collaborate with County leadership to design and deliver ELR strategies that support innovation, organizational health, and a culture of trust across County. You will oversee the development, organization, and administration of ELR operations and ensure the effective execution of the County’s ELR strategic vision.

What Makes This Role Unique

Scale & Complexity: You will lead ELR strategy and service delivery for a large, diverse public organization, operating across a broad range of essential services. You’ll work at the intersection of leadership, unions, and the workforce to ensure consistency, compliance, and strategic alignment across a dynamic enterprise.

Innovation in Government: Located in the heart of Silicon Valley, we’re redefining what public sector ELR can be by leveraging technology, data, and design thinking to resolve disputes, empower leaders, and improve employee experience.

Equity at the Core: We strive to create a more just and prosperous community by focusing on equity, inclusion, and belonging in County services, initiatives, policies, and decisions. You’ll ensure our ELR practices uphold fairness, transparency, and consistency across the workforce.

Direct Impact: You’ll advise County leadership on ELR strategy, negotiations, and organizational design, shaping decisions that have widespread organizational impact.
What You’ll Do

Strategic ELR Leadership

• Set the vision, standards, and operating model for a proactive, insight-driven ELR function.
• Plan, direct, coordinate, and evaluate ELR programs, policies, service delivery methods, and outcomes.

Chief Negotiator & Contract Administration

• Serve as the County’s Chief Negotiator for collective bargaining, guiding management strategies and settlement frameworks.
• Lead negotiations, grievance resolution, and impasse procedures (mediation, fact-finding) while advancing principled, interest-based outcomes.

Issue Resolution, Investigations & Performance

• Oversee grievances, complaint investigations, disciplinary matters, and performance management.
• Ensure consistency and equity in leaves administration and related employment practices.

Policy, Compliance & Partnership

• Interpret, apply, and ensure compliance with laws, regulations, MOUs, and County policies.
• Partner closely with County Counsel on complex matters involving legal risk, discipline, and litigation strategy.

Analytics, Service Design & Change Management

• Use data and analytics to monitor trends, risk, and outcomes across ELR functions.
• Redesign ELR services for clarity, empathy, responsiveness, and modernized service delivery.

Team Leadership & Talent Development

• Select, hire, coach, and develop staff and foster a culture of continuous learning.
• Achieve strategic goals through peak team performance and unwavering quality standards.
• Direct enterprise projects and special studies that elevate service quality and organizational health.

What You Bring

• Proven public-sector ELR leadership in large, complex organizations, with expertise representing management in negotiations and navigating sensitive, high-stakes matters.
• Deep knowledge of California employment law and public-sector collective bargaining frameworks.
• Strong negotiation and dispute-resolution skills, including grievance handling, mediation, arbitration, and fact-finding.
• Ability to design, scale, and maintain ELR programs and systems.
• Political acumen and emotional intelligence to build trust, navigate complex union relationships, and communicate with clarity.
• Exceptional communication skills, with the ability to influence and present effectively to diverse audiences.