Job Summary SPS Consulting is seeking an experienced Employee & Labor Relations Specialist II to serve as the organization's primary point of contact for all labor relations matters. This role provides subject-matter expertise, guidance, consultation, and hands-on support to leaders and employees across the organization. The Specialist II is accountable for employee relations and discipline matters, labor relations management, internal investigations, collective bargaining, conflict resolution, policy development, training, grievance handling, and labor relations reporting and analytics. Success in this role depends as much on how the work is done as on what gets done. The Specialist II operates in high-stakes, often adversarial situations — disciplinary meetings, grievance hearings, bargaining sessions, investigations into sensitive allegations — and is expected to communicate with tact, diplomacy, and discretion with every internal and external stakeholder, including employees, supervisors, senior leadership, union officials, outside counsel, client contacts, and regulatory agencies. The person in this seat helps build a culture of open communication between employees and supervisors, and cultivates durable partnerships across the organization. Key ResponsibilitiesLabor Relations Management Serve as the primary point of contact for all labor relations matters across the organization. Develop and implement strategies that foster constructive, professional relationships between management and union representatives. Interpret and administer collective bargaining agreements; advise managers on contract application and past practice. Collective Bargaining Lead or co-lead negotiations for collective bargaining agreements. Prepare proposals, conduct costing and comparator research, build bargaining strategy, and represent the organization at the table. Maintain accurate bargaining records and support ratification and implementation of new agreements. Investigations Conduct thorough, impartial, and well-documented internal investigations into employee relations complaints and allegations of policy violations. Draft detailed, factual, defensible investigative reports and recommend appropriate outcomes. Coordinate with compliance, ethics, and legal partners where matters overlap with civil rights, safety, or regulatory obligations. Grievance Handling Manage the grievance process in accordance with collective bargaining agreements and organizational policy. Investigate grievances, facilitate discussions between the parties, coordinate resolutions, and prepare responses at each step. Support arbitration preparation as needed. Conflict Resolution Advise and support employees, union representatives, and management in resolving workplace disputes. Mediate conflicts and recommend practical solutions that resolve the underlying issue rather than the surface complaint. Policy Development & Compliance Partner with HR and legal to develop, revise, and maintain employee and labor relations policies and procedures. Ensure compliance with applicable federal, state, and local employment laws, regulations, and contractual obligations. Mentoring & Education Design and deliver training for managers, supervisors, and employees on labor relations topics, including contract administration, union awareness, the collective bargaining process, progressive discipline, documentation, and conflict resolution. Coach frontline supervisors through difficult conversations before they escalate. Data Analysis & Reporting Collect and analyze data on labor relations metrics, trends, and outcomes. Prepare clear, persuasive, concise reports, policies, training materials, and correspondence for a range of audiences, including executive leadership. Perform other duties as assigned. Required Qualifications Bachelor's degree in Labor Relations, Human Resources Management, Business Administration, or a related field, plus four (4) years of labor relations experience; or an associate's degree plus six (6) years of directly related experience. Demonstrated expertise in at least two of the following: workplace investigations, conflict resolution or mediation, collective bargaining. Tact, diplomacy, and discretion in communication with internal and external stakeholders. Proven ability to deliver unwelcome decisions, challenge positions, and hold firm on the organization's interests without damaging working relationships — including in emotionally charged, adversarial, or high-visibility situations. Working knowledge of applicable labor and employment law, including collective bargaining frameworks, Title VII, the ADA, FMLA, and FLSA. Demonstrated ability to handle confidential and sensitive information with sound judgment. Strong written communication skills, including the ability to produce investigative reports and correspondence that hold up to scrutiny. Applicants must currently be authorized to work in the United States. SPS Consulting is unable to provide visa sponsorship for this position. An equivalent combination of education, training, certification, and/or experience that provides the required knowledge and expertise to perform the essential functions of the job may be considered. Preferred Qualifications Master's degree in Human Resources, Labor Relations, or a related field. Juris Doctor (JD). Experience in a public-sector or higher education environment. SHRM-CP/SHRM-SCP or

PHR/SPHR

certification. Experience serving as chief spokesperson or a lead negotiator at the bargaining table. Professional proficiency in a second language is an asset in supporting a multilingual workforce. Core Competencies Tact and diplomacy — chooses words, timing, and channel deliberately; de-escalates rather than inflames; maintains credibility with both management and labor. Impartiality — approaches investigations and disputes without a predetermined outcome. Sound judgment under pressure — knows what to decide independently and what to escalate. Discretion — protects confidential information and manages what is shared, with whom, and when. Clear, defensible writing — documents facts so the record speaks for itself. Business partnership — translates contract and policy language into practical guidance managers can act on.

Pay:

$75,000.00 - $90,000.00 per year

Benefits:

401(k) 401(k) matching Dental insurance Health insurance Paid time off Vision insurance

Work Location:

Hybrid remote in Rockville, MD 20850