Employee Relations Consultant (Limited Term)

Georgia Tech prides itself on its technological resources, collaborations, high-quality student body, and its commitment to building an outstanding and diverse community of learning, discovery, and creation. We strongly encourage applicants whose values align with our institutional values, as outlined in our strategic plan. These values include academic excellence, diversity of thought and experience, inquiry and innovation, collaboration and community, and ethical behavior and stewardship. Georgia Tech has policies to promote a healthy work-life balance and is aware that attracting Faculty may require meeting the needs of two careers.

About Georgia Tech

Georgia Tech is a top-ranked public research university situated in the heart of Atlanta, a diverse and vibrant city with numerous economic and cultural strengths. The Institute serves more than 45,000 students through top-ranked undergraduate, graduate, and executive programs in engineering, computing, science, business, design, and liberal arts. Georgia Tech's Faculty attracted more than $1.4 billion in research awards this past year in fields ranging from biomedical technology to artificial intelligence, energy, sustainability, semiconductors, neuroscience, and national security. Georgia Tech ranks among the nation's top 20 universities for research and development spending and is No. 1 among institutions without a medical school.

Georgia Tech's Mission and Values

Georgia Tech's mission is to develop leaders who advance technology and improve the human condition. The Institute has nine key values that are foundational to everything we do:

1. Students are our top priority.

2. We strive for excellence.

3. We thrive on diversity.

4. We celebrate collaboration.

5. We champion innovation.

6. We safeguard freedom of inquiry and expression.

7. We nurture the well-being of our community.

8. We act ethically.

9. We are responsible stewards.

Over the next decade, Georgia Tech will become an example of inclusive innovation, a leading technological research university of unmatched scale, relentlessly committed to serving the public good, breaking new ground in addressing the biggest local, national, and global challenges and opportunities of our time; making technology broadly accessible; and developing exceptional, principled leaders from all backgrounds ready to produce novel ideas and create solutions with real human impact.

Georgia Tech Human Resources (GTHR) serves the Institute and its more than 14,000 employees through strategic counsel, employee engagement, and essential human capital management operations. As the people's unit, GTHR is engaged throughout the employee's lifetime at Georgia Tech. Our team works with sensitive employee information and assists in the management of complex employee issues. Professionalism and confidence are of the utmost importance within our team.

• Process payroll and maintain employment data for approximately 14,000 active faculty, staff, and students
• Strive to attract, recruit, and retain the best talent in the marketplace.
• Provide immigration, labor, and tax support required for foreign national faculty and staff to work at Georgia Tech and support employees performing services overseas.
• Leverage a market-driven compensation structure to attract and retain employees.
• Advise employees and managers regarding work performance and conflict management.

Serve as subject matter expert in the area of employee relations. Drive consistent policy interpretation and application of workplace policies and provide other support for championing and driving a culture of accountability, inclusivity, and fairness. Work with employees and management to resolve work-related issues, handle investigations, and consult department leadership regarding policies and procedures.

• This position will interact on a regular basis with the institute and departmental leadership and managers at all levels of authority, as well as other areas of human resources, legal affairs, risk management, and institute diversity.
• This position typically will advise and counsel Institute Leadership, managers, other areas of Human Resources, Legal Affairs, Risk Management, and Institute Diversity.
• This position will supervise N/A.

Job Duty 1 -

Conduct thorough investigations of complaints, including interviewing complainants, witnesses, and respondents; gather evidence as necessary; prepare investigative reports with analysis, findings, and recommendations for disciplinary or corrective actions.

Job Duty 2 -

Liaise between management, employees, and Human Resources, answering questions and helping resolve work-related problems.

Job Duty 3 -

Provide advice and consultation to managers on organizational policy matters such as progressive discipline, equal employment opportunity, and sexual harassment, and recommend changes.

Job Duty 4 -

Interpret and counsel on human resources policies, procedures, laws, standards, or regulations.

Job Duty 5 -

Maintain current knowledge of Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) and affirmative action guidelines and laws, such as Title VII and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

Job Duty 6 -

Conduct training sessions on employment-related matters, including discipline, personnel policies, mandated work rules, EEO and Title IX, and compliance with collective bargaining agreements.

Job Duty 7 -

Prepare new or amended policies and procedures in response to legislation changes and ensure continued compliance with applicable laws, policies, and regulations.

Job Duty 8 -

Develop ad hoc management surveys or reports related to metrics or analytics; Complete special projects as assigned.

Job Duty 9 -

Perform other duties as assigned.

Educational Requirements

Bachelor's Degree in Human Resources, Business Management, or related field or equivalent combination of education and experience

Required Experience

Five to six years of job-related experience

• Ability to conduct thorough, objective investigations into employee complaints, including discrimination, harassment, and misconduct cases.
• Strong knowledge of university policies, procedures, grievance processes, and alternative dispute resolution methods.
• Strong facilitation and presentation skills, with experience leading discussions, workshops, and informational sessions.

• Skill in advising managers on progressive discipline, performance improvement plans, and documentation standards.
• Ability to support a culture of accountability and continuous improvement across faculty, staff, and administrative units.

• Understanding of shared governance, decentralized academic structures, and the unique HR challenges of universities.
• Ability to navigate multiple stakeholder groups, including faculty, unions, research leaders, and administrators.

• Strong interpersonal skills to rebuild or strengthen trust between HR and campus communitiescritical in highered settings.
• Ability to serve as a connector among faculty, staff, and leadership across academic units.

• Capability to support diverse employee populations and contribute to an inclusive workplace.
• Skilled in navigating cultural complexities while maintaining compliance and institutional alignment.

• Expertise in interpreting employment laws, campus policies, and regulatory obligations in a highered context.
• Ability to ensure compliance in investigations, employee separations, and disciplinary actions.

• Capacity to support HRs evolving role from administrative to strategicfocusing on talent retention, organizational culture, and workforce planning.
• Skill in analyzing people data to identify workplace issues, trends, and proactive solutions.

• Ability to communicate complex information clearly to employees, managers, faculty, and leaders.
• Skilled in conflict resolution, mediation, and facilitating collaborative problem solving.

• Demonstrated ability to maintain highly sensitive employee information and handle cases discreetly.
• Uses sound judgment when escalating concerns or providing institutional recommendations.

• Openness to evolving HR technologies, analytics, AI tools, and modern HR practices.
• Ability to pivot with changes in regulations, university policies, and workforce needs.

$71,000-$90,000/yr.

SKILLS
Solid experience in Employee Relations (ER). Demonstrated experience with handling of complex ER cases and matters; Ability to operate with discretion, integrity and maintaining confidences; Ability to deliver services with a realistic/pragmatic approach based on sound judgment - balancing the needs of the business with the values, ER policies and laws under which we operate (knows how to operate in the gray); Demonstrated ability to work independently and as part of a team; Excellent verbal and written communication, organizational, time management, and consultation skills; Ability to interface effectively with all levels of employees within the organization, work autonomously, and maintain flexibility and adaptability; Knowledge of relevant state and federal employment laws and governmental compliance requirements related to HR management and employment functions; Effectively managing multiple projects and tasks while maintaining accuracy and attention to detail; A relevant work history and experience that demonstrates a strong work ethic, initiative and self-motivation, dedication to the completion of work projects, ability to collaborate and work in a team, and a passion for driving a culture of diversity and inclusion, including fairness and accountability in HR process and procedure.

The University System of Georgia is comprised of our 26 institutions of higher education and learning as well as the System Office. Our USG Statement of Core Values are Integrity, Excellence, Accountability, and Respect. These values serve as the foundation for all that we do as an organization, and each USG community member is responsible for demonstrating and upholding these standards. More details on the USG Statement of Core Values and Code of Conduct are available in USG Board Policy 8.2.18.1.2 and can be found on-line at https://www.usg.edu/policymanual/section8/C224/#p8.2.18_personnel_conduct.

Additionally, USG supports Freedom of Expression as stated in Board Policy 6.5 Freedom of Expression and Academic Freedom found on-line at https://www.usg.edu/policymanual/section6/C2653.

The Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer. The Institute is committed to maintaining a fair and respectful environment for all. To that end, and in accordance with federal and state law, Board of Regents policy, and Institute policy, Georgia Tech provides equal opportunity to all faculty, staff, students, and all other members of the Georgia Tech community, including applicants for admission and/or employment, contractors, volunteers, and participants in institutional programs, activities, or services. Georgia Tech complies with all applicable laws and regulations governing equal opportunity in the workplace and in educational activities.
Equal opportunity and decisions based on merit are fundamental values of the University System of Georgia (USG) and Georgia Tech. Georgia Tech prohibits discrimination, including discriminatory harassment, on the basis of an individuals race, ethnicity, ancestry, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, age, disability, genetics, or veteran status in its programs, activities, employment, and admissions. Further, Georgia Tech prohibits citizenship status, immigration status, and national origin discrimination in hiring, firing, and recruitment, except where such restrictions are required in order to comply with law, regulation, executive order, or Attorney General directive, or where they are required by Federal, State, or local government contract.

This is not a supervisory position.
This position does not have any financial responsibilities.
This position will not be required to drive.
This role is considered a position of trust.
This position does not require a purchasing card (P-Card).
This position does not require security clearance.

Location: Atlanta, GA

12 month Limited Term

This is a limited-term position and is subject to the availability of funding thereafter. All employment and assignments are ultimately contingent upon available funding, business needs, and your performance of the assignment. Georgia Tech retains the right to terminate this assignment at any time for cause or, in its sole discretion, for convenience; in either case, Georgia Tech's obligation shall be limited to payment for hours and/or days worked prior to the termination date.

It's based on how it's coded with the BCAT when the job code is created and what those parameters are https://www.usg.edu/hr/classification/job_categories_bcats#ninec (select 9C Limited Term)

Human Resources | Job Categories (BCATS) | University System of Georgia