Bernalillo County is 1,160 square miles and is New Mexico’s most populous county with more than 676,000 residents. Bernalillo County government provides a wide range of public services to residents who live in Albuquerque, Los Ranchos and Tijeras with approximately 106,000 residents living in unincorporated areas of the county. Bernalillo County employs approximately 2,500 people and has an annual operating budget, capital investments and other funds of more than $1 billion. Elected officials include five county commissioners, assessor, clerk, probate judge, sheriff and treasurer.

Bernalillo County

Department of Human Resources

Job Descriptions

What does the red Zia symbol mean? The Zia sun symbol represent the four cardinal directions, the four seasons of the year, the four period of each day (morning, noon, evening, and night), and the four seasons of life (childhood, youth, middle age, and old age). The centre of the sun symbol stands for life itself. The yellow field with red symbol pays recognition to the Aragon Realm of the conquistadors and their homeland in Spain.
JCP238: Employee Labor Relations Specialist Senior

Employee Labor Relations Specialist Senior

Job Code
Grade
Bargaining Unit
JCP238
6
None
       
       
Salary
As Hourly
As Annual
54,018.00 - 67,870.00 - 85,363.00 USD Annual
$25.97 - $32.63 - $41.04
$54,018.00 - $67,870.00 - $85,363.00

POSITION SUMMARY

The Employee Relations Specialist Senior performs professional and technical personnel services to support employees, managers, and the County. Serving as a senior member of the employee relations team, this position functions as a subject matter expert in labor relations. Key responsibilities include union contract administration, grievance handling, and labor negotiations. This role also contributes to the strategic development of employee relations practices and ensures compliance with all applicable laws and collective bargaining agreements. These updates reflect the evolving scope of the position and provide a more dynamic and precise understanding of its expectations and requirements.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

  • Investigate, gather, and analyze information to ensure employment actions comply with County policies, applicable laws, and collective bargaining agreements.
  • Assist with administrative investigations involving employee conduct and ethics as assigned by Human Resources Labor Relations.
  • Support the development and revision of the employee relations framework, recommending improvements to policies and practices.
  • Maintain an organized case management system; generate analytics and metrics for data-driven reporting.
  • Advise managers and employees on employment matters, including policies, performance management, coaching, hiring, and disciplinary actions.
  • Maintain disciplinary and grievance files for the Labor/Employee Relations Section.
  • Conduct advanced research and investigations; recommend effective solutions for labor relations matters.
  • Enter data related to random and post-accident drug testing into the LaborSoft database.
  • Enter and manage unemployment claim data within the LaborSoft database.
  • Research and draft new or revised employment policies to ensure legal compliance and alignment with County standards.
  • Deliver training to managers and staff on policies and best practices.
  • Apply advanced knowledge of union contract administration, including grievance handling and contract negotiations.
  • Ensure compliance with labor relations laws such as the NLRA, Title VII, NMHRA, ADA, FMLA, and others.
  • Generate reports related to terminations, grievances, and other labor-related activities.
  • Prepare statistical reports and respond to inquiries related to labor and employee relations.
  • Coordinate confidential inquiries and public records requests with other HR sections.
  • Schedule and coordinate meetings regarding employee or labor relations with department leaders and HR Labor Relations.
  • Prepare written communications, conduct research, and deliver presentations on employee and labor relations topics to ensure programs reflect current best practices.
  • Handle confidential records and information with discretion and in compliance with County confidentiality policies.

*The above information is intended to outline the general nature and scope of the duties required for this position. It is not an exhaustive list and may vary depending on specific job assignments and responsibilities. 

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

  • Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Public Administration, or a related field.
  • Two (2) years of related work experience.

*Any equivalent combination of related education and/or experience may be considered for the above requirements. 

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION

SCREENING AND COMPLIANCE

The offer of this Bernalillo County position requires compliance with the following:

  • Complete the post-offer employment medical examination and background investigation. 
  • Comply with the safety guidelines of the County.
  • Complete required FEMA training(s) as assigned to position.
  • Complete required Supervisor classes if applicable

WORKING CONDITIONS

  • Essential job duties are performed indoors in a climate-controlled environment. Primary work surface is even, dry, carpeted or tiled floor.
  • Works alone primarily, with or without directions.  
  • Works with a group at times and with a select team at times.

EQUIPMENT, TOOLS, AND MATERIALS

  • Equipment typically used in the performance of office duties includes telephone, computer, printer, and copy machine.
  • Materials and products handled on performance of duties include: logs, spreadsheet, graphs, pie charts, writing utensils, safety manual, rules and regulations, and various office forms.
Revision: 8/21/2025 1:40:29 PM