Specialist, Talent Development and Workplace Relations

Specialist, Talent Development and Workplace Relations

Department: Human Resources

Location: Jerry Sue Thornton Center


Reports To: Manager, Talent Development and Workplace Relations


Recruitment Type: External/Internal


Requisition ID: req6847


Employment Type: Administration and Professionals


Union Position: Non-Union

Work Schedule: Standard College Hours: M-F, 8:30am - 5pm

Number of Openings: 2


Job Description:

SUMMARY

The Specialist, Talent Development & Workplace Relations serves as a trusted resource and advocate for all College employees, providing comprehensive support through coaching and development initiatives that promote engagement, performance and a positive employee experience. This role combines proactive talent development with responsive employee relations support to enhance the overall employee experience and foster a thriving workplace culture of care. The specialist designs and delivers impactful trainings, workshops, and interactive sessions that foster both personal and professional growth; and partners with employees and managers to navigate challenges, access learning opportunities, and resolve workplace concerns while promoting organizational effectiveness and employee engagement. This role supports a variety of learning events and activities, and collects, analyzes, and interprets engagement survey data both internally and from regional sources to inform continuous improvement efforts.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

Talent Development

• Designs, coordinates, and delivers professional development programs and workshops for employees across all levels of the College.
• Conducts needs assessments to identify skill gaps and training opportunities aligned with institutional goals.
• Designs and facilitates new employee orientation sessions and onboarding programs.
• Develops training materials, resources, and learning pathways to support career growth and professional development.
• Maintains learning management systems and tracks participation and outcomes.
• Partners with departments collegewide to create customized training solutions for specific team needs.
• Stays current on best practices in adult learning, instructional design, and workplace training methodologies.

Employee Relations

• Provides confidential consultation and coaching to employees and managers on workplace-related matters.
• Conducts intake and triage meetings with employees seeking guidance on workplace concerns.
• Supports and guides managers through difficult conversations and creating performance expectations and goal-setting framework for themselves and their direct reports.
• Mediates workplace conflicts and facilitates constructive dialogue between parties.
• Documents case notes and maintains accurate records of employee relations matters.
• Collaborates with HR leadership and Labor Relations on complex employee relations issues requiring escalation by providing case notes and records from prior interactions.
• Analyzes trends in employee relations cases and training needs to inform strategic recommendations and develops timely trainings.
• Maintains knowledge of employment law, higher education regulations, and institutional policies.

Collaboration & Continuous Improvement

• Conducts exit and stay interviews with employees, utilizing the information gathered to improve the employee experience.
• Partners with HR team members on initiatives related to employee engagement, retention, and organizational culture.
• Contributes to policy development and revision based on emerging workplace issues.
• Participates in cross-functional projects supporting the employee lifecycle.
• Builds relationships across the College to serve as a visible and accessible resource.
• Supports the college's participation in various industry and regional surveys by collecting responses from appropriate departments and responding to survey administrators.
• Evaluates survey results and makes strategic recommendations related to findings.
• Manages budget and contracts with internal and external vendors.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE/TRAINING

• Bachelor's degree in human resources or related area.
  
  • Significant related experience may substitute for education.
• Minimum of three (3) years training experience in Human Resources, Training and Development, Employee Relations or other transferable experience.
• Demonstrated experience in content development, delivery, and facilitation.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, and ABILITIES

• Strong interpersonal skills with demonstrated ability to build trust and maintain confidentiality.
• Possess excellent communication skills, both written and verbal, with ability to tailor messaging to varied audiences and to facilitate difficult conversations.
• Ability to design and deliver engaging workshops, presentations, and learning experiences for groups of varying sizes.
• Demonstrated knowledge of performance management principles and employee relations best practices.
• Skilled in active listening, asking probing questions, providing guidance, and helping individuals develop solutions.
• Ability to handle sensitive situations with professionalism, discretion, and confidentiality.
• Ability to work independently and manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Possess problem-solving mindset with sound judgment and decision-making abilities.
• Possesses strong organizational skills with ability to manage multiple training programs, cases, and initiatives simultaneously.
• Ability to conduct skills gap analyses, identify trends in employee relations data, and make data-informed recommendations.
• Analyzes complex situations, considers multiple perspectives, and makes sound recommendations.
• Working knowledge and understanding of federal and state employment laws and regulations, College Policies and Procedures, etc.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite and learning management systems.
• Demonstrated intermediate skills in the use of presentation software such as PowerPoint, Prezi, Canva, Articulate, or similar.
• Ability to establish rapport quickly and maintain trusted relationships across all organizational levels.
• Possess sensitivity to respond appropriately to the needs of employees and the community.

COMPETENCIES

CRITICAL COMPETENCIES

• Communication
• Adaptability
• Collaboration

VERY IMPORTANT COMPETENCIES

• Service Focus
• Continuous Improvement

IMPORTANT COMPETENCIES

• Quality of Work
• Time Utilization

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE/TRAINING

• Master's degree in Human Resources, Industrial/Organizational Psychology, or related field.
• Experience in higher education environment.
• Professional certification (SHRM-CP, PHR, ATD, or training-related certification).
• Experience with conflict resolution, mediation, or coaching.
• Familiarity with learning management system and/or case management platform.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS/WORKING CONDITIONS

(The demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.)

• The work is performed in a normal, professional office environment.
• The work area is adequately lit, heated, and ventilated.
• Typically, the employee may sit comfortably to perform the duties of the job and will perform repetitive motions with hands/fingers using a computer mouse and keyboard to type. However, there may be some walking; standing; bending; carrying of light items such as papers, files, pamphlets, books, etc.
• Work may also require walking and standing in conjunction with travel to and attendance at meetings and conferences away from the worksite.

Target Starting Salary Range: $55,000 to $60,000
The final offer for the successful candidate is targeted to fall within this range but will be based upon an assessment of internal equity, the unit's available budget, and the candidate's qualifications in relation to the minimum and/or preferred job requirement(s).


Special Note: If hired, you must reside in the state of Ohio and be within commuting distance of this work location/campus to respond to onsite work demands upon the employment start date and throughout the duration of your employment with the College, as outlined in 3354:1-40-01.1 Recruitment and Selection Procedure.


Special Instructions to Applicants: During the application process, you may be required to attach a cover letter and/or resume. It is recommended that you have these documents ready to be attached electronically to the online application. This system accepts only MS Word or PDF attachments. Any employment with the College is contingent upon satisfactory completion of a background check and drug screen.

Equal Opportunity Statement: Cuyahoga Community College is committed to attaining excellence through the recruitment and retention of a qualified workforce. Cuyahoga Community College is an equal employment/educational opportunity institution.