Employee Relations Manager

Salary : $105,207.85 - $163,037.26 Annually
Location : 101 NE 3rd Avenue, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301, FL
Job Type: Full Time
Job Number: NB106-02
Department: Human Resources
Opening Date: 07/27/2026
Closing Date: 8/28/2026 11:59 PM Eastern


POSITION SUMMARY
The successful candidate for this role will be focused on collaboration with unions, managers, and employees, creating strong cross-functional partnerships across the City, and developing innovative and impactful solutions to support the organization. You will have opportunities to drive the long-term vision of the Employee Relations function and our priorities, and work closely with executive leadership to ensure our mission and values are represented in the ways we do our work. If you want to be part of a dynamic, growing City, with the opportunity to have voice in strategic planning, and touch all levels of the organization, keep reading!

This is a managerial position of considerable difficulty that requires the exercise of significant independent judgment in planning, organizing, and directing the labor and employee relations activities of the City. The employee is responsible for the employee union contract negotiations and administration. This position requires the exercise of sound judgment, diplomacy, and initiative when consulting and engaging with City management officials, employee or union organization representatives, agency representatives and employees.


This is a non-classified "at-will" position and not subject to Civil Service Rules or any collective bargaining agreement.

This is a Management Category I position which includes ten (10) additional Management Vacation Days and an Expense Allowance of $390/month.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS
Essential functions are the basic job duties that an employee must be able to perform, with or without reasonable accommodation. The list of essential functions, as outlined herein, is intended to be representative of the tasks performed within this classification. The omission of a function does not preclude management from assigning essential duties not listed herein if such duties relate to the position.

• Advises the City Manager, Director of Human Resources and other City officials on labor/employee relations matters involving the City and is responsible for all contact with employee or union organizations regarding matters of labor relations
• Investigates disciplinary matters; interprets and advises management on City policies and procedures, union contracts and employment laws, fair employment practices and regulations
• May serve as chief spokesperson in negotiating contractual agreements with employees and labor organizations.
• Confers with and advises department heads or their designees in the administration and interpretation of a labor contract
• Assists in handling grievances in the various stages of a grievance procedure and represents the City in arbitration hearings
• Stays abreast of laws, State of Florida Public Employees Relations Commission (P.E.R.C.) rulings, court decisions, ordinances or statutes affecting labor/employee relations, arbitrator decisions, changing labor relations concepts, the latest data concerning wages and salaries, fringe benefits, and terms and conditions of employment for use in preparing recommendations and conducting discussions with employees or labor organizations
• Recommends appropriate labor/employee relations policies, doctrines and procedures in the best interest of the City, City administration and employees
• Undertakes special projects as assigned by superiors, including assignments of a sensitive nature.
• May conduct internal investigations at the request of the City Manager's Office and make recommendations on a variety of management/employee issues
• Directs and organizes the work activities of the Employee Relations Division staff
• Performs related work as required

JOB REQUIREMENTS, PREFERENCES & WORK ENVIRONMENT
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:

1. A Bachelor's Degree in Labor Relations, Human Resources, Business or Public Administration or a closely related field is required.
2. Candidate must demonstrate five (5) or more years of progressively responsible experience representing management's interests, preferably in a Florida governmental environment, in one or more of the following areas: development of negotiating strategies and proposals, preferably as management's chief spokesperson; labor negotiations; contract interpretations and administration; grievance handling and arbitration proceedings.
3. Additional qualifying experience or completion of coursework at an accredited college or university in a job-related field, may substitute on a year-for-year basis for the required experience or education.
4. Previous supervisory experience required.
5. To claim Veterans' Preference, candidates must attach to the application a copy of military separation papers (DD214) and service-connected disability documentation (if applicable) to meet eligibility requirements as stipulated by Florida Statues. For additional information, please refer to the

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Professional in Human Resources (PHR) / Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) / Society for Human Resources Management Certified Professional (SHRM-CP) / Society for Human Resources Management Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP) or other human resources-related professional certifications

As public servants, employees may be required to work immediately before, during, and/or after an emergency. All employees must be available and able to work assigned shifts as determined by their Department Heads.
PHYSICAL STANDARDS REQUIRED TO PERFORM ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

The position is generally sedentary. Employees sit most of the time, but may walk or stand for brief periods of time.


The physical 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.

HOW TO APPLY & SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION
The City of Fort Lauderdale receives a high volume of applications, so not every applicant who meets the minimum qualifications will be guaranteed an interview. Candidates are selected for interviews based on how closely their education and work experience match the specific requirements of the position.
Applicants will be subject to an extensive selection and screening process, which may include, but not be limited to evaluation of training and experience; written; oral and performance-based testing; skills assessment; interview; employment check, background investigation; medical examination; and drug screen. For Public Safety positions, the process additionally includes polygraph examinations and psychological evaluations. The expected duration of the selection process varies by position.
All applicants, including current City of Fort Lauderdale employees, need to fully detail their work experience on the employment application. Applicants must ensure that all required documents submitted are in a format that is acceptable, clear, and legible. It is the applicant's responsibility to update their online profile with accurate personal information, work history, education, and certifications each time they submit a new application. Incomplete applications may result in disqualification.
The City of Fort Lauderdale is an Equal Opportunity, Veteran's Preference Employer and Drug Free Workplace.
For technical support with your application, contact from 9 am to 9 pm EST, Monday to Friday, at View phone number on click.appcast.io or email

The City of Fort Lauderdale offers a comprehensive benefits package to all regular full-time employees including vacation, holiday, and sick leave as well as medical, dental, vision, life and short-term disability insurance.

Click for an overview of employment information including our benefits package.


Click for additional management benefits.

Say "Hello" to the City of Fort Lauderdale and Say "Goodbye" to Your Student Loan! Under the U.S. Department of Education's Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program, the remaining balance on your student loan may be forgiven after you have made 120 qualifying monthly payments while working full-time at the City of Fort Lauderdale! Click for more information or to see if you qualify.

In addition to the competitive benefits package and salary, the City of Fort Lauderdale participates in the Florida Retirement System (FRS) which offers an investment option and a pension option and requires a 3% contribution from employees. All new City of Fort Lauderdale employees are automatically enrolled in FRS. Click to view additional information on the Florida Retirement System.
01


Do you have a Bachelor's Degree in Labor Relations, Human Resources, Business or Public Administration or a closely related field?

• No
• Yes

02


Do you have a Master's Degree in Human Resources, Labor Relations, Business or Public Administration, or a related field?

• No
• Yes

03


Please indicate which of the following areas you possess prior work experience in (please check all that apply):

• Development of negotiating strategies and proposals
• Labor negotiations
• Acting as management's chief spokesperson for labor negotiations
• Contract interpretations and administration
• Grievance handling and arbitration proceedings
• Not Applicable

04


How many years of progressively responsible experience do you have representing management's interests in union contract negotiations in a Florida governmental or public sector environment?

• Less than one year of experience.
• One to two years of experience.
• Three to four years of experience.
• Five to nine years of experience.
• Over ten years of experience.

05


Do you possess prior work experience within a Municipality or Government Agency?

• No
• Yes

06


How many years of experience do you have in the development of negotiating strategies and proposals, preferably as management's chief spokesperson?

• Less than one year of experience.
• One to two years of experience.
• Three to four years of experience.
• Five to nine years of experience.
• Over ten years of experience.

07


How many years of experience do you have in labor negotiations?

• Less than one year of experience.
• One to two years of experience.
• Three to four years of experience.
• Five to nine years of experience.
• Over ten years of experience.

08


How many years of experience do you have in labor contract interpretations and administration?

• Less than one year of experience.
• One to two years of experience.
• Three to four years of experience.
• Five to nine years of experience.
• Over ten years of experience.

09


Do you have experience representing management in labor relations within a Florida governmental or public sector environment?

• No
• Yes

10


Do you have previous supervisory experience?

• No
• Yes

11


Do you currently hold an active Human Resources certification, such as PHR, SPHR, SHRM-CP, SHRM-SCP, or another HR-related professional certification?

• No
• Yes

12


Describe your experience representing management in a Florida governmental or public sector environment. Please include the employer(s), your role, and the types of labor relations responsibilities you performed.
13


Describe your experience developing collective bargaining strategies and proposals. Include your role in the negotiation process and the types of bargaining units you represented.
14


Please describe your experience serving as management's chief spokesperson, including the number of negotiations you have led, the types of bargaining units involved, and your primary responsibilities.
15


Describe your experience interpreting and administering collective bargaining agreements. Please provide examples of the types of contractual issues you have addressed.
16


Describe your supervisory experience, including the number of employees supervised, the positions supervised, and your primary leadership responsibilities.
17


Describe your experience in a Florida governmental or public sector environment, with an emphasis on labor and employee relations. Explain how your experience has prepared you to perform the responsibilities of this position.
18


Please describe your experience working in a unionized environment.
Required Question