School Attorney/Director of Labor Relations

Description:
Orleans/Niagara BOCES has an immediate opening for a full-time School Attorney/Director of Labor Relations.  The School Attorney/Director of Labor Relations is responsible for the overall direction, coordination and provision of all labor relations services provided to the BOCES and participating school districts.  Responsibilities shall include program coordination and planning, program development, and management and supervision of department staff, including the Labor Relations Specialist.  The Director of Labor Relations is also appointed by the BOCES to serve as the School Attorney/General Counsel.

Specific Responsibilities and Duties (Illustrative only, not all-inclusive):
Coordination/Planning:

1. Coordinates, plans, directs and manages a comprehensive labor relations service for participating school districts.
2. Coordinates services provided to members of the labor relations service by labor relations services staff and Labor Relations Specialist.
3. Works in conjunction with personnel and pupil personnel administrators, superintendents and board of education members for participating districts and the BOCES.
4. Coordinates activities among various committees dealing with labor relations and other activities of the labor relations service.
5. Plans for continued development of the labor relations service.

Program Development/Management:

1. Develops and administers the budget for the labor relations service according to the BOCES’ guidelines.
2. Provides leadership in establishing new or improved services within the department.
3. Supervises the preparation of a comprehensive database containing comparative analyses of salary and fringe benefits and settlement information for participating districts and the BOCES.

Negotiations/Labor Relations:

1. Negotiates collective bargaining agreements with employee organizations representing certificated and/or classified civil service employees of participating school districts and the BOCES; includes contract analysis, development of proposals and counterproposals, serving as chief negotiator in formal and informal collective bargaining, and reducing agreed upon provisions to writing for incorporation into the collective bargaining agreement.
2. Analyzes existing salary and fringe benefit data from districts in the geographic area, to aid in the development of negotiations proposals, evaluate proposed compensation and benefits, and prepare information for impasse procedures (mediation and fact finding).
3. Represents management positions of participating school districts and the BOCES in mediation and fact finding, and improper labor practice, or other proceedings before the Public Employment Relations Board (PERB).
4. Provides assistance to participating districts and the BOCES in the administration and interpretation of existing collective bargaining agreements, including recommending positions, responding to grievances and drafting/revising memoranda of agreement.
5. Researches and provides consultation to participating districts and the BOCES on various personnel matters such as layoff and recall, employee discipline, etc.
6. Represents participating school districts and the BOCES in grievance and arbitration proceedings, and disciplinary proceedings under a collective bargaining agreement, or Civil Service Law §71, §73, or §75.
7. Stays abreast of current legislation, arbitration decisions, court or administrative agency rulings, and collective bargaining agreements to assess trends in school labor relations matters.

Student Relations/Pupil Personnel:

1. Researches and provides consultation to participating school districts and the BOCES on various pupil personnel matters such as student residency, confidentiality of student information and records, student discipline, etc.
2. Serves as hearing officer for participating school districts in formal hearings under Education Law §3214.

Investigations:

1. Serves as an investigator for participating school districts and the BOCES, in regard to alleged or suspected employee/student misconduct and/or alleged civil rights violations.

Communication/Committees/Community Relations:

1. Prepares and conducts workshops and seminars for administrators and other staff or participating districts and the BOCES regarding negotiations/labor relations and pupil personnel issues.
2. Prepares and conducts workshops and seminars regarding negotiations, labor relations, personnel/human resources, and/or pupil personnel matters, for school administrators and other school officials in the BOCES and component school districts.
3. Reports to participating districts and the BOCES on progress of negotiations and recent settlements in the area, court decisions, Public Employment Relations Board (PERB) decisions, legislative actions (coordinates labor relations service advisory committee, newsletter, or other periodic communications).
4. Maintains professional affiliations and participates as active member in related organizations such as New York State Management Advocates for School Labor Affairs (MASLA), the New York State Association of School Personnel Administrators (NYSASPA), and the New York State Association of School Attorneys (NYSASA).
5. Maintains an active status as a consultant and participant in labor relations activities on a statewide level.
6. Maintains a reference library including negotiated contracts and current information regarding labor relations, personnel and student personnel issues, education, and related laws.

Supervision:

1. Supervises all labor relations staff (currently consisting of one Labor Relations Specialist and five clerical/administrative assistants).
2. Conducts regular evaluations of all department personnel.

School Attorney/General Counsel:

1. Handles and oversees the BOCES’ legal affairs; provides legal counsel and representation to the Board of Cooperative Educational Services as determined by the Board; provides legal advice and counsel to the Board, the District Superintendent, and administrative staff.

Personnel/Human Resources Administration:

1. Handles the personnel/human resources administration for the BOCES.

Performs other duties and responsibilities as assigned by the District Superintendent.

Qualifications:
Position requires a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree, and:

1. Graduation from a recognized college or university with a Bachelor’s degree and six (6) years of responsible experience in labor negotiations, personnel administration or other related fields; OR
2. A Master’s degree and five (5) years of responsible experience in labor negotiations, personnel administration or other related fields; OR
3. An equivalent combination of training and experience as defined in (1) and (2).

Annual Salary:
Commensurate with experience and background, up to $150,000 plus benefits package.

To Apply:
Please send resume and cover letter to Dr. Clark Godshall, District Superintendent, Orleans/Niagara BOCES, 4232 Shelby Basin Road, Medina, NY, 14103 or email to churt@onboces.org.