New York University logo

New York University

Director, Employee Relations & Contract Faculty Affairs

🇺🇸 New York, NY

🕑 Full-Time

💰 $180K - $220K

💻 Human Resources

🗓️ June 27th, 2025

Edtech.com's Summary

New York University is hiring a Director, Employee Relations & Contract Faculty Affairs. The role involves partnering with academic and administrative leaders to manage contract faculty labor relations, ensure compliance with collective bargaining agreements, and lead employee relations and contract administration efforts to support faculty and professional research staff.

Highlights

  • Main responsibilities include labor relations expertise, contract compliance, grievance and arbitration support, and advising on collective bargaining strategy.
  • Requires mastery of federal, state, and local employment and labor laws, conflict resolution, facilitation, and consultation skills.
  • Must have experience in fact-finding, problem-solving, stakeholder influence, and driving organizational change.
  • Proficiency in Microsoft Office and familiarity with databases, data analysis, and modeling.
  • Minimum of a master’s degree in Human Resources, Labor Relations, Law, Public Administration, or related field; Juris Doctorate preferred.
  • 10+ years of significant labor management and employee relations experience in union and non-union settings; higher education experience preferred.
  • Experience with sensitive and confidential information and strong leadership capabilities.
  • Preferred skills include training program development on HR and employee relations topics.
  • Supports academic workforce planning and consistency across appointment systems and practices in collaboration with school leaders.
  • Annual base salary range is $180,000 to $220,000, excluding bonuses and incentives.

Director, Employee Relations & Contract Faculty Affairs Full Description

Position Summary: 
NYU is seeking a seasoned Employee and Labor Relations professional to join our University Human Resources team as a strategic partner to academic and administrative leaders. Reporting to the Assistant Vice President for Employee and Labor Relations, this role serves as the primary liaison between the Office of the Provost, school-based HR and academic affairs teams, and University Human Resources on all matters related to the collective bargaining agreement (CBA) for contract faculty.
 
You’ll work closely with school leaders to proactively plan for faculty workforce needs, provide expert guidance on contract compliance, and lead efforts to ensure consistency and integrity across academic appointment systems and practices. In addition, you'll drive continuous improvement in related processes and help identify and mitigate compliance risks.
 
This position also plays a critical role in contract administration, grievance and arbitration support, and employee relations matters—particularly for professional research staff. You'll be a key advisor on best practices, employment policies, and collective bargaining strategy, shaping outcomes that balance institutional goals with legal and contractual obligations. Qualifications: 
Required Education:
Master’s degree in Human Resources, Labor Relations, Law, Public Administration, or a related field.

Preferred Education:
Juris Doctorate (J.D.)

Required Experience:
10+ years of significant labor management and employee relations experience in both union and non-union environments and relevant professional experience in human resources, academic affairs, compliance, or equivalent combination of education and experience. Must include experience related to the interpretation of policies and procedures and application of past practices to inform business decisions and outcomes.

Preferred Experience:
2+ years of experience in working in a college or university setting or large complex not for profit organization. Familiarity with academic labor relations or faculty affairs is a plus.

Required Skills, Knowledge and Abilities:
Thorough knowledge, technical mastery, skill and judgment in the application of relevant federal, state and local employment and labor laws and regulations. Effective conflict resolution, facilitation and consultation skills. Skill in fact-finding, analysis, problem-solving and consulting to identify problems and recommend solutions. Excellent written verbal and presentation communication skills and a demonstrated ability to influence stakeholders, build consensus, and drive organizational change initiatives. Experience working with highly sensitive and confidential information. Exercise considerable judgment and discretion in establishing and maintaining good working relationships across the University. Strong leadership skills. A team player with superior ability to work independently. Familiarity with the uses of databases, data analysis and modeling as management tools. Proficient in Microsoft Office.

Preferred Skills, Knowledge and Abilities:
Experience creating, developing and implementing training programs on a full range of human resource and employee relations topics to varied audiences and management teams. Additional Information: 
In compliance with NYC's Pay Transparency Act, the annual base salary range for this position is USD $180,000.00 to USD $220,000.00. New York University considers factors such as (but not limited to) scope and responsibilities of the position, candidate's work experience, education/training, key skills, internal peer equity, as well as, market and organizational considerations when extending an offer. This pay range represents base pay only and excludes any additional items such as incentives, bonuses, clinical compensation, or other items. 

NYU aims to be among the greenest urban campuses in the country and carbon neutral by 2040. Learn more at nyu.edu/nyugreen.

NYU is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to a policy of equal treatment and opportunity in every aspect of its recruitment and hiring process without regard to age, alienage, caregiver status, childbirth, citizenship status, color, creed, disability, domestic violence victim status, ethnicity, familial status, gender and/or gender identity or expression, marital status, military status, national origin, parental status, partnership status, predisposing genetic characteristics, pregnancy, race, religion, reproductive health decision making, sex, sexual orientation, unemployment status, veteran status, or any other legally protected basis. All interested persons are encouraged to apply at all levels.