Labour Relations Specialist

Role Responsibilities

Reporting to the Director of Human Resources, the Labour Relations Specialist provides comprehensive labour and employee relations support within the Alberta Sheriffs Police Service (ASPS). The role supports a policing organization composed of sworn police officers, civilian employees, and peace officers by providing expert advice on collective agreement interpretation, grievance management, workplace investigations, arbitration and dispute resolution processes, and broader employee relations matters.

The position provides expert advisory services to the HR portfolio to support consistent, defensible, and compliant responses to labour and employee relations matters. This includes supporting internal grievance procedures, advising on interpretation issues, monitoring leading cases and precedent, and helping strengthen consistent practices across labour relations files and decision-making.

Working within the Human Resources Section, the Labour Relations Specialist partners with leaders, managers, union representatives, and HR colleagues to address complex workplace matters in a dynamic, unionized policing environment. The role supports labour relations practices that are responsive to operational realities and aligned with legislation, organizational policy, collective agreements, and the needs of a modern police service.

This role contributes to the ongoing development and modernization of labour relations practices within ASPS and supports a respectful, collaborative, and high-performing workplace. It is well suited to an experienced professional who thrives in a fast-paced environment and can navigate complex labour relations issues while supporting organizational readiness and effective service delivery.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide expert labour and employee relations advice to ASPS leaders, managers, and HR partners.
• Interpret and apply collective agreements, legislation, policies, and employment practices.
• Support grievance management, arbitration preparation, dispute resolution, and settlement processes.
• Advise on workplace investigations, accommodations, performance, attendance, and complex employee matters.
• Build effective relationships with unions, police associations, legal counsel, and internal stakeholders.
• Monitor labour relations trends, case law, and legislative changes to support compliant decision-making.
• Develop guidance, briefings, policies, and knowledge-sharing tools to strengthen consistent HR practices.
• Support labour-management meetings, organizational change, and broader HR initiatives within ASPS.

APS Competencies

Competencies are behaviours that are essential to reach our goals in serving Albertans. We encourage you to have an in- depth understanding of the competencies that are required for this opportunity and to be prepared to demonstrate them during the recruitment process.

This link will assist you with understanding competencies: https://www.alberta.ca/system/files/custom_downloaded_images/psc-alberta-public-service-competency-model.pdf.

• Systems Thinking: Considers how collective agreements, legislation, ASPS policy, operational realities, employee relations risks, and public safety service delivery are connected when providing labour relations advice and recommendations.
• Drive for Results: Establishes clear priorities, timelines, documentation, and follow-through on grievances, workplace investigations, arbitration preparation, dispute resolution processes, and other complex labour and employee relations files.
• Develop Networks: Builds effective, credible working relationships with ASPS leaders, managers, HR colleagues, union representatives, police associations, legal counsel, and other stakeholders to support consistent and timely resolution of workplace matters.
• Agility: Adapts advice, approaches, and timelines in response to evolving labour relations issues, operational pressures, legislative or policy changes, emerging case law, and the needs of a developing police service.
• Creative Problem Solving: Analyzes complex employee relations, collective agreement interpretation, accommodation, attendance, performance, investigation, and dispute resolution issues to develop practical, defensible, and operationally appropriate solutions.
• Build Collaborative Environments: Promotes respectful, constructive, and solution-focused labour-management relationships by supporting clear communication, shared understanding, consistent practices, and collaborative resolution of workplace issues.
• Develop Self and Others: Strengthens ASPS labour and employee relations capacity by sharing expertise, developing guidance and tools, monitoring trends and precedents, and supporting leaders and HR colleagues in applying consistent, compliant practices.

Qualifications

An undergraduate degree in Human Resources or a related field, plus four (4) years of progressive labour relations experience within a unionized public sector environment.

A CPHR designation is preferred.

Assets

• Experience working in a policing, public safety, public sector, or other highly unionized operational environment.
• Strong working knowledge of Alberta labour and employment legislation, collective agreements, grievance processes, and arbitration principles.
• Experience supporting leaders through complex workplace matters, including investigations, accommodations, performance, attendance, and respectful workplace concerns.
• Ability to build constructive relationships with unions, police associations, legal counsel, HR partners, and operational leaders.
• Experience preparing briefings, case summaries, settlement documentation, policy guidance, or other written materials for senior leaders.
• Demonstrated judgment, discretion, and professionalism when handling sensitive, confidential, or high-risk employee relations matters.

Equivalency:

• A related 2-year diploma from a recognized post-secondary institution and 6-years or related experience.
• A related 1-year certificate from a recognized post-secondary and 7-years of related experience.

Directly related education or experience considered on 1-year of education for 1-year of experience; or 1-year of experience for 1-year of education.

Minimum recruitment standards outline the minimum education and experience required for appointment to a job classification.

Notes

Please note there is one (1) permanent, full-time, in-person position available.

Work Schedule: Monday to Friday, 8:15 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., 36.25 hours per week

•    Please note a cover letter explaining how you meet the requirements and assets of the role is required.
•    Final candidates will be required to undergo security screening.
•    Valid Class 5 Alberta Driver's License or equivalent is required.
•    Any costs associated with obtaining the required documents/checks as noted or interview travel expenses will be the responsibility of the candidate. Out-of-province applicants can obtain the required documents/checks from the province they currently reside in.

Links and information on what we have to offer:

• Working for the Alberta Public Service.
• Public Service Pension Plan (PSPP)
• Alberta Public Service Benefit Information.
• Professional learning and development.
• Research Alberta Public Service Careers tool.
• Positive workplace culture and work-life balance.