Senior Labor Negotiator - Taft Hartley Expert

Note: This recruitment is open until filled. Applications will be reviewed on an ongoing basis, and interested applicants are encouraged to apply as early as possible for optimal consideration. The hiring manager reserves the right to make a hiring decision at any time during the recruitment process and may close the recruitment without prior notice.

Hybrid: Our physical office is in Olympia, WA. We offer flexible work schedules and locations. This is a hybrid position in which most of the work can be done remotely. However, you must reside in the state of Washington and travel to in-person activities, meetings, and events as needed for business purposes.
Why work for OFM
The Office of Financial Management OFM) serves as the backbone of Washington state government. Our mission is to make our state a better place by connecting people, budgets, policies, data, and systems for state agencies and the Legislature. Our team includes budget advisors, researchers, and other experts, all dedicated public servants working towards an equitable future for every Washingtonian. If you want to play a key role in enhancing how state government serves its citizens, you’ve found the right place. Join us in making a meaningful difference for every Washingtonian!

The job opportunity

Join the OFM's State Human Resources Division as a Senior Labor Negotiator – Taft-Hartley Expert and play a key role in shaping retirement benefit policies that may impact employees across Washington State government. As a senior-level lead negotiator within the Labor Relations and Compensation Policy Section, you will serve as the Governor’s designee for retirement benefit negotiations, helping develop and implement statewide labor relations strategies, collective bargaining policies, and retirement benefit programs, including Taft-Hartley provisions.

In this highly collaborative and influential role, you will independently manage complex negotiations, provide expert guidance on retirement benefit issues, and serve as a resource and mentor to fellow labor negotiators. Working with agency leaders, labor organizations, retirement system representatives, and other partners, you will help advance fair, effective, and sustainable retirement benefit solutions that support the state's workforce and organizational goals. This is an exciting opportunity for a skilled labor relations professional who enjoys strategic problem-solving, policy development, and making a meaningful impact at the enterprise level.

What you’ll work on
Senior Labor Negotiator: Taft-Hartley

• Chief spokesperson representing the State of Washington and is assigned to complex caseloads and bargaining tables, specializing in retirement and healthcare benefits:
  • These assignments require an in-depth knowledge of labor relations, strategy development, and the business of client agencies.
  • Manage a complex caseload and bargaining tables, while also keeping the chain of command informed of critical issues.
• Conduct research, training, and implementation of labor relations and collective bargaining statute changes, specializing in retirement and healthcare benefits.
• Work on complex labor relations issues, lead work on emergent statewide issues, and represent the State Human Resources/Labor Relations & Compensation Policy Section on committees and workgroups regarding issues and projects that have enterprise-wide impacts.
• Represent the state as the employer representative on a Taft-Hartley board.
• Negotiate retirement and healthcare benefits based on Taft-Hartley and serve as a lead for other staff negotiating and administering collective bargaining agreements that include those provisions or are covered by the same bargaining law:
  • Strategy communication, ensuring consistency in collective bargaining agreements.
  • Provide guidance to other negotiators with complex situations.
  • Responsible for identifying issues that need to be elevated and addressed within the chain of command. 
• Lead Negotiator Responsible for Collective Bargaining and Negotiating Agreements with Labor Unions.
• Serve as the Governor’s designee in the process, and is also responsible for:
  • Proposal development, approval processes, and accuracy for state bargaining proposals and agreements during the bargaining process.
  • Research, prepare, and obtain costing for proposals and agreements as part of the bargaining process or settlement negotiations. 
  • Compose, train, and manage a team of employer bargaining team members.
  • Research, develop, and present proposals at any table where a Taft-Hartley agreement is legislatively required to be bargained.  This includes coordinating with the State Health Care Authority, the Special Assistant Attorney General (SAAG), and other authorities to ensure that any such retirement benefits comply with state laws.
  • Coordinate with agency/institution stakeholders to develop bargaining proposals and understanding, and appropriately respond to stakeholder interests and priorities. 

Or

Labor Negotiator

• Proposal development, approval processes, and accuracy for state bargaining proposals and agreements during the bargaining process.
• Research, prepare, and obtain costing for proposals and agreements as part of the bargaining process or settlement negotiations.
• Compose, train, and manage a team of employer bargaining team members.
• Coordinate with agency/institution stakeholders to develop bargaining proposals and understand and appropriately respond to stakeholder interests and priorities.
• Independently assess the need for assistant attorney general input or seek input from other OFM teams as appropriate for proposals and settlement agreements.
• Raise awareness and share sensitive or global impact proposals and agreements with co-workers, the chain of command, and other teams within SHR.
• Seek pre-approval for economic or items with statewide impact from OFM leadership.
• Negotiate with labor unions to reach tentative agreements during successor bargaining and mid-term bargaining, and clearly articulate the entire agreement in proper written form.
• Execute agreements and ensure that all required documentation is filed and published timely and properly, and in accordance with RCW 43.88.583.
• Review draft “roll-up” of agreements and work with the LR Assistant and the respective union to achieve a final print-ready version of agreements.
• Develop training for stakeholder agencies/institutions for the implementation of assigned agreements.
• Track and respond to union information requests.
• Provide statewide guidance and interpretation for CBA assignments, often requiring historical research of intent and past bargaining activities.
• Conduct pre-arbitration review meetings and/or grievance meetings for the assigned area of responsibility.
• Conduct union outreach regarding questions of contract interpretation, implementation, and processing.
• Lead the development and administration of state labor relations policies and strategies to ensure consistency and uniformity. Conduct research and provide recommendations for labor relations best practices.
• Keep agencies/institutions apprised of situations requiring new approaches to successful labor relations.
• Represent the LR&CP Section in issues brought forward to the Public Employment Relations Commission, independent grievance arbitrators, and interest arbitrators.
• Provide representation, assistance, consultation, documentation, and records, and testimony with assigned assistant attorneys general in grievance or contract mediation, grievance arbitration, interest arbitration, unfair labor practice cases, or other hearings.
• Participate in cross-divisional teams, committees/forums within OFM and/or on behalf of the LR&CP Section.

What we need you to bring
Required Qualifications:
Senior Labor Negotiator: Taft-Hartley (Annual Salary Range: $133,320 - $167,880)

• Demonstrated experience negotiating collective bargaining agreements that include Taft-Hartley trusts, including multiemployer health, pension, or welfare benefit plans.  Must also have negotiated the terms of a Taft-Hartley trust from its inception.
• Expertise in the negotiation, administration, and compliance oversight of Taft-Hartley trusts, including familiarity with ERISA, trust documents, fiduciary responsibilities, applicable federal laws and regulations governing multiemployer plans and multiemployer plan governance structures.
• And the following Labor Negotiator qualifications.

Labor Negotiator (Annual Salary Range: $104,664 - $135,468)

• Demonstrated ability to formulate and articulate labor relations principles and negotiating strategies, including the role of the union and its business interests and goals.
• Demonstrated experience effectively managing or leading teams by using influence, collaboration, and developing teamwork, demonstrating effective people interaction skills (not via command & control or hierarchy).
• Demonstrated ability to research, interpret, and understand RCWs and their implementing WACs.
• Demonstrated knowledge of the state legislative process, including bill analysis.
• Demonstrated knowledge of State Government budget related to collective bargaining implementation and statewide accounting principles related to employees (SAAM, travel, pay checks, etc.).
• Demonstrated ability to build healthy working relationships with labor organizations as well as internal teams or groups.
• Ability to manage collective bargaining proposal development and use of legislative track changes.
• The ability to learn and grow.
• The ability to meet the needs of others. 

Desired Qualifications:

• Prior experience as a Labor Negotiator on the OFM Labor Relations and Compensation Policy team.
• Knowledge of WA State Government budget and operations.
• Knowledge of WA State Government Human Resources best practices.
• Knowledge of personnel and practices of public employee labor organizations in WA state.
• Interest arbitration experience. 
• 
  

We are committed to finding the candidate whose skills and experience align best with this role. We recognize that strong candidates may come from a variety of professional backgrounds and experiences. If your qualifications align with the role and you excel in collaborative environments, can manage competing priorities, and are committed to equitable and inclusive practices, we encourage you to apply.