Associate Vice-President, Labour and Employee Relations (2026-EX-02)

POSITION TITLE: Associate Vice-President, Labour and Employee Relations
DEPARTMENT: Human Resources
REPORTS TO: Vice-President, Human Resources and Chief Legal Counsel
SALARY: Range Exempt
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The University of Windsor is situated on the traditional territory of the Three Fires Confederacy of First Nations: the Ojibwa, the Odawa, and the Potawatomi. We respect the longstanding relationships with First Nations people in this place in the 100-mile Windsor-Essex peninsula and the straits – les détroits – of Detroit.

THE OPPORTUNITY

The University of Windsor invites applications for the position of Associate Vice-President, Labour and Employee Relations (AVPLER), a senior executive leadership opportunity for an accomplished labour relations professional with significant experience in collective bargaining, complex employment matters, dispute resolution, and strategic labour relations leadership.

Reporting to the Vice-President, Human Resources and Chief Legal Counsel, the AVPLER provides strategic leadership and oversight of labour and employee relations across the University, including collective bargaining, collective agreement administration, grievance and arbitration processes, workplace conflict resolution, and Occupational Health and Safety.

As a key member of the University's senior leadership team, the AVPLER serves as a strategic advisor to executive leadership, the Provost, Deans, academic administrators, and other institutional leaders on complex labour relations matters, employment policies, organizational change, and institutional risk. The role requires the ability to navigate the distinct and often complex employment relationships within a university environment, including faculty associations, academic unions, and administrative and support staff bargaining units.

The successful candidate will foster constructive labour-management relationships, promote procedural fairness, and support a respectful, inclusive, and collaborative workplace while ensuring that labour relations strategies and practices advance the University's academic mission and institutional priorities.

This position offers an opportunity to shape the University's labour relations environment, strengthen institutional partnerships, and provide strategic leadership in a dynamic and evolving post-secondary environment.

ABOUT THE UNIVERSITY OF WINDSOR

The University of Windsor (the University or UWindsor) is a globally relevant, regionally focused University that welcomes over 18,000 students in a range of comprehensive and research-intensive graduate and undergraduate programs. The University consists of eight academic faculties, which include Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences; Science; Human Kinetics; Education; Law; Engineering; Nursing; and Business. The UWindsor campus is home to a medical program offered by Western University's Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry. The University employs a passionate and dedicated faculty and staff, numbering approximately 2,500, of whom approximately 600 are tenured or tenure-track faculty.

The University's unique position on an international border between Canada and the United States has contributed to its identity as a diverse university community providing rich cultural, recreational, and educational opportunities for faculty and students. The University is a key player in a wide range of distinctive industrial, entrepreneurial, and cultural activities throughout the City of Windsor and Essex County, and in an evolving network of international academic and industrial partnerships, particularly with leading American universities in Michigan.

KEY LEADERSHIP ACCOUNTABILITIES
The Associate Vice-President, Labour and Employee Relations will:
Strategic Labour Relations / Health & Safety Leadership
• Develop and implement comprehensive labour relations strategies aligned with the University's strategic plan, academic priorities, and human resources objectives.
• Provide strategic advice to the Vice-President, Human Resources and Chief Legal Counsel, President, Deans, academic administrators, and senior leadership and the Board of Governors on complex and sensitive labour relations and Health and Safety matters.
• Establish institutional frameworks for proactive labour relations, dispute prevention, conflict resolution, and constructive employee engagement.
• Monitor emerging labour relations and occupational health and safety trends, legislative developments, collective bargaining practices, and sector-specific challenges.
• Assess labour relations and workplace health and safety risks and recommend strategies that support institutional effectiveness and continuity of academic and administrative operations.
• Promote a culture of respectful dialogue, collaboration, accountability, and mutual understanding between the University and its employee groups.
Collective Bargaining and Negotiations
• Lead and oversee collective bargaining negotiations with faculty associations, academic unions, administrative staff unions, and other recognized bargaining agents.
• Develop bargaining strategies, negotiation mandates, proposals, costing analyses, and settlement recommendations in consultation with senior leadership and relevant institutional stakeholders.
• Advise the University on collective agreement provisions concerning compensation, workload, academic responsibilities, appointment terms, benefits, performance management, discipline, and other employment conditions.
• Lead negotiations involving collective agreement renewals, memoranda of agreement, letters of understanding, and other negotiated instruments.
• Establish effective relationships with union and faculty association representatives to facilitate productive negotiations and sustainable labour-management partnerships.
• Provide strategic advice regarding mediation, conciliation, arbitration, strike preparedness, and other labour dispute processes.
• Ensure bargaining activities are conducted in accordance with applicable labour legislation, institutional governance requirements, and approved negotiation mandates.

Faculty and Academic Labour Relations
• Provide specialized labour relations advice to the Provost and academic leaders concerning faculty appointments, tenure and promotion processes, academic freedom, academic workload, performance concerns, and other matters governed by faculty collective agreements or institutional policies.
• Support Deans, Associate Deans, Department Chairs, and academic administrators in interpreting and applying faculty collective agreements and academic employment policies.
• Advise on academic restructuring, program changes, workload allocation, organizational reviews, and other institutional initiatives with potential labour relations implications.
• Support fair, consistent, and transparent processes relating to faculty grievances, discipline, performance management, and employment disputes.
• Collaborate with academic leadership and faculty associations to address workplace concerns while respecting academic governance, academic freedom, and established institutional procedures.
• Promote constructive relationships between academic leadership and faculty bargaining units while recognizing the distinct roles of institutional administration, academic governance bodies, and employee representatives.
Grievance Administration and Dispute Resolution
• Oversee the University's grievance management framework, including grievance assessment, investigation coordination, response preparation, settlement discussions, and arbitration.
• Provide strategic advice on complex grievances involving discipline, dismissal, workload, compensation, appointment terms, policy interpretation, and other employment matters.
• Represent or oversee institutional representation in mediation, arbitration, labour board proceedings, and other formal dispute resolution processes, as appropriate.
• Work with internal and external legal counsel to assess legal exposure, develop case strategies, and recommend appropriate resolutions.
• Identify recurring workplace issues and systemic concerns through grievance analysis and recommend preventive measures.
• Promote early intervention, interest-based problem-solving, and alternative dispute resolution where appropriate.
• Ensure grievance processes are timely, procedurally fair, well documented, and consistent with collective agreement requirements.
Labour Relations Analytics, Reporting and Risk Management
• Develop and monitor key performance indicators relating to grievance volumes, arbitration outcomes, bargaining milestones, settlement costs, case resolution timelines, and recurring workplace concerns.
• Prepare executive reports, briefing notes, risk assessments, and recommendations for senior leadership and relevant governance committees.
• Analyze labour relations trends to identify opportunities for process improvement, dispute prevention, and more effective institutional decision-making.
• Support budget planning and forecasting for bargaining, arbitration, legal services, settlements, and labour relations operations.
• Maintain confidential and accurate labour relations records and ensure appropriate information governance.
• Provide timely advice regarding significant labour disputes, potential service disruptions, and matters requiring executive intervention.
Labour Relations / Health and Safety Advisory Services
• Provide expert interpretation of collective agreements, employment policies, labour legislation, occupational health and safety requirements, and institutional procedures.
• Advise institutional leaders, managers, supervisors, Deans, Department Chairs, and Human Resources professionals on discipline, attendance management, performance concerns, workplace investigations, and employee complaints.
• Develop guidance, protocols, and decision-making frameworks to support consistent labour relations and workplace health and safety practices across academic and administrative units.
• Provide strategic advice on complex health and safety matters, including work refusals, workplace hazards, harassment complaints, safety violations, and other matters requiring risk assessment and mitigation.
• Support or oversee complex employee matters involving harassment, discrimination, accommodation, workplace conflict, and allegations of misconduct, in collaboration with appropriate institutional offices.
• Ensure workplace investigations are conducted impartially, confidentially, and in accordance with applicable legislation, collective agreements, and institutional policies.
• Coordinate with Human Rights, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, Occupational Health and Safety, Legal Counsel, and other relevant institutional functions on complex workplace matters.
• Promote procedural fairness, consistent decision-making, and effective conflict resolution across academic and administrative units.
Labour Relations / Health and Safety Policy and Legislative Compliance
• Monitor and interpret applicable federal and provincial legislation, collective agreements, employment standards, human rights requirements, occupational health and safety legislation, and relevant labour board decisions.
• Ensure labour relations and occupational health and safety policies and practices are consistent with applicable legal obligations and institutional governance frameworks.
• Lead or support the development, review, and implementation of labour relations and occupational health and safety policies, procedures, and administrative guidelines.
• Provide strategic oversight of the University's Occupational Health and Safety services and functions, ensuring effective service delivery and compliance with the Occupational Health and Safety Act of Ontario.
• Identify compliance risks and recommend appropriate corrective measures.
• Maintain effective documentation, records management, reporting, and governance practices for labour relations and health and safety activities.
• Consult with legal counsel and relevant stakeholders on emerging legal issues and significant changes to the employment environment.
• Lead and support the implementation of a University-wide attendance management policy, program, and system.

Leadership, Collaboration and Organizational Development
• Lead, mentor, and develop the Labour Relations and Occupational Health and Safety teams, establishing clear performance expectations, service standards, and professional development priorities.
• Foster strong working relationships across Human Resources, academic affairs, Finance, Legal Services, faculty leadership, and administrative departments.
• Build institutional capacity through education, training, and coaching for managers and academic administrators on collective agreement administration, conflict management, and labour relations and occupational health and safety best practices.
• Promote a professional, responsive, and service-oriented approach to labour relations and occupational health and safety.
• Support leadership development, succession planning, accountability, and continuous improvement within the labour relations and occupational health and safety functions.
Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Respectful Workplaces
• Integrate principles of equity, diversity, inclusion, accessibility, and anti-discrimination into labour relations strategies, policies, and decision-making.
• Support fair and consistent application of collective agreements and employment policies across diverse employee groups.
• Collaborate with Human Rights, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, accessibility, and workplace well-being offices to address systemic workplace concerns.
• Provide advice on employment matters involving accommodation, discrimination, harassment, and equitable workplace practices, within the appropriate institutional mandates.
• Promote culturally responsive conflict resolution, respectful engagement, belonging, psychological safety, and a respectful workplace culture.

ESSENTIAL QUALIFICATIONS
The successful candidate will demonstrate the following qualifications:
Education and Professional Credentials
• A master's degree in Industrial Relations, Human Resources Management, Labour Studies, Employment Relations, Law, Public Administration, or a related discipline.
• A law degree or advanced professional qualification in labour and employment relations is considered an asset.
• An equivalent combination of education and relevant senior-level experience may be considered.
Professional Experience
• Significant progressive experience in labour relations, including substantial experience leading collective bargaining and managing complex employment disputes.
• Demonstrated experience advising senior executives on labour relations strategy, collective agreement interpretation, and organizational risk.
• Experience managing relationships with multiple bargaining units, faculty associations, unions, or employee representative organizations.
• Experience in a university, college, or similarly complex unionized organization is strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated experience in grievance administration, arbitration, mediation, workplace conflict resolution, and labour relations and Health and Safety policy development.
• Experience leading, mentoring, and developing professional staff.
• Experience working with academic leaders and faculty employment matters, including tenure, promotion, academic workload, or academic governance, is highly desirable.
Knowledge, Skills and Competencies
The successful candidate will demonstrate:
• Strategic leadership : Ability to align labour relations practices with institutional priorities and long-term organizational objectives.
• Negotiation expertise: Strong collective bargaining, mediation, conflict resolution, and settlement negotiation skills.
• Higher education knowledge: Understanding of university or college governance, academic culture, faculty employment relationships, and the distinct needs of academic and administrative units.
• Legislative and contractual interpretation: Advanced knowledge of labour relations principles, collective agreements, and applicable employment legislation.
• Executive communication: Ability to prepare clear, concise, evidence-informed advice and communicate effectively with senior leadership, union representatives, faculty, staff, and other stakeholders.
• Relationship management: Ability to establish trust, maintain professional relationships, and navigate competing interests in a complex institutional environment.
• Analytical and problem-solving skills: Ability to assess complex situations, evaluate risk, and develop practical, defensible recommendations.
• Equity and inclusion: Demonstrated commitment to fair employment practices, accessibility, diversity, inclusion, and respectful workplaces.
• Confidentiality and judgment : Ability to manage sensitive information and exercise sound discretion in high-risk employment matters.
• Change leadership : Ability to support organizational transformation while anticipating and addressing labour relations implications.
• Team leadership: Ability to develop high-performing teams and foster collaboration, accountability, and continuous improvement.

WHY JOIN THE UNIVERSITY OF WINDSOR?
We are committed to creating an exceptional employee experience grounded in well-being, professional growth, and work–life balance. As a valued member of our community, you will have access to a comprehensive benefits package designed to support you and your family, including:
• Health & Dental Benefits: Extensive coverage to support preventative care and ongoing health needs.
• Out-of-Province/Out-of-Country Coverage: Travel with confidence knowing you are protected beyond Ontario.
• Pension Plan: Participation in a pension plan that supports long-term financial security and retirement planning.
• Tuition Remission: Reduced-cost tuition to help you pursue further education and professional development (for yourself and dependents up to age 26).
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP): Confidential support for mental health, family matters, financial planning, and overall well-being.
• Toldo Lancer Centre Membership: Complimentary access to state-of-the-art fitness and recreation facilities on campus.
• Employee Discounts: Exclusive savings across a variety of vendor and community programs.
Join an institution that values people, purpose, and lifelong learning — and contribute to shaping the future of our University.
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Since 1963, the University of Windsor has been a forward-looking community that comes together to study, to learn, to teach, and to serve. Our symbol is the bridge; our vista is cross-border; our commitment is local; and our impact is global. We are a dynamic, inclusive community of higher learning with roots going back more than 160 years and with a future full of promise.
In pursuit of the University's commitment to employment equity, members from the designated groups including women, Indigenous Peoples (First Nations, Métis, Inuit), racialized persons/visible minorities, persons with disabilities, and persons of a minority sexual orientation and/or gender identity are encouraged to apply and to self-identify.
If you need an accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the Talent & Workforce Team ([email protected]). Should you require further information on accommodation, please visit the website of the Office of Human Rights, Conflict Resolution and Mediation (OHRCRM).
All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority.
We thank all applicants in advance for their interest in the University of Windsor; however, only those under consideration will be contacted. Applications submitted through employment agencies will not be considered.