Labour Relations/Human Resources Advisor

Vacancy Status: Existing Vacancy

Branch: Human Resources Branch (HRB)

Employment Type: Indeterminate, Full time

Position Linguistic Designation: Bilingual (English, French)

Position Global Linguistic Level: C1

Classification Level: Band 12

Annual Salary: $131,687 - $148,221 + $2,002.23 Bilingual Bonus

Union: UNIFOR 2025 - Excluded

Location: Ottawa, ON

Search Area: Internal, Membership, Public

Closing Date: July 2, 2026

Employment Equity Designation

As a result of the PSAC Workforce and Availability Analysis and in accordance with the PSAC Employment Equity Plan, the successful candidate for this appointment will be a qualified person from one of the following groups: Racially Visible

About the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC)

PSAC was created in 1966 and is a union that has proudly represented more than 245,000 workers across Canada and beyond. We stand up for fairness, equity, and better workplaces. We know our strength is in our people.

Headquartered in Ottawa with regional offices nationwide, PSAC has led countless successful campaigns for workers’ rights and social justice. We believe in standing together and supporting the people who make our union work every day.

For more information about our victories, please visit our website at https://psacunion.ca/

About the role

Under the direction of the Manager Labour Relations, and as a member of the Labour Relations and Human Resources teams, the HR Advisor, Labour Relations provides advice to management on internal labour/employee relations matters within a unionized environment and supports the operational and strategic goals and objectives of the PSAC.

The position has primary responsibility for providing comprehensive labour relations/legal advice and support services in representing the interests of the employer in staffing, policy development, collective bargaining, and dispute resolution in accordance with numerous collective agreements, policies and across all provincial, territorial and federal legislations.

What we are looking for

Education & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources Management, Industrial Relations, Labour Relations, Law, or a related field.
• Minimum four (4) years of progressive experience in labour relations, including grievance management, collective agreement administration, labour relations case management, and employee relations in a unionized environment.
• Experience managing all levels of the grievance process in accordance with the applicable collective agreements, including researching legal precedents, gathering evidence, providing advice, attending grievance hearings and drafting responses
• Knowledge of several Human Resources disciplines, including job analysis and design, staffing, compensation, attendance management, learning and development, pension/benefits administration, employee orientation, feedback process, diversity management and organizational design.
• Experience representing the employer in adjudication before Boards of Arbitration, the Ontario Labour Board, Workplace Safety and Insurance Board, Human Rights Tribunal, Pay Equity Tribunal, and other forums for dispute resolution will be considered an asset.

Skills & Knowledge

• Knowledge of the political and operational inter-relationships within a large national union organization and a thorough understanding of the sensitive political and social issues between an employer union and its internal bargaining agents.
• Strong knowledge of legal research methodology and mechanisms to develop alternative dispute resolution approaches.
• Strong knowledge of the principles of employment equity, human rights obligations and accommodation in the unionized workplace.
• Knowledge and understanding of Labour Relations initiatives and activities that are impacting upon the PSAC and the broader labour movement.
• Knowledge of the principles and practices of labour management strategies, interpretations, positions and approaches to provide advice on internal union matters.
• Knowledge of the structure, mandate and mission of the PSAC as well as the broader political and legislative context in which it functions.

Abilities

• Ability to analyze and interpret federal, provincial and territorial labour legislation, board decisions, case law, and arbitral jurisprudence and negotiate effective solutions to complex legal issues.
• Strong communication, negotiation and presentation skills, with the ability to provide specific Labour Relations advice, training and communicate complex information for the intended audience using various methods.
• Highly developed written skills to prepare information bulletins, analysis, grievance responses and reports.
• Ability to deal effectively with conflict, build credibility and trust between parties and support/promote union-management partnerships.
• Strong analytical, research, evaluative and problem-solving skills to interpret complex legal issues to ensure compliance between legal imperatives. collective agreements and internal policies, directives and guidelines are met.
• Strong computer skills in Microsoft Office applications.
• Ability to work under pressure and meet firm deadlines.
• Second language skills as per the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) level indicated above.

Personal suitability

• Excellent judgment, political acuity and demonstrated problem solving, consultative, persuasive and conflict resolution skills to provide sound direction and advice on a variety of complex labour relations issues to all levels of management and staff.
• Effective interpersonal skills; dependability, reliability and flexibility.
• Ability to work in a political organization with often competing priorities as well as a commitment to union and social justice issues.
• Availability to travel as required.

What you need to know

• Second language skills as per the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) will be assessed. Valid federal SLE results may be accepted.
• A combination of education, experience, and demonstrated performance may substitute for formal academic requirements.
• PSAC welcomes applications from candidates with diverse and international experience.
• PSAC does not use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to screen, assess, or select candidates.
• Interviewed candidates will be notified of the hiring decision within 45 days of their final interview.
• While we appreciate every applicant’s interest, only those selected for further consideration will be contacted.
• A full job description is available on request. Please contact ***email_hidden***

Why work with us

Should you share PSAC's values and commitment, recognize the significance of the labour movement, and advocate for workers' rights, PSAC extends an invitation to join our team and actively contribute to a community dedicated to social justice, fairness, equity, and the well-being of workers. Below, you will find an overview of our comprehensive rewards and benefits package:

• Comprehensive group benefits — 100% employer-paid health, dental, life, and disability insurance, a health care spending account (HCSA), plus up to $7,500 per year for mental health services.
• Flexible work arrangements — with dedicated workstations for hybrid staff.
• Defined and secure pension plan — shared 50/50 between you and us.
• Three (3) weeks’ vacation to start, plus extra paid leave for appointments, moving, personal days, sick days, or whatever you need.
• Professional development support to help you grow.
• An annual recreation allowance of $800 because your wellness matters.

Our commitment to employment equity

PSAC is committed to building a workplace that reflects the diversity of our membership and the communities we serve. That’s a workplace that includes women, Indigenous peoples, racialized persons, persons with disabilities, and members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community.

We encourage applicants to self-identify in the application process to help us maintain an inclusive workforce. All information provided will be kept confidential. You may identify with more than one group (e.g., as Indigenous, as a person with a disability, and as a woman). False declarations may result in investigation or further action.

If you need the application in an alternate format (e.g., large print) or require accommodation at any stage of the hiring process, please contact us at ***email_hidden*** — we’re here to help.

Ready to join the PSAC team?

Internal candidates: Indeterminate PSAC employees who meet the qualifications may request a transfer under the relevant collective agreement.

Active members of PSAC should provide their membership number to be considered at the membership level of the competition.

Thank you for your interest in joining our team. Due to the high volume of applications we have received, we will only be contacting those candidates who have been selected to proceed to the next stage of the hiring process.