EMPLOYEE RELATIONS BUSINESS PARTNER

Serves as the Employee Relations Business Partner providing strategic and operational guidance to leaders and staff across the agency. Drives positive employee relations by coaching people managers, interpreting complex personnel policies, and conducting fair, thorough workplace investigations. Partners with agency stakeholders to resolve workplace disputes, analyze retention and engagement trends, and ensure strict compliance with federal, state, and ADOR policies.

This position may offer the ability to work remotely, within Arizona, based upon the department's business needs and continual meeting of expected performance measures.

The State of Arizona strives for a work culture that affords employees flexibility, autonomy, and trust. Across our many agencies, boards, and commissions, many State employees participate in the State’s Remote Work Program and are able to work remotely in their homes, in offices, and in hoteling spaces. All work, including remote work, should be performed within Arizona unless an exception is properly authorized in advance.

Essential duties include but are not limited to:

Employee Relations
Fosters a work environment in which people will choose to be motivated, contributing, and happy to include:

● Trains, coaches, and supports people managers toward ensuring the employer-employee relationship is one of reciprocal value.
● Monitors and analyzes the employer-employee relationship through surveys, conversations, and other data, prepares reports and analytics to support positive employee relations, and recommends positive employee relations solutions.
● Provides guidance and support to people managers in the performance management of their teams.
● Receives, triages, and investigates formal and informal workplace complaints regarding behavior, performance, misconduct, discrimination, harassment, and policy violations.
● Conducts objective investigative interviews, collects relevant evidence, drafts comprehensive investigative summary reports, and collaborates with executive leadership and legal counsel on appropriate corrective actions.
● Ensures that relations with employees comply with applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations, and ADOR and ADOA policies.
● Serve as a secondary presenter for New Employee Orientation (NEO) benefits sessions and provide reliable backup support to the Benefits Specialist as needed.

Policy Interpretation/Administration
● Proposes, drafts, implements, interprets, trains, and reviews personnel policies and procedures, human resources guidelines.
● Responds to employee and manager requests related to policy interpretation.
● Tracks and maintains awareness of past precedent and policy exceptions to ensure fair and equitable application of policies.

Project Management/Contribution
Leads and actively participates in projects with cross-functional teams as assigned to include:
● Developing, maintaining, and coordinating detailed project plans to define roles and assignments, metrics, process documentation, actions and minutes for internal and external stakeholders.
● Facilitating/attending project meetings.
● Monitors project and audit milestones.
● Prepares written reports for internal/external stakeholders, documenting results, KPIs and quality improvement.
● Establishes and maintains effective working relationships with stakeholders, managing expectations.
● Coordinates and facilitates meetings.

Agency/Department Compliance & Continuous Improvement
● Remains current on all laws, regulations, policies, and best practices related to taxation through regular engagement in activities such as: self-directed research, conferring with other practitioners and technical experts; subscriptions to regulatory/legal/industry newsletters and briefs; membership in industry associations and attendance at meetings/events; and/or participation in training and other continuing education opportunities.
● Actively contributes to team and individual effectiveness through the following: -
○ Attends staff meetings and huddles of work unit or district; and may cascade and track information as indicated
○ Completes all required training in a timely manner.
○ Participates in assigned work teams as appropriate.
○ May complete periodic metrics, projects, huddle boards and reports as requested.
○ Prepares for and actively participates in 1:1 coaching with supervisor
● Maximizes work processes and deliverables through lean principles within the Arizona Management System (AMS); and provides recommendations for process improvement; and engages in continuous improvement efforts as assigned. 20% E 3, 5

Knowledge

• Knowledge of human resources/personnel principles and practices
  
• In-depth knowledge of employment laws, rules, regulations, policies and procedures pertaining to personnel administration and employee relations, FLSA, FMLA, ADA, HIPAA, Title VII (Civil Rights Act), ADEA, Equal Pay Act, and state-specific merit system / civil service rules.

Skills

• Excellent verbal, written, and listening communication skills
  
• Excellent interpersonal skills and demeanor
  
• Effective organization and time management and project management skills with the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously and work in high-pressure situations
  
• Proficient in the use of a PC in a Windows environment; in the use of the Internet; in the use of MS Office Applications such as Outlook, Word and Excel, PowerPoint; and in the use of Google Suite applications such as Gmail, Sheets, Docs, and Drive.
  
• Proficient in the use of HRIS applications

Abilities

• Ability to clear a comprehensive background and clearance process that includes an Arizona tax compliance verification, and a criminal background check through the FBI via level one fingerprint clearance through the Arizona Department of Public Safety
  
• Ability to thrive in a service-centric organizational model
  
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively as part of a team
  
• Ability to work in a confidential manner, ensuring information is shared with internal and external individuals in an appropriate manner
  
• Ability to learn LEAN concepts, principles and tool
  
• Ability to understand and solve problems by applying intermediate analytical skills to include collecting all the relevant information and data needed to address the problem; organizing, classifying and synthesizing the data into fundamental issues; from the information, identifying the most probable causes of the problem; reducing the information down into manageable components; identifying the logical outcomes from the analyses of the data collected; and, identifying the options and solutions for addressing the problems analyzed
  
• Willingness and ability to embody ADOR’s core values of Do the Right Thing, Commit to Excellence, and Care About One Another
  
  

The ideal candidate for this position will have:

• Bachelor Degree in Business, HR or related field
  
• Minimum of four years previous experience in human resources, and specifically, employee relations
  
• Previous experience with LEAN
  
• SPHR, or similar HR certification
  

The final candidate will be required to abide by the following pre-employment checks:

Internal Applicant Eligibility
An Internal Applicant who is: An active, regular, full-time, or part-time ADOR Team Member who has been in their current position for at least 6 months and has maintained Satisfactory Performance.

Satisfactory Performance: A Team Member who:
• Has a 3.0 (meets or higher) for their most recent AZPerforms rating,
• Is not on a Performance Improvement Plan,
• Has not been involuntarily demoted in the previous 12 months, and
• Is not subject to any active formal discipline, meaning the Team Member has not received either
• A Letter of Reprimand issued in the previous 6 months or
• A Letter of Suspension in the previous 12 months.

• Successfully pass background and reference checks; employment is contingent upon completion of the above-mentioned process and the agency’s ability to reasonably accommodate any restrictions.
  
• Arizona Tax Filing Records Check
  
• If applicable, ASEDRA Authorized Driver Identification Check
  
• All newly hired State employees are subject to and must successfully complete the Electronic Employment Eligibility Verification Program (E-Verify).
  

If this position requires driving or the use of a vehicle as an essential function of the job to conduct State business, then the following requirements apply: Driver’s License Requirements.

All newly hired State employees are subject to and must successfully complete the Electronic Employment Eligibility Verification Program (E-Verify).

The Arizona Department of Revenue offers a comprehensive benefits package to include:
-Affordable medical, dental, life, and short-term disability insurance plans
-Participation in the Arizona State Retirement System (ASRS) and long-term disability plans
-10 paid holidays per year
-Vacation time accrued at 4.00 hours bi-weekly for the first 3 years
-Sick time accrued at 3.70 hours bi-weekly
-Paid Parental Leave-Up to 12 weeks per year paid leave for newborn or newly-placed foster/adopted child (pilot program).
-Deferred compensation plan
-Wellness plans
-Tuition Reimbursement
-Infant at Work Program
-Rideshare and Public Transit Subsidy
-Career Advancement & Employee Development Opportunities
-Flexible schedules to create a work/life balance

By providing the option of a full-time or part-time remote work schedule, employees enjoy improved work/life balance, report higher job satisfaction, and are more productive. Remote work is a management option and not an employee entitlement or right. An agency may terminate a remote work agreement at its discretion.

Learn more about the Paid Parental Leave program here. For a complete list of benefits provided by The State of Arizona, please visit our benefits page

State employees are required to participate in the Arizona State Retirement System (ASRS), the State sponsored retirement contribution plan and the Long-Term Disability (LTD) program after a 27-week waiting period. The ASRS defined benefit plan provides for life-long income upon retirement. You will also have the option to participate in a voluntary deferred compensation program to take advantage of tax-deferred retirement investments.
On, or shortly after, your first day of work you will be provided with additional information about the available insurance plans, enrollment instructions, submission deadlines and effective dates.

If you have any questions, need assistance, or would like to request a reasonable accommodation, please contact tartenian@azdor.gov

*The State of Arizona is an Equal Opportunity/Reasonable Accommodation Employer.