Job ID

73522

Job Title

Senior Consultant, Employee / Labour Relations & Dispute Resolution

Regular/Temporary

Regular

Location

Central Campus

Open Date

12/18/2025

Job Type

Continuing

Close Date

01/15/2026

Employee Group

TMG

Favorite Job

Department

Labour & Employee Relations

Full/Part Time

Full-Time

Salary Grade/Band

Band M

Salary Range

$101466.00 - $152200.00 (annual)

Existing Vacancy

Yes - Backfilling as Existing

Hours per Week

35

Target Number of Openings

1

Job Code

000159

Posting Details

At McMaster University, our people are our most valuable asset. We strive to attract, develop, and retain the best faculty and staff, and to foster an inclusive community which values the strengths, perspectives and contributions of each individual. McMaster’s profile and stature has evolved to one of the Top 100 Universities in the World and recognition as Canada’s Most Research Intensive University. McMaster is a diverse and complex institution, home to almost 30,000 graduate and undergraduate students who study across six faculties and employing approximately 14,000 individuals annually in more than 20 unique employee groups. McMaster has been continuously recognized as one of the top employers in the Hamilton / Niagara region, and one of Canada’s Top Diversity Employers.

About Human Resources

Human Resources Services is committed to delivering people and culture solutions that advance McMaster’s vision, mission and strategic priorities. By providing impactful programs, expert HR counsel, and trusted partnerships, HR team members strive to optimize workforce strategy, inclusivity and operational efficiency, while advancing HR excellence.

Our HR Vision: To advance a healthy, safe, and inclusive culture that inspires a diverse and talented McMaster community to contribute to a Brighter World.

Our HR Mission: We cultivate a community in which every employee’s experience is that of acceptance, inclusion, belonging, and meaningful connection with the University’s mission and institutional priorities. We do this through our following four Strategic Pillars:

• Championing University People and Culture
• Collaborating with our University and Community Partners
• Advancing Service Delivery and Operational Excellence
• Promoting Learning, Development and a Growth Mindset

Check out our 2023-27 HR Strategy at hr.mcmaster.ca!

About the Position

The Senior Consultant, Employee / Labour Relations & Dispute Resolution is a senior member of the HR team and is accountable to promote a positive overall employee & labour relations culture and climate at McMaster University and to develop and implement employee & labour relations programs and strategies.

The Senior Consultant provides strategic advice to leaders and human resources staff as an expert within the university’s Labour Relations Centre of Expertise and HR Service Delivery model, including leadership in key subject matter areas including collective bargaining, strategic grievance handling, workplace investigations, union relations, alternative dispute resolution and conflict mediation.

Throughout your career you have been recognized as a strategic thinker with the ability to foster and sustain a collaborative culture with a focus on providing comprehensive and integrated ELR coaching and support to employees, HR leads, University leadership and union representatives. Key areas of focus for this position include:

• Build, maintain, and nurture positive and productive long-term union relations with all of McMaster University’s local and national union partners, navigating successful relationships while also promoting and advancing the University’s interests in alignment with the University mission, vision, and institutional priorities.

• Provide timely, expert and consistent employee/labour relations risk-based advice to university leaders, and HR team members across the institution relating to highly complex and sensitive employment matters, including the identification of risks relating to employment and labour law compliance and recommendations to mitigate those risks, anticipating the needs of the community, and adeptly taking stewardship of issues of significant impact to McMaster staff, faculty and students.

• Develop and implement strategies to continuously improve service delivery and nurture professional relationships with McMaster colleagues, union partners, and external sector partners, and seek to continuously improve processes, relationships, and to strengthen the Centre of Expertise’s contributions and partnerships within the OneHR team.

• Support collective bargaining, as required, including conducting research, reviewing sector outcomes and best practices and preparing collective bargaining mandates aligned with university bargaining strategy; leading implementation of new/renewed collective agreements; contributing to strategies to successfully conclude bargaining.

• Provide advice to support leaders and HR team members address collective agreement administration, practice, and interpretation.

• Develop, recommend, and implement appropriate strategies for grievance and complex issue resolution, arbitration, and other formal dispute processes leveraging expertise and deep experience in employee and labour relations, relevant legislation and case law, and collective agreement administration to provide different options and risk settings to decision makers for managing and resolving issues.

• Act as an Intake Office Coordinator pursuant to University Sexual Violence Policy & Discrimination & Harassment Policy. Develop, recommend, and implement appropriate strategies to enable early and effective internal dispute resolution for highly complex and sensitive employment-related matters.

• Lead alternative dispute resolution processes and workplace restoration efforts for complex files and in partnership with leaders, and other HR team members.

• Plan and conduct internal workplace investigations in line with University policies including Discrimination & Harassment, Sexual Violence, Fraud and other potential workplace misconduct, demonstrating commitment to trauma-informed principles and practices, diversity, inclusion, and cultural safety.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Undergraduate degree and Master of Industrial Relations or Labour Law degree or equivalent experience.

• Proven experience fostering a culture that embraces Equity, Diversity and Inclusion through the engagement of broad and diverse perspectives to enrich the working environment.

• Advanced understanding of the principles and practices of employee and labour relations, labour and employment laws, as well as collective bargaining and collective agreements.

• Superior skills in critical analysis, strategic thinking, written communication, and building effective relationships

• Demonstrated skills in successful dispute resolution and creative problem solving Goal and achievement oriented.

Pay Transparency Statement

Hiring Rage: $101,466 - $133,048

The posted hiring range represents McMaster's typical hiring range for this position. Actual starting salary will depend on factors such as relevant experience, qualifications, internal equity, and market conditions.

Individuals with extensive experience, deep specialized expertise, and/or those who can demonstrate exceptional past performance, as applicable, may be hired at a higher rate within the full range, in accordance with the University compensation policies.

How To Apply

To apply for this job, please submit your application online.

Employment Equity Statement

McMaster University is located on the traditional territories of the Haudenosaunee and Mississauga Nations and within the lands protected by the “Dish With One Spoon” wampum agreement.

The diversity of our workforce is at the core of our innovation and creativity and strengthens our research and teaching excellence. In keeping with its Statement on Building an Inclusive Community with a Shared Purpose, McMaster University strives to embody the values of respect, collaboration and diversity, and has a strong commitment to employment equity.

The University seeks qualified candidates who share our commitment to equity and inclusion, who will contribute to the diversification of ideas and perspectives, and especially welcomes applications from indigenous (First Nations, Métis or Inuit) peoples, members of racialized communities, persons with disabilities, women, and persons who identify as 2SLGBTQ+.

As part of McMaster’s commitment, all applicants are invited to complete a confidential Applicant Diversity Survey through the online application submission process. The Survey questionnaire requests voluntary self-identification in relation to equity-seeking groups that have historically faced and continue to face barriers in employment. Please refer to the Applicant Diversity Survey - Statement of Collection for additional information.

Job applicants requiring accommodation to participate in the hiring process should contact:

• Human Resources Service Centre at 905-525-9140 ext. 222-HR (22247), or
• Faculty of Health Sciences HR Office at ext. 22207, or
• School of Graduate Studies at ext. 23679

to communicate accommodation needs.

Hybrid Work Language

To ensure an ongoing and vibrant University community that meets the needs of our students, staff and faculty and supports the University mission, ability to work on-site continues to be a requirement for most University positions. The University is supportive of exploring flexible work arrangements that effectively balance operational needs and employee interests.

AI Statement

McMaster and its third-party partners may use AI tools to screen, assess, or select applicants during the hiring process. Please note that currently our recruitment platform does no$101,466 - $133,048t use AI nor is it part of our current recommended recruitment process.