Labour Relations Consultant

Company : IWK Health

Req ID: 208860 
Department/Program: Labour Relations and HR Partnerships, People and Organization Development 
Location: Halifax  
Type of Employment: Permanent Hourly FT (100% FTE)  x 1 position(s)
 Start Date: ASAP
Union Status: Non-union, Management/Non Union
Compensation: $40.9539 - $51.1923 /hour
Closing Date: August 28, 2025 (Applications are accepted until 23:59 Atlantic Time)

IWK Health is a respected academic health sciences centre located in Halifax, Nova Scotia, providing tertiary and primary care for two million children, youth, adults and families each year across the Atlantic region. We have a team of approximately 4000 employees, physicians, volunteers and learners at sites across Nova Scotia. People build careers with IWK Health with our focus on training and mentorship opportunities. We recognize each other’s talent and celebrate our successes. We collaborate in modern facilities or virtually from home, align our work to our values, and enjoy access to enhanced benefits and wellness programs. We are proud to support our patients, families and communities and are grateful for the generous donor support we receive.

Promoting an anti-racist environment, and calling out discrimination as we work and provide care, is important to us. We are located in Mi’kma’ki, the unceded and ancestral territory of the Mi’kmaq people. Working in Mi’kma’ki and providing care to those across Atlantic Canada is a shared privilege with the original inhabitants who have lived here for many thousands of years prior to colonization. There are 13 First Nation communities across Nova Scotia, and more than 50 historic African Nova Scotian communities who also have a long, deep, and complex history dating back over 400 years. We have the highest percentage of people with disabilities in the country. Nova Scotia has the highest proportions of transgender and non-binary people than any other province or territory in the country. We are active in our work to eliminate discrimination, but have more work to do to build that trust, acknowledge our biases and reduce the barriers our diverse communities face. We want IWK Health to be a safe and supportive space of equity and belonging in the care we provide and the employment we offer. We welcome all interested persons who self-identify as Indigenous, Black/African Nova Scotians, Persons of Colour, Immigrants/Newcomers, Persons with Disabilities, 2SLGBTQIA+ to apply to support our goal for our workforce to be representative of the patients, families, and communities that we care for at all job levels.

The Opportunity

Reporting to the Manager, Labour Relations and HR Partnerships, this is a specialist role which has a mandate to provide the effective delivery of responsive, accurate, and consistent labour relations services.  They understand and balance the needs of the organization, clients and internal colleagues and make recommendations to address issues and improve relations and team functioning in a manner that respects consistent process and collective agreements. They support the work of essential services, collective bargaining, policy grievances, arbitrations and other large scale, organization-wide labour related strategic initiatives and projects.  As an internal consultant with subject matter expertise in labour relations, this role also works to support other People Services Teams (i.e. Occupational Health, Learning, Recruitment, Equity & Belonging) by providing related advice, guidance and consultation on matters that cross over among areas.   

Hours of Work

7.5-hour shifts; Monday to Friday, 8:30 am – 4:30 pm (Hybrid position with flexibility required to be on site as needed)

Your Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree with concentration in Human Resources or bachelor’s degree and a Certificate in Human Resources Management, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Human Resource Certificate or Chartered Professional in Human Resources (CPHR) designation is considered an asset.
• Masters in Labour/Industrial Relations is considered an asset.
• Minimum of 5 years’ experience in strategic labour relations services required.
• Experience working in a complex, high volume, multi-union human resources environment required, ideally within the health sector.
• Experience collaborating with others across the spectrum of human resources.
• Demonstrated up-to-date knowledge of labour relations issues and trends, labour laws, and legislative initiatives.
• Knowledge of health care organizations and the health sector.
• Exceptional interpersonal skills to effectively build relationships, conduct negotiations and interact with all clients in scope on sensitive and confidential matters.
• Proficient computer skills including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, SAP.
• High level of competence in both written and verbal communication.
• Experience working with diversity of staff and stakeholders, with knowledge of cultural competence, diversity and inclusion.

Thank you for your interest in IWK Health.

Please note that we only contact applicants selected for interview/testing. If we invite you to participate in an assessment process (such as an interview or testing) you have the right to request accommodation. Please discuss your needs when invited to the assessment process.

This is a Management/Non Union position. Preference is given to bargaining unit employees for unionized positions. Successful applicants changing unions, bargaining units or employment status, are advised to seek clarification regarding their seniority, benefits, and vacation entitlement and/or usage, prior to accepting the position.

An offer of employment is conditional upon the completion and satisfactory results of all applicable background checks and confirmation of credentials.

If you are an employee of IWK Health, please apply through the internal careers page to ensure you are flagged as an internal applicant.