Director, Faculty Relations

Job Type: Continuing

Full-time/Part-time: Full Time (>=1249 hrs/year)

Campus: Waterloo

Reports to: Provost and Vice-President:
Academic and the Chief Human Resources and Equity Officer (CHREO)

Employee Group: Management

Requisition : 10371

Wilfrid Laurier University is a leading multi-campus university that excels at educating with purpose. Through its exceptional employees, students, researchers, leaders, and educators, Laurier has built a reputation as a world-class institution known for its rich student experience, academic excellence, and global impact. With a commitment to Indigenization and commitment to equity, diversity, inclusion , Laurier’s thriving community has a place for everyone.

Laurier has more than 21,000 students and 2,100 faculty and staff across campuses in Waterloo and Brantford, as well locations in Kitchener and Milton. The university is committed to providing an inclusive workplace, a flexible work policy and employing a workforce that is reflective of local and national demographics. Laurier's Waterloo, Kitchener, and Brantford campuses are located on the shared traditional territory of the Neutral, Anishnaabe, and Haudenosaunee peoples.

This land is part of the Dish with One Spoon Treaty between the Haudenosaunee and Anishnaabe peoples and symbolizes the agreement to share, protect our resources, and not to engage in conflict. Laurier's Milton campus is located on the traditional territory of the Mississaugas of the Credit, and part of the Nanfan Treaty of 1701 between the British Crown and the Haudenosaunee Confederacy.

Reporting jointly to the Provost and Vice-President:
Academic and the Chief Human Resources and Equity Officer (CHREO), the Director, Faculty Relations is responsible for leading the strategic and operational administration of non-unionized faculty groups (post-docs, teaching fellows), academic collective agreements (full-time faculty, contract teaching faculty, graduate teaching assistants), collective bargaining, and faculty-related employment and labour relations matters. This role provides advice and guidance to academic leaders to ensure consistent, fair, and compliant practices across all academic units and fosters collaborative relationships with university colleagues, leaders and union partners.

Operations & Labour Relations Leadership

• Lead the interpretation, administration, and negotiation of academic collective agreements.
• Serve as Chief Negotiator for academic bargaining teams.
• Provide strategic guidance on faculty grievances, arbitration, and dispute resolution.
• Consult with internal and external legal counsel on academic employment matters.
• Provide advice to academic leaders on the resolution of complex faculty relations matters and performance management, ensuring adherence to collective agreements, legislation, and employment best practices
• Advise university bargaining teams on strategy, collective bargaining rules and norms, procedures and practices.
• Prepare costing and strategic mandate for academic labour negotiations in collaboration with Finance and senior leadership for presentation to the Compensation Committee of the Board.
• Ensure consistent application of academic policies across faculties and departments.

Strategic Planning & Risk Management

• Contribute to university-wide strategic planning related to academic labour relations.
• Create bargaining strategies in alignment with institutional priorities.
• Collect and monitor sector data and trends to inform decision making.
• Identify operational risks and develop mitigation strategies.
• Lead program and service evaluations to improve delivery and outcomes.
• Ensure alignment of internal policies and procedures with legislation and governance structures.
• Monitor faculty relations trends in higher education to proactively address emerging workforce challenges.
• Research, recommend, and manage initiatives to ensure continued operational excellence.
• With the Associate Vice President:
  Academic develop and implement ongoing professional development for academic administrators

Community Engagement

• Collaborate with the Office of the Provost & VPA, Deans, and Chairs to resolve labour…