Assistant Employee and Labor Relations Manager - Administration Division - SF Municipal Transportation Agency (9172)

APPOINTMENT TYPE: Permanent Exempt (PEX). This position is excluded by the Charter from the competitive Civil Service examination process and shall serve at the discretion of the Appointing Officer.

Application Opening: April 22, 2026

Application Deadline: 11:59pm Pacific Time on May 4, 2026

Recruitment ID: PEX-9172-164907

Salary: $136,604 - $174,408 annually

Division: Administration

Section/Unit: Human Resources/Employee & Labor Relations

Work Location: 1 South Van Ness Ave, 6th Floor, San Francisco, CA 94103, USA

Work Hours: Monday to Friday, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm

⚠️IMPORTANT⚠️: Your application MUST include responses to the supplemental questionnaire found here: 9172 Assistant Employee and Labor Relations Manager (RTF0164906-01128248) – Fill out form

 Note:

• Applicants must complete the supplemental questionnaire and the online application by the filing deadline.
• The application will not be reviewed without a completed supplemental questionnaire and vice-versa.
• A cover letter and resume must be attached to the online application.

The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) recognizes that our employees are our greatest asset, and in order to achieve our strategic goal of creating an outstanding workplace, we need to have an effective manager who will manage our Human Resources’ Labor Relations team and develop a continuing constructive relationship with our labor partners.

The Assistant Employee and Labor Relations Manager will report to the Employee and Labor Relations Manager and will be responsible for managing, coordinating and supervising professional staff performing labor relations activities for SFMTA.

This position develops and facilitates agency-wide constructive relationships with labor partners, advises directors and managers on interpretation of Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs), disciplinary actions, grievances, current labor relations trends and issues, in addition to participating in various joint labor/management committees.

This 9172 Assistant Employee and Labor Relations Manager is assigned to the Human Resources, Employee and Labor Relations Unit, within the Administration Division. Under the direction, the incumbent serves as a resource for important technical problems directly related to labor relations. The Assistant Manager functions as a team leader and/or assistant team leader, providing guidance and expertise in the performance of advanced-level professional and technical activities directly related to employee and labor relations.

Examples of Important and Essential Duties:

• Supervises subordinate employees in performing professional human resources work in employee and labor relations.
• Advises and trains managers and supervisors on employee and labor relations issues and trends, including union MOU/CBA interpretation, disciplinary actions, grievances, employee coaching and counseling, performance monitoring and evaluation, employment laws, and City and County of San Francisco (CCSF) and SFMTA policies.
• Plans, directs, coordinates and evaluates employee and labor relations functions. Oversees disciplinary hearings and procedures, manages grievance processes, and participates in and presents cases at grievance arbitration hearings.
• Negotiates resolutions to grievances, enforces MOUs to ensure consistent departmental compliance with provisions, and may act as a Skelly officer in employee disciplinary hearings.
• Ensures accurate collection, review, and entry of all labor relations data into the HRIS and official employee personnel files by labor relations staff.
• Ensures the employee and labor relations team adheres to uniform internal processes for documenting disciplines and grievances.
• Ensures staff are properly trained and holds regular meeting with the team.
• Develops and facilitates positive and constructive relationships with leadership of labor unions in the spirit of partnership towards creating an outstanding workplace and advancing the mission of the agency through engaging employees and the unions that represent them. Participates in various joint labor/management committees to achieve these ends.
• Performs special projects involving the planning, research, development or implementation of a technical phase of human resources administration; prepares various memoranda, correspondence, records, and reports, including recommendations when appropriate.
• Advises on investigations or investigates and prepares reports on issues of serious employee misconduct.
• Serves as SFMTA representative in labor contract negotiations.
• Prepares correspondence, reports and memos and makes presentations to management, the Civil Service Commission, MTA Board, and other administrative bodies.
• Partners with CCSF on labor negotiations and the development and implementation of labor agreements that affect SFMTA operations.
• Developing and implementing labor-related policies, practices and controls.
• Confers with supervisors, managers, City Attorneys, labor representatives and human resources analysts from other jurisdictions regarding the interpretation, application and enforcement of laws and regulations concerning employee and/or labor relations.
• Provides advice, consultation, and guidance to departmental managers, supervisors, and employees regarding discipline and related personnel rules, policies and procedures.
• Partners with managers, labor representatives, and employees to facilitate positive interactions and effective outcomes for matters including performance coaching, performance improvement plans, written warnings, disciplinary actions, and communications.
• Performs other related duties and responsibilities as assigned.

1. Possession of a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university; AND
    
2. Four (4) years of professional-level experience in a function dedicated to employee relations, labor relations and/or investigatory programs. Professional-level experience consists of interpreting laws and regulations, and/or exercising independent judgment in the application of defined principles, practices, and regulations; and two (2) years’ experience supervising and/or leading staff.

Note: the required two (2) years of experience supervising and/or leading staff need not be in addition to the four (4) years of professional-level experience if the supervisory/lead experience is in the required functional area. Functional areas are employee relations, labor relations and/or investigatory programs.

Substitution: Additional qualifying experience in the functional area listed above at any level (i.e., supervisory/non-supervisory) may be substituted for the required degree on a year-for-year.  One year (2,000 hours) will be considered equivalent to thirty (30) semester units or forty-five (45) quarter units.

Notes:
1. Applicants must meet the minimum qualifications by the final filing date unless otherwise noted.

2. One (1) year full-time experience is equivalent to 2000 hours. (2000 hours of qualifying work experience is based on a 40-hour work week). Any overtime hours that you work above forty (40) hours per week are not included in the calculation to determine full-time experience.

Desirable Qualifications:

The stated desirable qualifications may be used to identify candidates advancing to the interview process and/or to identify job finalist(s) at the end of the selection process when referred for hiring.

• Experience with employee and/or labor relations in a public sector including primary responsibility for labor negotiation and grievance arbitration.
• Experience developing labor management partnerships.
• Strong oral, written and presentation skills.
• Extensive meet and confer and/or negotiation experience.
• Experience working with management staff at all levels within an organization.
• Experience advancing racial equity.
• Ability to analyze data, define problem areas, formulate recommendations, and implement solutions for complex issues or problems.
• Ability to make comprehensive and unbiased evaluations with given information.
• Experience in creating correspondence, reports, and memos.
• Ability to communicate effectively across all communication platforms both orally and in writing.
• Ability to interpret, carry out, and explain complex laws, policies and procedures.
• Ability to resolve conflicts in a professional, positive, solution focused manner.
• Ability to balance and aggregate work product to adhere to delivery deadlines.
• Experience and ability in handling confidential information.
• Experience and ability to respect and understand complex cultural and communication differences mindful of Agency workforce composition and strategies.

Verification:
Applicants may be required to submit verification of qualifying education and experience at any point during the recruitment and selection process. More information can be found at: https://sfdhr.org/information-about-hiring-process#verification.  Falsifying one’s education, training, or work experience or attempted deception on the application may result in disqualification for this and future job opportunities with the City and County of San Francisco.

All work experience, education, training, and other information substantiating how you meet the minimum qualifications must be included in your application by the filing deadline. Information submitted after the filing deadline will not be considered in determining whether you meet the minimum qualifications.

Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of a completed City and County of San Francisco application.

Selection Process:

Applications will be screened for relevant qualifying experience.  Additional screening mechanisms may be used to determine candidates' qualifications.  Only those applicants who most closely meet the needs of the Agency will be invited to move forward in the selection process.

Applicants who meet the minimum qualifications are not guaranteed to advance through all the steps in the selection process.

• Information About the Hiring Process
• Conviction History
• Employee Benefits Overview
• Equal Employment Opportunity
• Disaster Service Worker
• ADA Accommodation
• Right to Work
• Copies of Application Documents
• Diversity Statement

This recruitment may be utilized to fill similar positions in this classification at SFMTA.

Applicants will receive a confirmation email from [email protected] that their online application has been received in response to every announcement for which they file. Applicants should retain this confirmation email for their records. Failure to receive this email means that the online application was not submitted or received.

For questions or inquiries, please contact the analyst, Vivian Wu at [email protected].

All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.

The City and County of San Francisco encourages women, minorities and persons with disabilities to apply. Applicants will be considered regardless of their sex, race, age, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition (associated with cancer, a history of cancer, or genetic characteristics), HIV/AIDS status, genetic information, marital status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, military and veteran status, or other protected category under the law.

The City and County of San Francisco encourages women, minorities and persons with disabilities to apply. Applicants will be considered regardless of their sex, race, age, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition (associated with cancer, a history of cancer, or genetic characteristics), HIV/AIDS status, genetic information, marital status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, military and veteran status, or other protected category under the law.