Richard Leith

J.D.

Law

Department of Defense

Labor and Relations Department Program Director GS 13

- Commander Navy Region Southwest - San Diego, CA - Supervisor: Suzanne Adams - October 2022 - Present - As the Program Director for the Labor and Employee Relations Department, I manage a team of 6 senior level Labor and Employee Relations Specialists for the Navy's Southwest Region which includes 7 Naval Installations and approximately 2000 personnel. In my role I provide management advisory services affecting highly complex organizations throughout the region with a wide variety of position and personnel actions which are often sensitive and extremely challenging in nature - I am responsible for independently resolving difficult issues/problems requiring consideration of the total human resource management program. I utilize a comprehensive knowledge of human resource management to advise on the full range of life cycle functions and assist senior management officials in accomplishing their human resource management responsibilities. I provide the full range of technical support to management regarding employee relations and labor relations - My position involves advising managers about appropriate disciplinary or other corrective techniques responsive to a range of conduct and performance problems. This involves explaining rules and procedures to employees and management to help them understand rights and obligations while maintaining and encouraging objectivity in situations that may be charged with emotion and involve assumptions. I resolve disputes and interpret facts, events, and/or identifying aggravating or mitigating factors relevant to the case. I conduct extensive probing and analysis to identify obscure or underlying causes of misconduct or poor performance while focusing managers and supervisors on all the processes of performance management including planning, monitoring, developing, and rewarding performance as well as the rating process. I regularly review, develop, and assist in developing written policy and guidelines for use by local management in delineating their roles and responsibilities in such matters as developing individual employee appraisal plans, completing appraisal forms, reappraising employees as appropriate, and providing counseling and training as necessary. I advises senior leadership about appropriate disciplinary or other corrective techniques that are responsive to a range of conduct and performance problems