In support of the University Ombuds, provides direct services and referrals to help prevent, identify, manage and/or resolve workplace conflict. Guides individuals to mediation, facilitation and negotiation while honoring the critical elements of an ombuds practice, which must be confidential, impartial, informal, independent non-retaliatory fair and ethical facilitation of problem-solving process. Develops and provides appropriate training programs to promote constructive communication, conflict resolution and collaborative problem solving to individuals, groups, and departmental managers and leaders.
UNM Associate Ombuds Position Summary
The Associate Ombuds, as part of Ombuds Services, is a designated neutral and skilled practitioner whose major function is to provide confidential and informal support to UNM graduate students, staff faculty, and/or administrators who visit the ombuds. This position provides a variety of informal services to assist visitors in improving collaboration, preventing and/or resolving conflicts. Ombuds listen respectfully, offer information about available resources, and emphasize collaboration and fair consideration of all sides of an issue. An ombuds is neither an advocate for any individual nor the organization, but rather is an advocate for fairness, who acts as a source of information and referral, and aids in answering individual’s questions, and assists in problem solving. Ombuds Services supplements, but does not replace, the University’s existing resources for formal conflict resolution.
Reporting
The ombuds function is independent of existing administrative structures and reports directly to the president or other senior leader in the administration. The Associate Ombuds reports to the Ombuds or Senior Associate Ombuds.
An essential element of the Associate Ombud’s role is that of facilitating the resolution or constructive management of conflict. It is important that the Associate Ombuds have a thorough understanding of what leads to conflict, the nature of conflict, and methods of resolution. The skills used to assist people to resolve their conflicts include: helping people learn how to deal with the matter directly if they wish to do so; informally bringing people together and serving as a facilitator or mediator; approaching the issue generically within the larger environment (especially when the visitor fears retaliation); influencing systems change which could obviate the individual problem.
UNM Ombuds Services is based on the assurance of confidentiality to the extent to which the law allows. Therefore, the ombuds must keep information confidential in accordance with the Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice of the International Ombudsman Association.
Accountabilities
Working with individuals: Conducting Visits and Beyond
Assist visitors in clarifying goals or issues and generating options for moving forward. Provide impartial and confidential conflict management services to members of the campus community who are aggrieved or concerned about an issue. Support the visitor’s assessment of the pros and cons of possible options. Assist visitors in obtaining relevant information regarding university resources, policies, and procedures. Remain independent, neutral and impartial, and exercise good judgment. When appropriate, facilitate conversations or meetings, or provide negotiation skills to facilitate communication. When appropriate, help visitors navigate UNM resources, such as Human Resources, the Employee Assistance Program(CARS), LGBTQ Resource Center, Veterans Resource Center, and the like.
Assist Ombuds Services to Give Policy Analysis and Feedback
Assist Ombuds Services to serve as a campus resource for officials in formulating or modifying policy and procedures, raising issues that might surface as a result of a gap between stated UNM goals and actual practice.
Assist Ombuds Services as a liaison between individuals or groups and the campus administrative structure, serving as a communicator or informal facilitator, as appropriate, and providing upward feedback.
Help the office function as a sensor within the campus community to identify problems or trends that affect the entire campus or significant parts of the community; if appropriate, recommend creative ways to address these concerns.
Help the office to provide early warning of new areas of organizational concern, upward feedback, critical analysis of systemic needs for improvement, and make systems change recommendations.
Assist Ombuds Services in Developing and Offering Workshops and Presentations
Provide Outreach and Education about Ombuds Services and collaborative problem solving to the Campus Community. Design and conduct training programs for the campus community in constructive communication, negotiation skills, dispute/conflict resolution, and related topics.
Assist in Maintaining Ombuds Services Office
Supervise office staff and volunteers, as necessary. Formulate, manage, and monitor the overall goals, direction, projects, and programs of the office. Ensure that the integrity of the office is maintained by all office staff and volunteers through independence, fair process, neutrality, impartiality, confidentiality, and treating people with dignity and respect.
Bachelor’s degree; at least 5 years of experience directly related to the duties and responsibilities specified.
Completed degree(s) from an accredited institution that are above the minimum education requirement may be substituted for experience on a year for year basis.
Only applications submitted through
the official UNMJobs site will be accepted. If you are viewing this job
advertisement on a 3rd party site, to submit an application.
To be considered a complete application, please provide the following: 1) Updated resume, 2) Cover letter, and 3) At least three (3) professional references
Positions posted with a Staff Type of Regular or Term are eligible for the Veteran Preference Program. See the for additional details.
The University of New Mexico is committed to hiring and retaining a diverse workforce. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer, making decisions without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, veteran status, disability, or any other protected class.
The University of New Mexico requires all regular staff positions successfully pass a pre-employment background check. This may include, but is not limited to, a criminal history background check, New Mexico Department of Health fingerprint screening, New Mexico Children, Youth, and Families Department fingerprint screening, verification of education credentials, and/or verification of prior employment. For more information about background checks, visit . Refer to for a definition of Regular Staff.
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