Occupation · SOC 23-1022
Arbitrators, Mediators, and Conciliators
Facilitate negotiation and conflict resolution through dialogue. Resolve conflicts outside of the court system by mutual consent of parties involved.
Median wage
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Projected growth
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Annual openings
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per year
Employed (US)
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Job Zone 5
Typical preparation
Extensive preparation
Stackable credential programs
125 mapped
Core skills
NegotiationActive ListeningWritingSpeakingReading ComprehensionCritical ThinkingActive LearningSocial PerceptivenessPersuasionComplex Problem SolvingJudgment and Decision MakingCoordinationService OrientationTime ManagementMonitoringLearning StrategiesInstructingSystems AnalysisSystems EvaluationMathematicsManagement of Personnel ResourcesProgrammingOperations AnalysisOperations MonitoringManagement of Financial ResourcesTechnology DesignScienceManagement of Material ResourcesOperation and ControlTroubleshootingRepairingQuality Control AnalysisInstallationEquipment SelectionEquipment Maintenance
Knowledge areas
Law and GovernmentEnglish LanguagePersonnel and Human ResourcesAdministration and ManagementEducation and TrainingEconomics and AccountingComputers and ElectronicsPublic Safety and SecurityPsychologyMathematicsCustomer and Personal ServiceProduction and ProcessingAdministrativeTransportationCommunications and MediaSociology and AnthropologyTelecommunicationsSales and MarketingMedicine and DentistryHistory and ArcheologyTherapy and CounselingMechanicalGeographyPhilosophy and TheologyBuilding and ConstructionEngineering and TechnologyPhysicsChemistryFood ProductionForeign LanguageBiologyDesignFine Arts
Technology & tools
Enterprise resource planning ERP softwareMicrosoft AccessMicrosoft ExcelMicrosoft Office softwareMicrosoft OutlookMicrosoft PowerPointMicrosoft SharePointMicrosoft WordOracle PeopleSoftSAP softwareSalesforce softwareScheduling softwareWeb browser softwareWord processing software
Representative tasks
Getting InformationResolving Conflicts and Negotiating with OthersMaking Decisions and Solving ProblemsAnalyzing Data or InformationEvaluating Information to Determine Compliance with StandardsUpdating and Using Relevant KnowledgeJudging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or PeopleInterpreting the Meaning of Information for OthersProcessing InformationIdentifying Objects, Actions, and EventsThinking CreativelyEstablishing and Maintaining Interpersonal RelationshipsWorking with ComputersOrganizing, Planning, and Prioritizing WorkDocumenting/Recording InformationScheduling Work and ActivitiesPerforming Administrative ActivitiesMonitoring Processes, Materials, or SurroundingsCommunicating with People Outside the OrganizationCommunicating with Supervisors, Peers, or SubordinatesSelling or Influencing OthersTraining and Teaching OthersEstimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or InformationProviding Consultation and Advice to OthersDeveloping Objectives and StrategiesPerforming for or Working Directly with the PublicCoaching and Developing OthersInspecting Equipment, Structures, or MaterialsDeveloping and Building TeamsCoordinating the Work and Activities of OthersAssisting and Caring for OthersMonitoring and Controlling ResourcesGuiding, Directing, and Motivating SubordinatesOperating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or EquipmentHandling and Moving ObjectsRepairing and Maintaining Mechanical EquipmentDrafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and EquipmentStaffing Organizational UnitsControlling Machines and ProcessesRepairing and Maintaining Electronic Equipment
Competency framework
Skill expectations by proficiency level.
emerging
Procedural protocols for arbitration hearings — follow and apply under senior mediator supervision during initial client intake sessions.Written case summaries and preliminary opinions — draft with guidance using word processing software in a structured dispute resolution office.Relevant statutes, regulations, and administrative precedents — identify and review to support senior arbitrators reaching legal conclusions.Initial meetings with disputants — assist in conducting to outline arbitration procedures, fee structures, and scheduling requirements under direct oversight.Active listening techniques — demonstrate during supervised mediation sessions to capture each party's stated needs and underlying concerns.Document management software and office suite tools — use to organize case files, correspondence, and evidentiary records in a law or ADR firm setting.Basic negotiation principles — apply under supervision to help clarify contested issues between parties in low-complexity commercial disputes.Admissibility standards for evidence — recognize and flag potential issues for review by a supervising arbitrator during formal hearings.Calendar and scheduling software — operate to coordinate hearing dates, witness appearances, and procedural deadlines across active caseloads.Empathy and social perceptiveness — exercise when engaging with emotionally charged disputants to maintain a respectful and neutral hearing environment.
developing
Written decisions and formal opinions — compose independently for routine arbitration cases, citing applicable laws and precedents with minimal editorial review.Applicable laws, regulations, and judicial precedents — analyze and apply with reduced oversight to determine liability in standard employment or commercial disputes.Structured hearings to gather evidence — conduct autonomously, managing witness order, time allocation, and procedural fairness in a regional ADR center.Mediation techniques such as reframing and interest-based questioning — employ routinely to shift parties from positional bargaining toward mutual understanding.Procedural motions, exceptions, and objections — rule on during live hearings, applying established evidentiary standards in familiar dispute categories.Database and CRM software — query and maintain to track case histories, party contacts, and precedent research across a recurring caseload.Complex problem-solving frameworks — apply to identify root causes of multi-party disputes and develop workable settlement structures in familiar industry contexts.Initial disputant meetings — facilitate independently, covering process expectations, confidentiality obligations, and logistical details for upcoming arbitration proceedings.Persuasion and speaking skills — deploy during caucus sessions to help each party realistically assess risks and consider compromise positions.Spreadsheet and ERP software — utilize to track case metrics, billing data, and administrative outcomes for ongoing reporting to a practice supervisor.
proficient
Comprehensive written opinions and arbitral awards — produce autonomously across the full range of case complexity, ensuring legally defensible reasoning and clear factual findings.Multi-layered legal analysis integrating statutes, regulations, and precedent — perform independently to reach nuanced liability determinations in high-stakes commercial, labor, or family disputes.Formal evidentiary hearings involving expert witnesses and voluminous records — conduct and manage end-to-end, exercising sound judgment on admissibility and relevance.Non-routine mediation impasses — navigate using advanced facilitation strategies, including reality-testing and single-text negotiation, to guide parties toward durable agreements.Contested procedural and substantive motions — adjudicate with full authority, articulating well-reasoned rulings that withstand appellate or judicial review.Underlying interests and power imbalances between disputants — diagnose and address through targeted conferencing techniques in complex multi-party or cross-cultural settings.Integrated use of document management, ERP, and presentation software — orchestrate to prepare and present comprehensive case analyses to tribunals, courts, or senior stakeholders.Critical thinking and inductive reasoning — apply systematically to evaluate conflicting evidence, assess witness credibility, and construct defensible factual narratives.Settlement terms and consent awards — negotiate and draft with precision, ensuring enforceability and alignment with governing law across diverse regulatory environments.Mentorship of junior mediators and arbitrators — provide through case co-facilitation, written feedback on draft decisions, and structured debriefs in an ADR practice setting.
advanced
Organizational standards and best-practice frameworks for arbitration and mediation — develop and institutionalize across a national or international ADR organization or tribunal.Jurisprudential direction for a dispute resolution body — establish by authoring landmark decisions and policy statements that shape how laws and precedents are interpreted sector-wide.Strategic caseload management systems — design using ERP and data analytics tools to optimize hearing efficiency, reduce backlog, and improve outcome quality at the institutional level.Senior arbitrator and mediator talent pipelines — build by designing competency-based credentialing programs, mentorship structures, and continuing education curricula.Cross-jurisdictional and multi-party disputes of exceptional complexity — lead as chief arbitrator or lead mediator, setting procedural architecture and ensuring due process at every stage.Relationships with judicial bodies, regulatory agencies, and industry associations — cultivate strategically to advance the legitimacy and adoption of alternative dispute resolution mechanisms.Ethical standards and codes of conduct for the ADR profession — author and champion, responding to emerging integrity challenges and conflicts of interest at a governance level.Evidence-based process innovation — drive by commissioning research into dispute outcomes, mediator effectiveness, and settlement durability, then embedding findings into institutional practice.High-profile public interest mediations and arbitrations — lead in politically sensitive or socially significant contexts, balancing stakeholder pressures while maintaining procedural neutrality.Strategic vision for expanding ADR access and equity — articulate and execute at the executive or board level, influencing legislation, funding, and public policy to broaden dispute resolution services.
Also known as
26 alternate job titles map to this occupation.
AdjudicatorAlternative Dispute Resolution Coordinator (ADR Coordinator)Alternative Dispute Resolution Mediator (ADR Mediator)ArbiterArbitration ManagerArbitration SpecialistArbitratorCommunity Relations Representative (Community Relations Rep)ConciliatorContracts NegotiatorDebt Settlement NegotiatorDispute CoordinatorDivorce MediatorEnvironmental Conflict ManagerFamily MediatorFederal MediatorLabor ArbitratorLabor MediatorLegal MediatorLong Term Care OmbudsmanMediation CommissionerMediatorOmbudsmanPeacebuilding and Conflict Resolution Program OfficerPublic Employment MediatorResolution Coordinator