Director of Human Resources Business Partner – Labor Relations

This is a fully remote position, open to applicants in Illinois.

📋 Description

• Act as the enterprise's expert in collective bargaining, contract interpretation, and strategies for union relationships.

• Provide guidance to HR business partners (HRBPs), site leaders, and executives on intricate issues related to grievances, arbitration, and contract administration.

• Develop and direct the strategy for collective bargaining negotiations in the role of lead negotiator or chief strategist.

• Oversee and manage the organization’s most significant labor-related risks, which include arbitration, NLRB charges, and proceedings before labor boards.

• Keep up-to-date with the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) and labor/employment laws across both domestic and international domains.

• Create and maintain labor relations playbooks, position statements, and guidance on precedents for the enterprise.

• Counsel leadership on activities related to union organizing and labor relations strategies.

• Spearhead methodologies for strike and contingency planning and provide advice during ongoing labor disputes.

• Manage labor relations metrics and reporting, converting insights into enterprise strategies.

• Mentor and enhance the skills of HRBPs, generalists, and operations leaders.

• Design and implement training and certification programs for labor relations.

• Collaborate with HRBPs as a technical advisor on complex or precedent-setting issues.

• Develop toolkits, templates, and decision-making frameworks for routine labor matters.

• Establish enterprise standards for contract administration, grievance resolution, and negotiation practices.

• Align labor relations strategies with workforce planning, mergers and acquisitions (M&A), and organizational transformations.

• Evaluate workforce and labor relations data to identify risks and opportunities on an enterprise-wide scale.

• Ensure uniformity in contract interpretation and precedents across various sites and regions.

• Maintain compliance with collective bargaining agreements (CBAs), labor regulations, employment laws, and company policies.

• Track changes in labor and employment laws across global jurisdictions.

• Collaborate with Legal and Compliance on arbitration, NLRB matters, and labor-related proceedings.

• Serve as a labor relations partner to HR Operations and regional HR teams.

• Provide subject-matter expertise on local labor and works council requirements.

• Foster consistent labor relations practices and knowledge-sharing across different regions and business units.

⛳️ Requirements

• A bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Industrial/Labor Relations, or a related discipline.

• Over 10 years of progressive experience in labor relations.

• Established subject-matter expertise in collective bargaining and contract administration.

• Proven experience as the lead negotiator in multiple collective bargaining agreements (CBAs), particularly in complex or contested negotiations.

• In-depth knowledge of the NLRA, labor board practices, arbitration procedures, and labor/employment laws across multiple jurisdictions.

• Experience serving as an escalation resource or technical advisor to fellow HR professionals on labor-related issues.

• Background in developing labor relations training, playbooks, or capability-building programs.

• Experience in supporting operations that are unionized across multiple sites, states, or globally.

• Outstanding negotiation, analytical, and communication skills.

• Preferred: A master's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Labor Relations, or a corresponding field; a JD is a plus.

• Preferred: SHRM-SCP, SPHR, GPHR, or equivalent certification.

• Preferred: Formal training in labor relations or arbitration.

• Preferred: Experience in a dedicated labor relations subject-matter expert role, center of excellence, or corporate labor relations position.

• Preferred: Direct involvement with NLRB litigation, arbitration hearings, and large-scale strike or contingency planning.

• Preferred: Experience in unionized environments such as manufacturing, distribution, logistics, healthcare, retail, or industrial sectors.

• Preferred: Experience working with international employee populations, works councils, and global labor relations initiatives.

🏝️ Benefits

• 8 company-paid holidays.

• 2 floating holidays.

• Paid Time Off (PTO).

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance.

• Employee Assistance Program.

• Employer-supported 401(k) with immediate 100% vesting.

• 3% employer match and a 50% match on the next 2%.

• Health Savings Account (HSA).

• Resources for mental health support.

• Discounts on gym memberships.

• Discounted legal services.

• Discounted home and auto insurance.

• Pet insurance.

• Identity theft protection.

• Discounted Group Life & Accidental Death & Dismemberment (AD&D) insurance.

• Discounted Group Short & Long-term Disability insurance.

• Parental leave.