Director, Employee & Labor Relations

Minimum Education
Bachelor's Degree in Human Resources, Labor Relations, Organizational Development, Business Administration, Industrial/Organizational Psychology, or related field. (Required)
Master's Degree (Preferred) Or
Juris Doctorate (J.D.) (Preferred)

Minimum Work Experience
7 years Minimum of 7 years progressive experience leading employee and labor relations strategies in a unionized environment; including 5 years relevant supervisory/management experience. (Required)

Required Skills/Knowledge
Demonstrated leadership experience managing a team of HR/employee and labor relations professionals.
Proven track record of leading collective bargaining negotiations and labor contract administration.
Deep knowledge of NLRA, NLRB processes, relevant employment laws, HR compliance, and best practices in investigations.
Exceptional negotiation, mediation, and conflict resolution skills.
Strong analytical, strategic thinking, and problem-solving abilities.
Ability to build credibility and trust with diverse stakeholders across all organizational levels.
Ability to develop, analyze and leverage workforce data to identify trends, risks, and opportunities.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including presentation and facilitation capabilities.
Demonstrated ability to handle confidential and sensitive matters with discretion and sound judgment.
Proven proficiency with MS Office; Experience using HRIS, case management, and data analytics systems (e.g., PeopleSoft, Workday, HR Acuity, ServiceNow, PowerBI, Kronos etc.)

Required Licenses and Certifications
HR certification (SHRM-CP/SCP, S/PHR) (Preferred)

Functional Accountabilities
Employee Relations Leadership
 

• Lead and oversee the Employee and Labor Relations team, establishing priorities, managing workload, and providing coaching and professional development.

• Develop, implement, and monitor employee relations strategies that strengthen employee engagement, fairness, consistency, and legal compliance.

• Lead and direct comprehensive workplace investigations into alleged violations of policies, discrimination, harassment, retaliation, and other misconduct.

• Manage sensitive and complex employee relations cases, ensuring thorough documentation, objective fact-finding, equitable outcomes, and appropriate follow-through.

Labor Relations & Collective Bargaining
 

• Serve as negotiation lead (first chair or second chair) for union contract negotiations, working closely with the VP of HR & Employment Practices, executive leadership, internal and external labor counsel.

• Develop bargaining strategies, prepare proposals, conduct research, and represent Children's National during negotiations and labor-management sessions.

• Oversee interpretation and administration of collective bargaining agreements, ensuring integrity and compliance across departments.

• Manage grievance processing, arbitration preparation, and resolve labor disputes in partnership with counsel and business leaders.

Labor Compliance & Expertise
 

• Maintain expert knowledge and advise stakeholders on labor and employment laws and regulations including but not limited to, NLRA, FLSA, ADA, FMLA, Title VII, and related federal/state/local requirements.

• Partner with internal and external counsel on addressing legal risk mitigation, unfair labor practice charges, and NLRB-related processes.

• Provide guidance and interpretation of labor and employment laws to HR leaders, managers, and supervisors to ensure consistent application of policy and best practices.

• Develop, analyze, and deliver periodic and ad hoc reporting on key employee and labor relations metrics to the VP of HR & Employment Practices and other appropriate stakeholder audiences.

Policy, Strategy & Advisory
 

• Lead development, review, and implementation of HR policies and procedures that reflect best practices, legal compliance, and consistency across the organization.

• Advise HR centers of excellence (COE) teams, leaders, and department heads on complex employee and labor relations matters, offering solutions that reflect both legal obligations and organizational values.

• Develop and lead employee and labor relations training initiatives for both HR teams and organizational stakeholders.

• Analyze data and trends to forecast potential workplace issues and recommend proactive strategies to improve culture and mitigate risk.

Collaboration & Stakeholder Engagement
 

• Build effective working relationships with leadership, HR COEs, union representatives, internal/external legal counsel, and external agencies.

• Facilitate labor-management meetings and engagement practices that improve communication, trust, and collaborative problem-solving.

• Serve as a spokesperson for the organization on matters of employee and labor relations at internal committees and union forums.