Director - Labor Relations

About the role

The Labor Relations Director reports to the Vice President of Labor Relations and is a regional position with responsibility for all labor relations matters as assigned within the United States and Canada. The role is based out of Penske's corporate offices in Reading, PA, with regular travel exceeding 50% of the time. The qualified candidate may reside anywhere in the continental U.S.

Responsibilities

• Serve as primary spokesperson for collective bargaining, strategically planning, preparing, and conducting negotiations on behalf of Penske Logistics and Penske Truck Leasing.
• Act as 1st Chair counsel in arbitration, charged with planning, preparing, and advocating on behalf of Penske Logistics and Penske Truck Leasing.
• Develop and maintain effective relations with counterparts in organized labor.
• Provide timely advice and counsel to corporate and field operations stakeholders on labor agreement administration and all areas of labor law.
• Conduct discipline and discharge reviews and provide guidance for effective grievance handling.
• Perform liability assessments and recommendations to mitigate risk related to multi-employer pension and/or health care plans.
• Develop and conduct training for labor agreement administration and labor relations orientation.
• Conduct due diligence and provide labor relations advice on acquisitions and/or new business ventures involving union-represented operations.
• Manage the preparation and presentation of charges related to the National Labor Relations Act, potentially in conjunction with internal staff and/or outside counsel.
• Effectively prioritize work to provide cross-functional support for the Labor Relations Strategic Initiatives team and other projects as assigned by the VP of Labor.

Qualifications

• 5 years of experience in labor relations, successfully leading the negotiation and administration of multiple labor agreements, conducting arbitrations, and handling NLRB-related matters.
• Experience conducting labor relations due diligence in acquisitions and mergers of union-represented operations.
• Bachelor’s degree required; Juris Doctorate and bar admission preferred.
• Labor law firm experience preferred.
• Strong leadership, collaboration, and communication skills.
• Strong presentation, training, and coaching skills.
• Ability and desire to work both tactically and strategically.
• Willingness and ability to travel more than 50% of the time and meet required schedules and locations.

Physical Requirements

The associate will be required to read; communicate verbally and/or in written form; remember and analyze certain information; and remember and understand certain instructions or guidelines. While performing the duties of this job, the associate may be required to stand, walk, and sit. The associate is frequently required to use hands to touch, handle, and feel, and to reach with hands and arms. The associate must be able to occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 lbs/12 kg. Specific vision abilities required include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.