Manager, Employee and Labor Relations

About the role

About the Role: At Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, our people are at the heart of everything we do. In this role, you will lead our Employee and Labor Relations (ELR) function, helping to create a workplace where employees feel respected, supported, and empowered to do their best work. You will serve as a trusted advisor to leadership, guiding how we handle employee relations, union partnerships, and workplace concerns. Your work will directly support a fair, consistent, and legally compliant environment, which ultimately helps us deliver on our mission to improve the lives of patients and families. This is an opportunity for a thoughtful, experienced leader who enjoys solving complex challenges, building strong relationships, and developing a high-performing team.

What You’ll Do

• Lead and develop a team of employee relations professionals, setting priorities and guiding daily work
• Partner with leaders across the organization to navigate employee concerns, performance issues, and workplace conflict
• Oversee the administration of collective bargaining agreements and support positive union relationships
• Manage and advise on workplace investigations, ensuring fair and consistent outcomes
• Handle complex employee relations cases, including grievances and disciplinary actions
• Support dispute resolution efforts, including preparing for arbitration when needed
• Provide training and coaching to leaders on employee relations best practices
• Ensure compliance with employment laws and regulations to reduce organizational risk
• Drive strategies that foster a respectful, inclusive, and productive work environment

Qualifications

• Required Education and Experience: Master’s degree and the equivalent of four (4) years of full-time experience in employee and labor relations; or Bachelor’s degree and the equivalent of six (6) years of full-time experience in employee and labor relations
• Master’s or Law Degree: A Master’s degree in Industrial/Labor Relations (MILR), Human Resources Management, or a Juris Doctor (JD) specializing in employment law
• Senior HR Credentials: Industry-recognized senior certifications such as Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR), SHRM Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP), Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR), or Professional in Human Resources (PHR)
• Formal training certifications in advanced mediation, dispute resolution, or objective workplace investigation techniques
• Union Environment Mastery: Experience operating within highly complex, multi-union environments, including a proven track record of handling collective bargaining agreements (CBAs)
• Leadership and Supervision: Over 2 years of direct supervisory experience leading and developing a specialized team of employee relations professionals or HR generalists
• High-Risk Case Management: Proven history of independently directing complex workplace investigations and providing defensible disciplinary recommendations to management
• Arbitration & Grievances: Practical knowledge of steps preceding litigation, including contract interpretation, formal grievance administration, and labor arbitration preparation