Manager, HR Employment and Labor Relations

Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary point of contact and lead company representative for labor relations matters involving two separate labor unions.
• Manage daily labor relations issues, including contract interpretation, grievance handling, labor investigations, disciplinary actions, and dispute resolution.
• Lead and participate in bi-weekly union-management meetings, ensuring effective communication, issue tracking, and timely resolution of concerns.
• Develop and maintain strong, respectful working relationships with union leadership to promote trust, transparency, and partnership.
• Partner to inform and align proposed strategies with Global Labor Relations Lead, Director of HR locally, and Americas Regional Lead.
• Prepare for and actively participate in collective bargaining negotiations, including proposed language changes, assist with strategy development and agreement implementation.
• Serve as second chair in collective bargaining negotiations.
• Support long-term labor relations strategies that align with site and corporate objectives.
• Ensure consistent application of collective bargaining agreements (CBAs) across the site developing areas of consistency according to CBA, MOA, etc.
• Promote a positive employee relations climate rooted in fairness, consistency, and mutual respect.
• Advise unit leadership on labor relations best practices, contract compliance, and sound employee relations decision-making.
• Aid in providing coaching and training to leaders on union relations, grievance handling, and contract administration.
• Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local labor laws, including those applicable to unionized environments.
• Partner closely with Stewardship Specialist and Operations teams to ensure labor practices align with regulatory and safety requirements inherent in a chemical manufacturing environment.
• Identify labor relations risks and proactively recommend solutions to minimize disruption and maintain operational continuity.
• Partner to inform and align proposed strategies with Global Labor Relations Lead, Director of HR locally, and Americas Regional Lead.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in human resources, Labor Relations, Business Administration, or a related field.
• 7–10+ years of progressive labor relations experience in a unionized manufacturing or industrial environment.
• Demonstrated experience in grievance handling, arbitration preparation, and collective bargaining negotiations.
• Strong working knowledge of labor laws and employment regulations (e.g., NLRA).

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in a highly regulated industry such as chemical manufacturing, energy, pharmaceuticals, or heavy industrial operations.
• Direct experience serving as the lead company spokesperson in grievances and arbitrations.
• Exposure to safety-critical or process-driven environments.