Sr Manager, Labor & Employee Relations

About The Opportunity

The Senior Manager, Labor & Employee Relations serves as a strategic advisor and subject matter expert on a broad range of labor and employee relations matters. This role provides leadership, direction, and hands-on expertise across collective bargaining, union relations, policy development, workplace investigations, and employee-facing programs that promote a respectful, legally compliant, and productive work environment. The Senior Manager supervises the Labor & Employee Relations Senior Coordinator / Manager and partners closely with legal counsel, business leaders, and HR Business Partners to advance organizational objectives and mitigate risk.

Key Responsibilities

• Labor Relations & Collective Bargaining:
  • Lead and co-lead collective bargaining agreement (CBA) negotiations, including preparation of management proposals, costing analyses, and strategy development.
  • Oversee CBA operationalization: train managers and HR partners on contract administration, track compliance, and resolve interpretive disputes.
  • Manage the union grievance process end-to-end, including Step hearings, mediation, and arbitration preparation; advise on response strategy.
  • Maintain constructive, professional relationships with union representatives and serve as a primary point of contact during the contract term.
• Employee Relations & Workplace Investigations:
  • Direct and personally conduct complex, sensitive, and high-risk employee relations investigations, including Title VII mandatory investigations (harassment, discrimination, retaliation), and workplace violence or threat-of-violence matters.
  • Ensure investigations are conducted in accordance with EEOC guidelines, California DFEH/CRD requirements, and organizational policy; produce clear, well-reasoned written findings and recommendations.
  • Review and resolve escalated workplace harmony complaints and interpersonal conflict matters using root cause analysis and restorative practices.
  • Partner with legal counsel on litigation-risk matters, administrative charges (DFEH, NLRB, EEOC), and response strategies.
• Policy Development & Compliance:
  • Lead HR policy audits: assess existing policies against current federal and California law (FEHA, CFRA, FMLA, NLRA, AB 5, SB 553, and others), identify gaps, and drive remediation.
  • Draft, revise, and implement HR policies and standard operating procedures; coordinate approval and communication workflows.
  • Monitor California and federal legislative developments; assess organizational impact and advise leadership proactively.
• Analytics, Reporting & Continuous Improvement:
  • Design and maintain L&ER dashboards and metrics: grievance trends, investigation cycle times, case outcomes, policy exception rates, and training compliance.
  • Conduct root cause analysis on recurring ER themes and develop proactive interventions (training, manager coaching, process changes).
  • Present findings and recommendations to HR leadership and senior stakeholders in clear, accessible formats.
• Team Leadership & Stakeholder Partnership:
  • Directly supervise the Labor & Employee Relations Senior Coordinator/Manager: set performance expectations, provide coaching and development, manage workload allocation, and conduct performance reviews.
  • Serve as a trusted advisor to HR Business Partners, department leaders, and frontline managers on ER matters and best practices.
  • Design and facilitate training programs on topics such as supervisor ER skills, union awareness, investigation protocols, and workplace respect.
  • Communicate proactively with stakeholders on case status, timelines, and outcomes; manage expectations in high-volume or high-urgency situations.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Labor Relations, Industrial/Organizational Psychology, Business Administration, or a closely related field; or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Minimum 5 years of progressive experience in labor and employee relations, with demonstrated expertise in all of the following: CBA bargaining and administration, union grievance management, Title VII mandatory workplace investigations, HR policy audits, workplace harmony/conflict resolution, and L&ER analytics.
• Working knowledge of relevant federal and California employment law, including FEHA, NLRA, Title VII, FMLA/CFRA, ADA/FEHA disability, FLSA, and applicable California Labor Code provisions.
• Experience supervising, mentoring, or formally leading at least one direct report.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills; ability to prepare clear, thorough investigation reports and present complex information to varied audiences.
• Demonstrated ability to manage high-volume caseloads, prioritize competing demands, and keep stakeholders consistently informed without prompting.
• Proactive work style with strong initiative — anticipates issues, identifies solutions, and moves work forward independently.

Preferred Qualifications

• SHRM-SCP, PHR/SPHR, or CLRP (Certified Labor Relations Professional) certification.
• Experience in a unionized environment with multiple CBAs across different bargaining units.
• Experience at an organization with California operations including PAGA exposure.
• Proficiency with HRIS systems (Workday, SAP, etc.) and ER case management tools.

Pay & Schedule

• Salary range: $135,000 - $145,000
• Schedule: Full-Time, 40 hours per week, hybrid (three days/week on site)