Director, HR & Labor Relations

The Nuclear Company•Washington, DC

21h•$178,000 - $204,000

About The Position

The Human Resources Leader will serve as the strategic HR partner to the General Manager for a newly established union organization. This individual will be responsible for building and leading all HR functions, with a primary focus on labor relations, collective bargaining, and union management partnership development. The role is critical in shaping the company’s culture, ensuring compliance with labor laws, and establishing collaborative and productive relationships with union leadership‑management partnership development. The ideal candidate has extensive experience operating in heavily unionized environments, including negotiating contracts, administering collective bargaining agreements, handling grievances, and coaching leaders on union related matters‑related matters.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Labor Relations, Business Administration, or related field.
10+ years of progressive HR experience, including significant responsibility for labor relations in a unionized environment.
Direct experience leading or co‑leading collective bargaining negotiations.
Strong knowledge of labor law, grievance procedures, arbitration processes, and union contracts.
Demonstrated ability to partner with operational leaders, particularly at the plant, facility, or field level.
Experience building or stabilizing HR functions during periods of organizational change.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree in Labor Relations, HR, or related field.
Experience in start‑up or newly unionized environments.
Certifications (SHRM‑CP/SCP, SPHR, or CLRP).
Experience partnering directly with a General Manager or senior operations leader

Responsibilities

Labor Relations & Union Negotiations
Lead all labor relations strategies and serve as the primary liaison between management and union representatives.
Prepare for, lead, and support collective bargaining negotiations, including contract strategy development, proposals, costing, communications, and execution.
Interpret and administer the collective bargaining agreement (CBA) and provide guidance to the General Manager and leadership team.
Manage all grievance and arbitration processes, including investigations, documentation, and representation during hearings.
Ensure consistent application of the CBA across the organization.
Build effective, trust-based relationships with union leadership to support productive, collaborative operations.
HR Leadership & Organizational Development
Establish foundational HR policies, processes, and structure for a newly formed unionized company.
Partner with the GM and senior leaders to align people strategies with business objectives.
Advise leaders on disciplinary matters, performance management, coaching, and conflict resolution.
Drive workforce planning, staffing, onboarding, and development programs.
Create and implement employee communication strategies that support transparency and engagement.
Compliance & Risk Management
Ensure full compliance with federal and state labor laws, including NLRB rules, FLSA, OSHA, and any industry specific requirements‑specific requirements.
Conduct investigations into workplace issues ensuring compliance and risk mitigation.
Maintain accurate documentation related to employee relations, grievances, and labor activities.
Culture & Employee Engagement
Support the leadership team in establishing a fair, consistent, safety focused, high-performance culture‑focused, high‑performance culture.
Proactively identify employee morale trends and recommend actions to improve workplace climate.
Lead initiatives that promote positive union management relations and employee trust‑management relations and employee trust.