Director of Human Resources Business Partner - Labor Relations

Salute • Chicago, IL

9d • Remote

About The Position

The Director, HRBP – Labor Relations is the organization's designated technical authority on union and labor relations, serving as the expert resource that HRBPs, site leaders, and executives turn to for guidance on collective bargaining, contract interpretation, and labor strategy. Rather than owning a single client group, this role operates as an internal labor relations consultant across the global operations network — diagnosing complex contract and grievance issues, shaping enterprise-wide labor relations strategy and standards, and building the labor relations capability of HRBPs and operations leaders. This person is the escalation point for the organization's most complex, highest-risk labor matters and is expected to bring recognized, expert-level command of collective bargaining agreements (CBAs), labor law, and union relationship management.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Industrial/Labor Relations, or related field.
• 10+ years of progressive labor relations experience, with recognized depth as a subject matter expert in collective bargaining and contract administration.
• Demonstrated experience as lead negotiator across multiple CBA negotiations, including complex or contested bargaining.
• Expert-level knowledge of the NLRA, labor board practice, arbitration procedure, and multi-jurisdiction labor/employment law.
• Track record serving as an escalation resource or technical advisor to other HR professionals on labor matters, not solely as a direct site HRBP.
• Experience developing labor relations training, playbooks, or capability-building programs for HR and operations leaders.
• Experience supporting multi-site, multi-state, or global unionized operations.
• Exceptional negotiation, analytical, and communication skills, with the credibility to advise senior executives and union leadership directly.

Nice To Haves

• Master's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Labor Relations, or related field; JD a plus.
• SHRM-SCP, SPHR, GPHR, or equivalent certification; formal labor relations or arbitration training a plus.
• Experience serving in a dedicated labor relations SME, center-of-excellence, or corporate labor relations role (as distinct from a generalist HRBP role).
• Direct experience with NLRB litigation, arbitration hearings, and strike or contingency planning at scale.
• Experience supporting manufacturing, distribution, logistics, healthcare, retail, or industrial environments with union representation.
• Experience supporting international employee populations, works councils, and global labor relations programs.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the enterprise's go-to subject matter expert on collective bargaining, contract interpretation, and union relationship strategy.
• Provide expert consultation to HRBPs, site leaders, and executives on complex grievance, arbitration, and contract administration questions.
• Design and lead collective bargaining negotiation strategy, serving as lead negotiator or chief strategist for the organization's most complex or highest-stakes contracts.
• Act as the escalation point for the organization's highest-risk labor matters, including arbitration, NLRB charges, and labor board proceedings.
• Maintain expert-level, current knowledge of the NLRA and labor/employment law across domestic and international jurisdictions and translate legal and regulatory change into practical guidance.
• Author and maintain enterprise labor relations playbooks, position statements, and precedent guidance used by HRBPs and site leadership.
• Advise leadership on union organizing activity and lawful, proactive labor relations strategy across represented and non-represented sites.
• Lead strike/contingency planning methodology and serve as the organization's expert advisor during active labor disputes.
• Own labor relations metrics and reporting — grievance and arbitration trends, contract costs, settlement patterns — and translate findings into enterprise strategy.
• Coach and upskill HRBPs, generalists, and operations leaders on CBA administration, grievance handling, and labor relations fundamentals.
• Design and deliver labor relations training and certification programs for site leaders, supervisors, and HR staff.
• Partner with HRBPs as a technical advisor rather than a direct client owner — stepping in on complex or precedent-setting matters while HRBPs retain day-to-day site relationships.
• Build toolkits, templates, and decision frameworks that allow HRBPs to handle routine labor matters independently and consistently.
• Set enterprise standards for CBA administration, grievance handling, and negotiation practice across all unionized operations.
• Partner with executive leadership to align labor relations strategy with broader workforce planning, M&A, and organizational transformation activity, including successorship and CBA implications.
• Analyze workforce and labor relations data to identify enterprise-wide risk and opportunity, and recommend policy or strategy changes.
• Govern consistency of contract interpretation and precedent across sites and regions to reduce legal and financial exposure.
• Ensure enterprise-wide compliance with CBAs, labor regulations, employment law, and company policy.
• Monitor and interpret changes in labor and employment law across global jurisdictions, advising leadership on required adaptations.
• Partner with Legal and Compliance as the primary labor relations subject matter expert on arbitration, NLRB matters, and other labor-related proceedings.
• Mitigate enterprise risk through expert guidance, consistent precedent, and disciplined labor relations governance.
• Serve as the labor relations partner to HR Operations and regional HR teams.
• Provide SME support to regional HR teams navigating local labor and works council requirements.
• Promote consistent labor relations practice and knowledge-sharing across regions and business units.

Benefits

• 8 company-paid holidays
• 2 floating holidays
• PTO
• Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance
• Employee Assistance Program
• Employer-supported 401(K) with immediate 100% vesting
• 3% employer match on 401(K)
• 50% match on the next 2% of 401(K)
• HSA
• Mental health resources
• Gym discounts
• Discounted group programs (legal services, home & auto insurance, pet insurance, ID theft protection)

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director