Human Resources Director, Labor Relations

Microsoft•Redmond, WA

20h

About The Position

At Xbox, we aspire to bring the joy and community of gaming to everyone on the planet. We deliver on that vision by putting players at the center, enabling you to play the games you want, with the people you want, anywhere you want. The Human Resources (HR) Director, Labor Relations, serves as the senior labor relations leader for Xbox and other divisions in the U.S., with accountability for influencing and executing labor relations strategy across unionized environments. This role work closely with critical stakeholders to develop the operating model, standards, and escalation framework for labor relations, ensuring consistent application of Microsoft’s Labor Principles while enabling business agility and innovation. Partnering closely with business leaders, Legal, and the Chief Labor Negotiator, this role influences business decisions that impact union-represented employees, anticipates labor risk, and leads complex, high-visibility labor engagement. The Director builds and leads a high-performing labor relations team, develops enterprise labor capability, and cultivates trusted, long-term relationships with union leadership grounded in transparency, respect, and accountability. As a member of the HR team, you will have the opportunity to further advance the success of a very dynamic and strategic organization. Microsoft is on a mission to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more. Our culture is centered on embracing a growth mindset, a theme of inspiring excellence, and encouraging teams and leaders to bring their best each day. In doing so, we create life-changing innovations that impact billions of lives around the world. Within HR at Microsoft, our mission is to empower the people who empower the planet. You can help us achieve our mission.

Requirements

Bachelor's Degree in Business, Labor Relations, Human Resources, Law, or related field AND 9+ years experience in in human resources operations, labor relations, mediation, collective bargaining, employee relations-related roles or related field; OR Master's Degree in Business, Labor Relations, Human Resources, Law, or related field AND 6+ years experience in human resources operations, labor relations, mediation, collective bargaining, employee relations-related roles or related field human resources operations, labor relations or related field; OR equivalent experience.
5+ years people management experience.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor's Degree in Business, Labor Relations, Human Resources, Law, or related field AND 15+ years experience in in human resources operations, labor relations, mediation, collective bargaining, employee relations-related roles or related field; OR Master's Degree in Business, Labor Relations, Human Resources, Law, or related field AND 12+ years experience in human resources operations, labor relations, mediation, collective bargaining, employee relations-related roles or related field human resources operations, labor relations or related field; OR equivalent experience.
Society for Human Resource Management Certified Professional (SHRM-CP) or Human Resource Certification Institute (HRCI) Professional in Human Resources (PHR) certification.
Experience leading labor relations strategy within a large, matrixed, global organization.
Demonstrated ability to influence executive decision-making in high-risk labor environments.
Experience leading teams through complex labor transformations or first-contract negotiations.

Responsibilities

Supports and drives the labor relations strategy for Xbox (U.S.), aligned to Microsoft’s Labor Principles and broader HR strategy.
Partners to build the labor relations operating model, including escalation paths, decision rights, and standards for engagement with union partners.
Anticipates labor relations trends, legislative shifts, and organizing risk; proactively shapes business strategy and mitigation plans.
Leads and develops a team of labor relations professionals, setting clear expectations for quality, consistency, and risk management. Oversees and coaches the team in resolving very high-complexity, high-risk labor disputes and grievances, serving as escalation point for critical cases.
Builds a Labor Relations Community of Practice, enabling knowledge sharing, early risk detection, and consistent execution across regions.
Creates a robust training program to support the education of business leaders on managing in a union environment. Drives manager and executive capability through scalable training, executive coaching, and labor readiness programs.
Serves as a liaison with HR Legal and other critical partners to set parameters for collective bargaining negotiations and arbitration strategy, assess risk and set enterprise negotiation parameters. Leverages stakeholder partners to influence policy and decision making based upon observed trends.
Ensures consistent interpretation and administration of collective bargaining agreements across the organization
Serves as a trusted advisor to senior and executive leaders, influencing decisions with significant labor, reputational, or regulatory impact. Guides leaders through high-stakes labor moments (e.g., organizing activity, strikes, major negotiations, restructures).
May serve as a subject matter expert on Labor Relations-related topics both within teams and for other teams (e.g., Human Resources [HR] Consulting, HR Business Partnership [HRBP], HR Leadership, management). Consults with colleagues and/or management as deemed appropriate.
Maintains a feedback loop with HR Legal for any business decisions that may impact union represented employees.