Human Resources Director, Labor Relations

Microsoft • Redmond, WA

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About The Position

At Xbox, the Human Resources (HR) Director, Labor Relations, serves as the senior labor relations leader for Xbox and other divisions in the U.S. This role is accountable for influencing and executing labor relations strategy across unionized environments. The Director will 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 with business leaders, Legal, and the Chief Labor Negotiator, this role influences business decisions impacting union-represented employees, anticipates labor risk, and leads complex, high-visibility labor engagement. The Director is also responsible for building and leading a high-performing labor relations team, developing enterprise labor capability, and cultivating trusted, long-term relationships with union leadership grounded in transparency, respect, and accountability. As a member of the HR team, this position contributes to Microsoft's mission to empower every person and organization to achieve more, fostering a culture of growth mindset and inspiring excellence.

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.

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.
• 5+ years people management 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.

Benefits

• Certain roles may be eligible for benefits and other compensation. Find additional benefits and pay information here: https://careers.microsoft.com/us/en/us-corporate-pay

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees