Labor Relations Manager

Carrier • Indianapolis, IN

5d • $96,000 - $192,000 • Onsite

About The Position

We are seeking an experienced Labor Relations Manager to lead day-to-day labor and employee relations for our Indianapolis manufacturing facility. This is a highly visible, hands-on role requiring a strong labor relations practitioner who can effectively administer the collective bargaining agreement, manage grievances from initial filing through arbitration, coach frontline leaders, and build productive relationships with union leadership.
The successful candidate will bring significant plant-level labor relations experience in a complex manufacturing environment and will be comfortable operating independently on difficult employee and labor matters. This individual must be able to balance strong contract administration and management advocacy with sound judgment, credibility, consistency, and constructive union relationships.
While labor relations will be the primary focus of the position, we are looking for a well-rounded HR professional with broader HR generalist capabilities and the potential to take on increasing site HR leadership responsibilities over time.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree
• 5+ years of progressive Human Resources experience
• 3+ years of complex labor relations in a unionized manufacturing or industrial environment experience
• Demonstrated experience administering and interpreting collective bargaining agreements.
• Demonstrated experience managing multiple steps of the grievance process through arbitration preparation.
• Experience conducting complex employee and labor relations investigations.
• Strong working knowledge of labor and employment law, including the National Labor Relations Act and other federal and state employment requirements.

Nice To Haves

• Master's degree, MBA, or advanced degree in Human Resources, Labor Relations or Industrial Relations

Responsibilities

• Serve as the site's primary day-to-day labor relations resource and subject matter expert.
• Administer and interpret the collective bargaining agreement and provide consistent guidance to plant leaders, supervisors, and HR partners.
• Own the grievance process from initial filing through final resolution, including investigation, fact finding, contract and past-practice research, management response development, grievance meetings, settlement discussions, and preparation for arbitration.
• Lead management's response at appropriate steps of the grievance process and ensure grievances are handled thoroughly, consistently, and within contractual timelines.
• Prepare arbitration cases in partnership with HR leadership and labor counsel, including development of case strategy, exhibits, witness preparation, timelines, briefs, and supporting documentation.
• Serve as management's arbitration advocate where appropriate based on experience, or partner closely with internal/external counsel in arbitration proceedings.
• Identify grievance trends, recurring contract issues, and operational practices creating unnecessary labor risk and recommend sustainable solutions.
• Maintain accurate grievance, arbitration, discipline, and labor relations records and provide regular reporting on trends and emerging issues.
• Develop strong, professional working relationships with union representatives and leadership while effectively representing management's interests.
• Participate in labor-management meetings and other forums designed to address workplace issues and improve the overall labor-management relationship.
• Support collective bargaining preparation and negotiations, including data analysis, proposal development, costing, benchmarking, contract language research, and development of management strategy.
• Monitor and assess past practices, contract interpretations, and precedent to ensure consistency in labor decisions.
• Lead or support investigations involving employee misconduct, workplace complaints, attendance, performance, policy violations, and other complex employee relations matters.
• Partner with plant leadership on discipline and corrective action, ensuring decisions are consistent with the collective bargaining agreement, company policy, past practice, and applicable law.
• Coach frontline supervisors and managers on effective employee relations, documentation, contract administration, performance management, and conflict resolution.
• Build supervisor capability so routine labor and employee relations matters are addressed effectively and consistently at the appropriate leadership level.
• Provide practical, business-oriented guidance that balances operational needs, employee relations, contractual obligations, and risk.
• Partner with the site HR leader and plant leadership team on broader people priorities including talent management, workforce planning, employee engagement, retention, organizational effectiveness, performance management, and leadership development.
• Support HR initiatives that improve organizational capability, employee experience, productivity, and business performance.
• Develop a strong understanding of plant operations, business priorities, workforce dynamics, and talent needs.
• Use data and workforce analytics to identify trends, diagnose issues, and recommend actions.
• Lead or participate in continuous improvement efforts within HR and across the manufacturing organization.
• Demonstrate the capability and interest to assume broader HR responsibilities as business needs and individual development progress.

Benefits

• Health Care Benefits: Medical, Dental, Vision; Wellness incentives
• Retirement Benefits
• Time off and Leave: Paid vacation days, up to 15 days; paid sick days, up to 5 days; paid personal leave, up to 5 days; paid holidays, up to 13 days; birth and adoption leave; parental leave; family and medical leave; bereavement leave; jury duty leave; military leave; purchased vacation
• Disability: Short-term and long-term disability
• Life Insurance and Accidental Death and Dismemberment
• Tax-Advantaged Accounts: Health Savings Account; Health Care Spending Account; Dependent Care Spending Account
• Tuition Assistance

What This Job Offers

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