Labor Relations Partner - Senior

ONEOK•Tulsa, OK

1d•$116,000 - $174,000•Onsite

About The Position

This role is responsible for leading and supporting labor relations strategy, including contract administration and collective bargaining activities, while serving as a key liaison across the business, HR, legal, and external counsel. The ideal candidate brings deep expertise in union environments and a proven ability to navigate complex labor matters with sound judgment and a solutions-oriented approach. This individual will play a critical role in fostering productive relationships between labor and management, ensuring compliance with collective bargaining agreements and applicable laws, and advising leaders on risk mitigation and labor strategy. In addition, the Senior Labor Relations Partner will support the Employee Relations function by leading high-priority workplace investigations and organizational climate assessments, contributing to a fair, consistent, and positive employee experience.

Requirements

Bachelor's Degree in human resources, labor relations, business administration or related field, or an equivalent combination of formal education and the following job-related experience
7 - 10 years of relevant experience in labor relations, employee relations, or related HR functions required.
Experience should include work in a unionized environment, with exposure to collective bargaining, contract administration, and grievance processes.
Demonstrated ability to navigate complex labor matters, partner effectively with business and legal stakeholders, and support or lead labor strategy initiatives is preferred.
Experience conducting workplace investigations or supporting employee relations matters is also preferred.
Deep knowledge of collective bargaining agreements, contract interpretation, grievance procedures, and arbitration processes within a unionized environment.
Applies sound judgment and experience to manage sensitive labor issues, balancing business objectives with contractual and legal obligations.
Effectively partners with Labor (GWC), Legal, HR Business Partners, leadership, and external counsel to align on strategy and execution.
Provides credible, strategic counsel to leaders at all levels on labor relations risks, contract interpretation, and employee engagement in a union environment.
Establishes trust with union representatives, frontline employees, and leadership, fostering productive labor-management relationships.
Demonstrates experience preparing for and supporting negotiations, including data analysis, proposal development, and coordination of stakeholders.
Leads end-to-end grievance handling with strong investigative, documentation, and resolution capabilities; partners effectively with legal on arbitration strategy.
Identifies labor-related risks proactively and develops practical, compliant solutions to minimize exposure and drive consistency.
Conducts complex workplace investigations with neutrality, ensuring findings are based on facts, evidence, past practice, and contract provisions.
Translates complex CBA language into clear guidance for leaders and HR, ensuring consistent application across the organization.
Uses data (grievances, arbitrations, workforce trends) to identify patterns, inform strategy, and support decision-making.
Communicates clearly and effectively in both written and verbal formats, including drafting grievance responses, summaries, and executive-level briefings.
Confidently challenges assumptions or decisions that may create risk or inconsistency, offering constructive, solutions-oriented perspectives.
Remains effective in dynamic labor environments, managing multiple priorities such as active grievances, investigations, and bargaining preparation.

Nice To Haves

Master's Degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field
Certification in HR or employee relations (e.g., PHR, SHRM-CP) preferred

Responsibilities

Lead the administration and ongoing interpretation of collective bargaining agreements, ensuring consistent application and compliance with contractual obligations across the business.
Support and participate in collective bargaining activities, including preparation, strategy development, proposal evaluation, and coordination with internal stakeholders and external counsel.
Manage the grievance and arbitration process end-to-end, including intake, investigation, documentation, resolution, and partnership with legal counsel on arbitration proceedings.
Conduct proactive labor relations risk assessments, identifying potential issues and advising leaders on mitigation strategies to reduce organizational risk and maintain positive labor-management relations.
Serve as a key liaison between labor representatives, leadership, HR, Legal, and external partners, ensuring alignment and effective communication across all stakeholders.
Oversee and support contract administration activities related to represented employees, including payroll-related coordination, seniority list management, and adherence to contract provisions tied to workforce processes.
Partner with HR Business Partners and business leaders to provide strategic labor relations guidance, including contract interpretation, workforce planning considerations, and employee communications.
Lead complex workplace investigations involving represented and non-represented employees, ensuring fair, thorough, and timely resolution in alignment with company policies and legal requirements.
Conduct organizational climate assessments and support action planning efforts to address workplace concerns, improve engagement, and strengthen labor-management relationships.
Recommend and support the administration of corrective action, up to and including termination, ensuring alignment with company policies, past practice, and collective bargaining agreement provisions.