Labor Relations Manager

The Labor Relations Manager is responsible for the administration, interpretation, and strategic support of the organization’s collective bargaining agreements and labor relations programs across a highly complex, multi-site unionized environment. This position serves as a key labor relations leader supporting operations within aerospace, industrial engineering, aviation maintenance, logistics, manufacturing, and government services programs.

Responsibilities

Administer and interpret collective bargaining agreements across multiple business units and bargaining units; Serve as a primary point of contact for labor relations matters; Provide guidance and recommendations on contract interpretation, disciplinary actions, investigations, attendance, scheduling, overtime administration, reductions in force, and employee relations concerns; Partner with site leadership to ensure compliance with collective bargaining obligations; Conduct labor relations investigations involving grievances, disputes, workplace concerns, policy violations, and potential contract violations; Prepare grievance responses, settlement proposals, labor correspondence, management briefs, and arbitration support documentation; Support grievance resolution efforts through discussions, labor-management meetings, mediation, and settlement negotiations; Track grievance, arbitration, bargaining, and labor relations metrics; Support collective bargaining negotiations, effects bargaining, MOAs, MOUs, and successor contract transitions; Participate in bargaining preparation including proposal development and costing analysis coordination; Assist with bargaining summaries, contract comparison analyses, labor costing information, and negotiation tracking documents; Coordinate labor relations calendars and contract expiration tracking systems; Support implementation of newly ratified collective bargaining agreements; Conduct workplace investigations involving misconduct, policy violations, attendance concerns, safety violations, and employee complaints; Review disciplinary actions for contractual compliance and just cause standards; Assist in preparation for arbitration hearings, unfair labor practice matters, mediations, and administrative proceedings; Coordinate documentation and case summaries in partnership with legal counsel; Support NLRB matters and labor agency inquiries; Partner with operational leadership to identify labor risks and workforce concerns; Support workforce transition activities associated with government contract start-ups, recompetes, and successor employer obligations; Provide labor relations training and coaching to managers and supervisors; Promote collaborative labor-management relationships; Assist in development of enterprise labor relations policies and procedures; May provide guidance to Labor Relations Specialists, HR Generalists, or site-level HR personnel; May lead project teams related to labor administration or workforce transitions

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Labor Relations, Industrial Relations, Business Administration, Employment Law, or related field required; Minimum of 5–8 years of progressive labor relations experience within unionized environments; Demonstrated experience administering collective bargaining agreements and handling grievances, investigations, and labor-management relations matters; Minimum 1 year negotiation experience as chief negotiator; Experience handling 10+ CBAs; Experience within government contracting, defense, aerospace, industrial manufacturing, logistics, aviation maintenance, or similarly regulated industries; Working knowledge of federal labor and employment laws, including the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA), Service Contract Act (SCA), Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), and related employment regulations; Strong understanding of labor relations principles, collective bargaining administration, grievance handling, and labor law fundamentals; Ability to interpret complex collective bargaining agreements and apply contractual language in operational environments; Strong investigative, analytical, organizational, and conflict resolution skills; Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to draft professional labor correspondence and executive summaries; Ability to manage sensitive and confidential matters with professionalism and discretion; Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to build credibility and maintain effective working relationships with leadership, employees, union representatives, and business partners; Ability to prioritize multiple high-impact matters simultaneously in fast-paced operational environments; Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, HRIS systems, labor tracking systems, and case management tools

Nice to have

Master's degree or advanced labor relations certification preferred; Arbitration and mediation experience preferred; Experience supporting large, geographically dispersed unionized workforces; Experience within mission-critical government operations or industrial service environments; Demonstrated ability to manage high-volume labor relations activity in complex operational settings; Strong understanding of workforce transition issues associated with government contracts and successor employer obligations; Ability to effectively balance labor relations strategy, operational needs, employee engagement, and risk mitigation