Senior Director Labor Relations
At a glance
Director-level Employee Relations & Culture role at Dufry. Bethesda · $153,500–$198,100 base.
hrroles summary, based on the employer's posting.
What you'll do
- Shape labor plans with senior leaders to address workplace disputes and support a constructive work environment
- Set labor policies and processes, then guide negotiations, grievances, arbitration, and other dispute resolution
- Lead collective bargaining talks and manage agreement details for regional budgeting and planning
- Maintain ties with national and local unions, while setting boundaries for local engagement
- Coordinate labor agreement budgets with Finance and develop manager training with Training & Development
What you bring
- More than ten years of combined education and professional experience, including five years leading labor strategy and ten years as a lead negotiator
- At least five years working with Unite HERE
- Three to five years in hospitality, food and beverage, or retail
- Deep knowledge of the NLRA and employment rules, plus strong negotiation skills and national labor agreement experience
Who this fits
This director role suits an experienced labor relations leader who can negotiate agreements, advise senior partners, and manage union relationships. You can work remotely from the western United States or from the Bethesda, Maryland center, with travel to airport sites reaching sixty percent.
From the employer
With a career at HMSHost, you really benefit! We Offer
- Health, dental and vision insurance
- Generous paid time off (vacation, flex or sick)
- Holiday pay
- Meal and Transportation Benefits
- *401(k) retirement plan with company match
- *Company paid life insurance
- *Tuition reimbursement
- Employee assistance program
- Training and exciting career growth opportunities
- Referral program – refer a friend and earn a bonus
*Benefits may vary by position so ask your recruiter for details.
Airport Location: Corporate Human Resources
Advertised Compensation: $153,500.00 to $198,100.00
Purpose: The Senior Director of Labor Relations supports the VP of Labor Relations by developing and implementing labor strategies, managing labor relations processes, ensuring compliance with labor laws, and effectively managing union relationships.
Essential Functions:
- Collaborates with senior leadership to develop and implement labor strategies and programs that address workplace disputes and promote a supportive work environment
- Develops and applies policies and procedures, supporting the implementation of best practices for various labor relations issues
- Administers the company’s labor strategy at both company and local levels and ensures systems and processes are in place for compliance; provides guidance on dispute resolution, including negotiations, grievances, and arbitration
- Develops and executes bargaining strategies that align with business objectives, working closely with senior Operations leadership and People & Culture
- Leads Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) negotiations, as well as the details of each CBA for effective budgeting and planning for assigned region
- Builds and maintains relationships with national and local union organizations; sets parameters for local union interactions
- Coordinates with Finance for CBA-related budgeting and economic considerations
- Partners with Training & Development to create effective management strategies through training and resource development
- Stays informed about current employment trends and regulations to maintain compliance with legal requirements; ensures that policies and procedures are updated as needed
Reporting Relationship: The Senior Director of Labor Relations reports into the Vice President of Labor Relations
Major Interdependencies: Legal, Operations, Finance, Marketing and Communications, Field HR, Training & Development, Total Rewards, and Business Development
Minimum Qualifications, Knowledge, Skills, and Work Environment:
- Education and Experience: The combination of education and professional experience must exceed 10 years:
- In a leadership role: requires 5 years of experience setting Labor Relations strategy, influencing senior level partners, managing outside labor relations consultants and law firms, and maintaining union relationships
- In a technical role: requires 10 years first chair negotiating collective bargaining agreements, representing management in grievances and resolving labor relations issues
- A bachelor’s degree in a program related to the functional area can count for 3 of the ten-year requirement
- An MBA, JD, or a master’s level degree in a program related to the functional area can count for an additional 2 years of the ten-year requirement
- In the industry: 3-5 years of Hospitality, F&B and/or Retail experience
- 5 years of experience with Unite HERE
- Specialized Training:
- Training that leads to an in-depth understanding of NLRA, and state and federal employment regulations and statutes
- Training that leads to an understanding of Canadian collective bargaining
- Specialized Skillset/Competencies/Traits:
- Expert level negotiation, communication, and socialization skills
- Demonstrated ability to negotiate and implement labor agreements at a national level
- Strong business acumen with a strategic mindset for long-term labor relations decisions
- Demonstrated history of anticipating and balancing the needs of the business with the needs of complex stakeholders, the employee population and individual circumstances
- Demonstrated history of creating and maintaining positive work environments through coaching, developing, and leading teams to achieve common goals
- Demonstrated experience exhibiting a continuous improvement mindset with the ability to optimize work processes and achieve positive results
- Travel/Location:
- Location: This position can either be remote in the West Region of US or based at the F&B Center of Excellence in Bethesda, MD
- Travel: Requires up to 60% travel to airport locations
Avolta, including Dufry, HMSHost Corporation, Hudson, and affiliates (“the Company”), is an equal opportunity employer. It is the Company’s policy to ensure equal employment opportunity in all aspects of employment and to comply with anti-discrimination laws and regulations. The Company prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type and provides equal opportunities to applicants and team members without regard to actual or perceived race, color, creed, age, religion, sex or gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, related medical conditions and lactation), gender identity or gender expression (including transgender status), sexual orientation, national origin, disability, military service and veteran status, ancestry, citizenship status, marital status, protected medical condition as defined by applicable state or local law, genetic information, or any other basis protected by applicable federal, state or local laws and ordinances (referred to as “protected characteristics”).