Sr Director Labor Relations (Bethesda)

About Us

HMSHost, a subsidiary of Avolta , is a leader in creating dining for travel venues. With our unmatched portfolio , we operate over 1,000 locations in nearly 80 airports across North America, including proprietary concepts, local, regional, and national brands, and partnerships with award-winning chefs. For decades, HMSHost has curated food and beverage programs that make a traveler’s journey as exciting as the destination.

About the Role:

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 Skillsets/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 North America Support Center in Bethesda, MD

Travel: Requires up to 60% travel to airport locations

Disclaimer:

All job requirements are subject to change to reflect the evolving position requirements or to reasonably accommodate individuals with disabilities. Some requirements may exclude individuals who pose a threat or risk to the health and safety of themselves or other employees. This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to which will be required in this position. Employees will be required to follow other job-related duties as requested by their supervisor/manager (within guidelines and compliance with Federal and State Laws). Continued employment remains on an at-will basis.

Dufry, Hudson, and HMSHost are equal opportunity employers and do not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service, or other non-merit factors.