Senior HR Manager - Union/Construction

Why Black and Veatch

Black & Veatch allows you to lend your talent and perspective to humanity’s biggest challenges in a flexible environment where you are empowered to grow and explore new possibilities. We offer competitive compensation; 401K match and benefits that start day one.  

At Black & Veatch, you own your career with purpose and meaning. You are empowered to grow and explore new possibilities at every step of your career journey. Bring your big ideas knowing you are safe to be who you are and speak up with concerns or questions and put your diverse talents and perspectives to use.

The Opportunity

The Senior HR Manager - Union/Construction is responsible for the development and execution of human resource (HR) plans to support leadership in the achievement of Black & Veatch union construction (BVCI) business objectives. This position is a member of the Black & Veatch Construction Leadership Team and will lead all HR related activities in the BVCI business including the development and execution of talent strategies.  Incumbent will partner with the COE's as needed for the implementation of HR programs. 

This role is located onsite in Kansas City. Total travel requirements up to 30%, with the ability to travel to sites for up to 10 business days at a time, if needed. Must be willing and able to fly when drive time exceeds six hours.

In this role, you will:

• Serve as a trusted strategic advisor to BVCI President and leadership team, aligning HR strategies with construction business objectives, labor availability, project risk, safety, quality, schedule and cost performance
• Lead, develop, and manage a team of HR Generalists and Specialists supporting the BVCI Union Construction business
• Work with the BV Construction HR Director to translate business strategy and project pipeline into forward‑looking workforce and labor strategies, including risk mitigation for labor shortages, skill gaps, and compliance exposure
• Leads and oversees staff and craft HR support activities delivered by the HR team, including recruitment, onboarding, employee relations, performance management, and compliance
• Ensures HR Generalists and Specialists are effectively aligned to project and business priorities
• Provide data‑driven insights and recommendations to leadership using workforce metrics, labor trends, and project forecasts. Acts as coach to leaders to foster high-performing teams and positive morale across the business.
• Coach, mentor, and develop HR Generalists and Specialists, building capability in union construction HR, labor relations, and strategic business partnership

The Team

BVCI , a proud part of the BV family of companies, offers Union shop construction services for on-time, on-budget project delivery. Our professionals deliver solid, dependable solutions for industrial construction projects of all sizes, enabling us to provide leading construction services for our clients. Together, we have an integrated approach to project execution with an emphasis on safety, quality, schedule, and cost . We work with our clients on EPC as well as construction-only projects. We self-perform projects by executing direct hire labor as well as utilizing subcontractor elements. We continue to expand our services offered and build our project backlog. Now is the time to work at BVCI!

Key Responsibilities

• Partner with the BVCI Labor Relations Director on union labor relations activities, including interpretation and administration of collective bargaining agreements (CBAs)
• Partner with legal, operations, and project leadership on grievances, disputes, investigations, and arbitration preparation, as applicable
• Build and maintain productive working relationships with union leadership, business agents, and trade representatives
• Ensure consistent application of labor agreements across projects while balancing operational needs, cost, and compliance
• Proactively Identify and assess improvement opportunities which will add value. Champion continuous improvement efforts
• Lead HR change initiatives supporting business growth, new project types, geographic expansion, and evolving labor strategies
• Proactively assess organizational readiness and workforce impacts of change across projects and regions. Ensure fair, consistent and compliant resolution of workplace issues for staff and craft professionals
• Coach leaders on managing performance, conduct, and conflict in a unionized, safety‑critical environment
• Advise management and professionals on the interpretation of personnel policies, programs and procedures. Seeks to ensure compliance and understanding of HR policies
• Analyze and provide advice to management on methods and approaches to resolve employee work problems
• Administer (AAP) process and Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) technical compliance. Evaluates statistical reports. Produces annual plans. Prepares compliance reports. Coordinates applicant processing with Human Resource Information System (HRIS) and Staffing to ensure appropriate applicant tracking.
• Assure HR programs are carried out in accordance with company’s policies and procedures., and are aligned with federal contracting requirements, union agreements, and construction specific regulations.
• Act as liaison between BVCI Construction and corporate functional areas. Partners with HR and Talent  Acquisition specialists on HR processes such merit, bonus, goal setting, performance evaluation, supervisory training, succession planning, and performance improvement/discipline.
• Lead project‑based workforce planning, including craft and staff mobilization/demobilization, peak labor planning, and alignment to project schedules
• Partner with construction leadership to support rapid project ramp‑up and close‑out, ensuring workforce transitions are managed effectively and compliantly
• Support field leadership with HR guidance tailored to remote, site‑based, and high‑risk construction environments

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required.
• 8+ years progressive HR experience in one or more functional areas.
• All applicants must be able to complete pre-employment onboarding requirements (if selected) which may include any/all of the following: criminal/civil background check, drug screen, and motor vehicle records search, in compliance with any applicable laws and regulations.

Preferred Qualifications

• Demonstrated experience supporting unionized construction or industrial environments, including hands‑on administration of CBAs.
• Experience managing HR in project‑based, field‑oriented organizations with fluctuating workforce demands.
• Knowledge of craft labor models, hiring halls, prevailing wage, and project labor agreements (PLAs), where applicable. HR Certification
• Proven ability to operate as a strategic HR partner to senior construction and operations leaders.
• Demonstrated experience leading, developing, and managing HR professionals in a complex, fast‑paced environment.
• Proven ability to deliver results through others, including setting direction, delegating effectively, and holding teams accountable. 
• Experience influencing leaders in high‑pressure, deadline‑driven environments. Union Direct Hire Construction HR experience
• Strong understanding of OFCCP, AAPs, EEO, and federal contractor requirements within a construction context.
• Experience balancing compliance with operational realities in the field. Broad basic knowledge of all functional areas in HR.
• Demonstrated success leading HR through organizational change, growth, or transformation in a construction or industrial setting.
• Ability to coach leaders with varying levels of people‑management experience, including first‑time field supervisors. Strong understanding of HR programs, policies and procedures.
• Working financial acumen to understand project economics, labor cost drivers, productivity impacts, and margin sensitivity.
• Working knowledge of HRIS and workforce data tools to support construction workforce planning, compliance tracking, and reporting. Global perspective of common business practices and impact on business.
• Experience supporting self‑perform construction organizations and/or large EPC or construction‑only project environments
• Experience partnering with legal counsel on labor and employment matters

Work Environment/Physical Demands

Hybrid or flexible work options may be offered after the first 90 days of employment based upon manager discretion, job performance and work assignments.