Associate Vice President Labor Relations

Hugh Chatham Health; Oak Brook (IL); On-site; USD 13,742,000 - 21,986,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits

Retirement plan

Educational assistance

Paid time off

Job summary

Advocate Health is seeking a senior Labor Relations Leader to partner with senior leaders, assess risk, and lead enterprise labor strategy with local adaptation. The role is onsite across divisions with 50% travel, requiring deep compliance and strong advisory skills.

You will mentor a team of labor relations professionals and support ethical, compliant operations. Ideal candidates have 10+ years in HR/labor relations, healthcare experience, and a proven track record in leading field-based labor

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience.
• 10+ years of experience in human resources, employee relations, or labor relations, including 5–7 years leading a field-based labor strategy team.
• Healthcare or regulated industries experience preferred.
• Strong advisory and leadership capabilities.

Responsibilities

• Trusted Advisor to Senior Leaders – partner with division and hospital presidents to assess labor relations risk.
• Execute enterprise labor strategy with local adaptation and measurable outcomes.
• Maintain onsite presence through site visits, listening sessions, and assessments.
• Lead proactive labor risk prevention and mitigation strategies.
• Conduct site assessments and develop targeted action plans with partners.
• Coordinate Labor Response Teams during escalated labor situations.
• Deliver on-site leader training and labor relations capability building.
• Advise on labor-sensitive changes ensuring ethical, compliant execution.
• Ensure alignment of division practices with enterprise policies and regulations.
• Lead and develop labor relations professionals and ensure compliance.

Skills

Labor relations

Advisory skills

Leadership

Analytical skills

Communication

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Master’s degree preferred

Job description

Department

14220 Enterprise Corporate - People & Culture Labor Relations

Status

Full time

Benefits Eligible

Yes

Hours Per Week

40

Schedule Details / Additional Information

• This job should be located preferably in Chicago, Milwaukee or Charlotte but open to other locations where Advocate operates.


• Onsite


• 50% travel

Pay Range

$99.75 - $159.60

Major Responsibilities

• Trusted Advisor to Senior Leaders – Partner with division presidents, hospital presidents, and operations leaders to assess labor relations risk and advise on the teammate impact of business initiatives and organizational change.


• Execution Accountability – Ensure consistent execution of enterprise labor strategy while enabling appropriate local adaptation; track outcomes and refine approaches.


• Onsite Presence & Engagement – Maintain a consistent, visible presence across divisions through site visits, listening sessions, and assessments to build trust, reinforce accountability, and identify early warning signs.


• Labor Risk Prevention & Mitigation – Lead proactive strategies that strengthen direct teammate–leader relationships, reduce vulnerability to organizing activity, and sustain positive teammate relations.


• Site Assessments & Action Planning – Conduct proactive labor site assessments and partner with People & Culture Business Partners and operations leaders to develop and execute targeted action plans.


• Escalation & Response Leadership – Coordinate deployment of Labor Response Teams during escalated labor situations, petitions, or campaigns.


• Leader Training & Capability Building – Deliver on-site labor leaders and positive teammate relations training to build leadership capability and labor acumen.


• Change Management Support – Advise leaders on labor-sensitive operational and organizational changes, ensuring thoughtful execution that protects trust and engagement.


• Policy & Process Alignment – Ensure division-level labor relations practices and teammate engagement initiatives are harmonized with enterprise policies and regulatory requirements.


• Lead Team – Lead and develop labor relations professionals providing coaching, performance management, talent assessments, and succession planning.


• Ethics & Compliance – Ensure all labor relations practices adhere to the organization’s Code of Ethical Conduct, federal and state laws, and internal standards.

Minimum Job Requirements - Education

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience.

Minimum Job Requirements - Certification / Registration / License

None required.

Minimum Job Requirements - Experience

10+ years of experience in human resources, employee relations, or labor relations, including 5–7 years of experience leading a field-based labor strategy team; 7–10 years of leadership experience preferred.

Minimum Job Requirements - Knowledge / Skills / Abilities

• In-depth understanding of labor relations and positive employee relations.


• Familiarity with employment law, NLRA requirements, and organizational policies.


• Knowledge of risk identification and analytics related to labor relations.


• Strong advisory skills to guide operations leaders on labor relations risk.


• Proficiency in delivering training programs for leaders.


• Excellent communication and collaboration skills to work with People & Culture, Legal, and Compliance teams.


• Analytical skills to utilize data to develop prevention and intervention plans.


• Ability to implement proactive strategies to strengthen teammate–leader relationships.


• Capability to conduct site visits, listening sessions, and assessments in the field.


• Strong leadership abilities to manage and develop a team of labor relations professionals.


• Ability to ensure adherence to ethical and compliance standards.

Physical Requirements and Working Conditions

• Willingness and ability to travel 50% of the time across divisions.

Preferred Job Requirements - Education

Master’s degree in human resources or related field preferred.

Preferred Job Requirements - Certification / Registration / License

None specified.

Preferred Job Requirements - Experience

• Proven experience leading pre/post-petition union campaigns.


• Experience in healthcare or similarly complex, regulated industries strongly preferred.


• Experience leading labor relations strategy in a large, multi-site organization.

Preferred Job Requirements - Knowledge / Skills / Abilities

• Advanced labor relations strategy expertise.

All responsibilities and requirements are subject to possible modification to reasonably accommodate individuals with disabilities.

This job description indicates the general nature and level of work expected of the incumbent. It is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities. Incumbent may be required to perform other related duties.

Our Commitment To You

Advocate Health offers a comprehensive suite of Total Rewards: benefits and well-being programs, competitive compensation, generous retirement offerings, programs that invest in your career development and so much more – so you can live fully at and away from work, including:

Compensation

• Base compensation listed within the listed pay range based on factors such as qualifications, skills, relevant experience, and/or training


• Premium pay such as shift, on call, and more based on a teammate's job


• Incentive pay for select positions


• Opportunity for annual increases based on performance

Benefits And More

• Paid Time Off programs


• Health and welfare benefits such as medical, dental, vision, life, and Short- and Long-Term Disability


• Flexible Spending Accounts for eligible health care and dependent care expenses


• Family benefits such as adoption assistance and paid parental leave


• Defined contribution retirement plans with employer match and other financial wellness programs


• Educational Assistance Program

Note: Eligibility for programs listed above may depend on your FTE or status (e.g., full-time, part-time, per diem, temporary, etc.); please ask a Recruiter for more information during an interview.

About Advocate Health

Advocate Health is the third-largest nonprofit, integrated health system in the United States, created from the combination of Advocate Aurora Health and Atrium Health. Providing care under the names Advocate Health Care in Illinois; Atrium Health in the Carolinas, Georgia and Alabama; and Aurora Health Care in Wisconsin, Advocate Health is a national leader in clinical innovation, health outcomes, consumer experience and value-based care. Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, Advocate Health services nearly 6 million patients and is engaged in hundreds of clinical trials and research studies, with Wake Forest University School of Medicine serving as the academic core of the enterprise. It is nationally recognized for its expertise in cardiology, neurosciences, oncology, pediatrics and rehabilitation, as well as organ transplants, burn treatments and specialized musculoskeletal programs. Advocate Health employs 155,000 teammates across 69 hospitals and over 1,000 care locations, and offers one of the nation’s largest graduate medical education programs with over 2,000 residents and fellows across more than 200 programs. Committed to providing equitable care for all, Advocate Health provides more than $6 billion in annual community benefits.