Associate Vice President Labor Relations

American Addiction Centers; South Carolina; On-site; USD 286,155,000 - 457,319,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

50% travel

Job summary

Advocate Health is seeking a senior Labor Relations leader to partner with executives, assess risk, and guide actions across divisions. The role requires substantial field leadership, onsite presence, and proactive labor strategy execution.

50% travel expected; onsite work across multiple sites with a focus on compliant, ethical practices and strong employee relations. Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s preferred with 10+ years in HR or labor relations.

Qualifications

• In-depth understanding of labor relations and employee relations.
• Familiarity with employment laws and NLRA requirements.
• Ability to analyze labor risk and advise leaders.

Responsibilities

• Partner with senior leaders to assess labor relations risk and advise on impacts.
• Execute enterprise labor strategy with local adaptation and measurable outcomes.
• Lead onsite presence, site visits and listening sessions to build trust.
• Direct labor risk prevention and mitigation with proactive teammate–leader relations.
• Conduct site assessments and develop targeted action plans with partners.
• Coordinate Labor Response Teams during escalated labor situations.
• Deliver on-site training to labor leaders and build labor acumen.
• Advise on change management affecting labor relations and compliance.
• Align division practices with enterprise policies and regulatory requirements.
• Lead and develop a team of labor relations professionals.

Skills

Labor relations

Employment law

NLRA knowledge

Advisory skills

Training delivery

Communication

Analytics

Leadership

Ethics & compliance

Education

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience

Master’s degree preferred

Job description

Department:

14220 Enterprise Corporate - People & Culture Labor Relations

Status:

Full time

Benefits Eligible:

Yes

Hou** rs 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.

Certification / Registration / License

None required.

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.

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.

Certification / Registration / License

None specified.

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.

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 CommitmenttoYou:

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, andShort- 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.