Director, Labor Relations - Flight

American Airlines; Fort Worth (TX); On-site; USD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Travel benefits

Health benefits

Wellness programs

401(k) program

Discounts

Job summary

American Airlines is seeking a Director of Labor Relations - Flight to oversee the airline’s relationship with the Allied Pilots Association (APA) and other stakeholding groups. You will implement and maintain the collective bargaining agreement, advise executives, and lead labor strategy and dispute resolution across the organization.

You will work with senior operations leadership to align labor strategy with business goals, supervise a Labor Relations team, and drive training, compliance, and

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Relations or equivalent experience.
• 7+ years of experience in Labor Relations or equivalent leadership roles in aviation.
• Experience with collective bargaining agreements and negotiations.
• Act as a company representative in arbitration, litigation, or hearings.

Responsibilities

• Develops and maintains a constructive labor-management relationship with the APA.
• Partner with Flight Operations and other senior leaders to support objectives.
• Ensure compliance with CBAs, labor laws, and regulatory requirements.
• Lead efforts to resolve labor disputes and negotiate solutions with unions.
• Advise leaders on labor and employment matters.
• Design and deliver labor relations training programs.
• Monitor labor relations law and industry trends to inform strategy.
• Provide leadership to the Labor Relations team and ensure policy compliance.
• Oversee grievance administration and dispute resolution processes.
• Support collective bargaining initiatives and executive-level reporting.
• Drive continuous improvement in labor relations processes.

Skills

Labor relations

Negotiation

Strategic partnership

Leadership

Communication

Problem solving

Travel willingness

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Relations

Advanced degree preferred

Job description

Location:DFW Headquarters Building 8 (DFW-SV08)
Cities:Fort Worth - TX
Requisition ID:88428

Intro

Are you ready to explore a world of possibilities, both at work and during your time off? Join our American Airlines family, and you’ll travel the world, grow your expertise and become the best version of you. As you embark on a new journey, you’ll tackle challenges with flexibility and grace, learning new skills and advancing your career while having the time of your life. Feel free to enrich both your personal and work life and hop on board!

Why you’ll love this job

The Director, Labor Relations - Flight will support all aspects of the Company’s labor relationship with the Allied Pilots Association (APA) and will be responsible for the implementation, administration, interpretation, and ongoing maintenance of the collective bargaining agreement covering American Airlines pilots. This role will also provide labor relations support for other represented and non-represented team member groups, as needed, and serve as a key partner to operational leadership on contract compliance, dispute resolution, negotiations, and labor strategy.

What you’ll do

This list is intended to reflect the current job but there may be additional essential functions (and certainly non-essential job functions) that are not referenced. Management will modify the job or require other tasks be performed whenever it is deemed appropriate to do so, observing, of course, any legal obligations.

• Develops and maintains a constructive and effective labor-management relationship with the APA, fostering open communication and collaborative problem-solving.
• Establishes and maintains strong partnerships with Flight Operations and other senior business leaders to support operational objectives and labor relations strategies.
• Ensures Company compliance with collective bargaining agreement provisions, applicable labor laws, and regulatory requirements; oversees the administration, interpretation, and application of pilot labor agreements.
• Leads efforts to resolve labor disputes and complex team member relations matters, negotiating practical and sustainable solutions with union representatives and management.
• Serves as a trusted advisor to leaders across multiple corporate departments, providing timely and strategic guidance on labor and employment matters.
• Designs, develops, and delivers labor relations training and education programs to enhance management effectiveness and contract compliance.
• Monitors developments in labor relations law, collective bargaining trends, arbitration decisions, and industry practices to identify risks and opportunities and inform business strategy.
• Provides leadership, direction, and development to Labor Relations team members, ensuring high quality support and consistent application of labor relations policies and practices.
• Oversees grievance administration and dispute resolution processes, including preparation for and participation in mediations, system boards, and arbitration proceedings.
• Supports collective bargaining initiatives, contract negotiations, and strategic labor planning efforts, including the development of bargaining positions, analysis of proposals, and executive level reporting.
• Drives continuous improvement in labor relations processes and outcomes.

All you’ll need for success

Minimum Qualifications – Education & Prior Job Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in relevant studies, such as Industrial Relations, or equivalent experience/training
• 7 years of experience in Labor Relations, or operational/strategic leadership at an airline
• Previous collective bargaining agreement and negotiations experience
• Experience as a company representative or System Board member during arbitration, litigation, and/or government hearings
• Experience in early dispute resolution strategy
• Ability and willingness to travel, as necessary

Preferred Qualifications – Education & Prior Job Experience

• Advanced degree preferred, legal or labor-related degree a plus

Skills, Licenses, and Certifications

• Demonstrates the highest standards of ethics and integrity
• Ability to think strategically, negotiate skillfully, digest complex details, and use sound judgment and initiative in making decisions
• Exceptional problem solving, analytical, and critical thinking ability
• Ability to be highly collaborative, form consensus, build relationships, and work productively with a broad range of experienced professionals throughout the company
• Ability to effectively advocate and communicate on behalf of American Airlines with all levels of external officials
• Ability to build and facilitate long-term relationships at all levels, both internally and externally
• Ability to delegate effectively and handle multiple responsibilities, manage available resources, make timely decisions, and understand the impact of those decisions on others
• Ability to demonstrate time management, multi-tasking, and organizational skills
• Ability to demonstrate flexibility and work a varied schedule
• Ability and willingness to remain current with industry practices and developments
• Mentoring and relationship building skills with ability to manage group and interpersonal conflict situations
• Excellent communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills with ability to handle complex topics comfortably and to interact effectively with all levels and colleagues across internal departments, both verbally and written
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, changing, and complex environment
• Excellent organizational and project management skills

What you’ll get

Feel free to take advantage of all that American Airlines has to offer:

• Travel Perks: Ready to explore the world? You, your family and your friends can reach 365 destinations on more than 6,800 daily flights across our global network.
• Health Benefits: On day one, you’ll have access to your health, dental, prescription and vision benefits to help you stay well. And that’s just the start, we also offer virtual doctor visits, flexible spending accounts and more.
• Wellness Programs: We want you to be the best version of yourself – that’s why our wellness programs provide you with all the right tools, resources and support you need.
• 401(k) Program: Available upon hire and, depending on the workgroup, employer contributions to your 401(k) program are available after one year.
• Additional Benefits: Other great benefits include our Member Assistance Program, pet insurance and discounts on hotels, cars, cruises and more

Feel free to be yourself at American

From the team members we hire to the customers we serve, inclusion and diversity are the foundation of the dynamic workforce at American Airlines. Our 20+ Team Member Resource Groups are focused on connecting our team members to our customers, suppliers, communities and shareholders, helping team members reach their full potential and creating an inclusive work environment to meet and exceed the needs of our diverse world.

Are you ready to feel a tremendous sense of pride and satisfaction as you do your part to keep the largest airline in the world running smoothly as we care for people on life’s journey? Feel free to be yourself at American.