Executive Director, Labor Relations & Employee Services

Providence Public Schools; Providence (RI); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Providence Public Schools is seeking an Executive Director of Labor Relations and Employee Services to lead labor relations, employee relations, and employee services across the district. The role advises senior leadership on collective bargaining, policy interpretation, and employment practices with emphasis on compliance and accountability.

The ideal candidate has strong HR leadership, conflict-resolution, and business acumen, and can navigate complex employee matters in a large, diverse

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master degree in Labor Relations, HR, Business Admin, Public Admin, Education, Organizational Psychology, or related field.
• Juris Doctorate degree preferred.
• 7+ years of experience in HR, labor relations, or related field.
• Public-sector, governmental, or K-12 education experience.
• Experience leading labor relations, collective bargaining, and employee relations.
• Experience managing collective bargaining relationships and multiple bargaining units.
• Experience advising senior leaders on complex employee and labor relations matters.
• Experience leading HR staff and HR transformation initiatives.
• Professional HR certification such as SHRM-SCP or SPHR.
• Experience using HR analytics and workforce data to inform decisions.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership for labor relations, employee relations, and employee services.
• Advise executive leadership on collective bargaining, employment practices, and policy interpretation.
• Develop and maintain labor-management relationships and ensure compliant employment practices.
• Lead bargaining strategy, contract administration, and grievance management.
• Oversee employee lifecycle services and scalable process improvements.

Skills

Labor relations

Employee relations

Conflict resolution

Management skills

HR analytics

Public-sector experience

Education

Bachelor's degree

Master's degree

Juris Doctorate

Job description

Summary

Reporting to the Chief Talent Officer, the Executive Director of Labor Relations and Employee Services provides strategic leadership and oversight for the District's labor relations, employee relations, and employee services functions. This position serves as a key advisor to executive leadership, campus and department administrators, and employees on matters involving collective bargaining, employee relations, employment practices, workplace policies, investigations, performance management, and compliance with applicable federal, state, and local laws.
The Executive Director is responsible for developing and maintaining effective labor-management relationships while ensuring consistent, equitable, and legally compliant employment practices across the District. The position leads the District's labor relations strategy, including collective bargaining, contract administration, grievance management, and interpretation of collective bargaining agreements and District policies.
In addition, the Executive Director oversees employee service functions designed to provide responsive, high-quality support throughout the employee lifecycle. This leader establishes service standards, develops scalable processes, identifies opportunities for continuous improvement, and promotes a culture of accountability, trust, respect, and exceptional employee service.
The ideal candidate is a highly credible HR leader who combines strong labor relations expertise with sound judgment, business acumen, conflict-resolution skills, management skills, and the ability to navigate complex and sensitive employee matters in a large, diverse educational environment.

Minimum Qualifications Standards

• Bachelor's or Master degree from an accredited college or university in Labor Relations, Human Resources, Business Administration, Public Administration, Education, Organizational Psychology, or a related field.
• Juris Doctorate degree, preferred.
• Seven (7) or more years of progressively responsible experience in human resources, labor relations, employee relations, or a related field.
• Experience working in a public-sector, governmental, or K-12 education environment.
• Experience with public-sector labor laws and regulations.
• Demonstrated experience leading labor relations, collective bargaining, employee relations, and comparable employment functions.
• Experience managing collective bargaining relationships and multiple bargaining units.
• Experience advising senior leaders and managers on complex employee and labor relations matters.
• Experience leading or managing professional HR staff.
• Experience leading HR transformation, employee experience, or shared-services initiatives.
• Professional HR certification such as SHRM-SCP, SPHR or comparable certification.
• Experience using HR analytics and workforce data to inform organizational decisions.

Full job description and list of duties/responsibilities at: https://providenceschools.schoolspring.com?jobid=5905553