Labor Relations Consultant V (Southern California Region)

Kaiser Permanente; Pasadena (CA); On-site; USD 110,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Kaiser Permanente is seeking a senior union relations professional to lead and deliverUnion relations initiatives and negotiate complex bargaining agreements. The role develops regional and national LR strategy and collaborates with HR and leadership to drive outcomes.

The position requires expertise in labor law, strong negotiation skills, and the ability to influence stakeholders across cross-functional teams in a complex healthcare organization.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources or related field.
• Minimum five years of experience in human resources or business operations with labor relations exposure.
• Experience in unionized environments and impact bargaining is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead union relations initiatives and act as chief spokesperson for designated groups.
• Negotiate, implement, and administer complex collective bargaining agreements.
• Develop and align regional labor relations strategy with business objectives.
• Provide guidance on labor relations decisions and risk mitigation to leadership.

Skills

Communication

Influencing Others

Problem Solving

Attention to Detail

Leadership (without direct reports)

Cross-Functional Collaboration

Negotiation

Strategic Thinking

Adaptability

Education

Bachelor's degree in Human Resources

Tools

HRIS/HRIS-like systems

Job description

Candidates must reside in Southern California

Job Summary:

This senior individual contributor is primarily responsible for conducting Union relations activities and initiatives and negotiating, implementing, and administering complex collective bargaining and labor agreements. This position develops and implements the Regions and National Labor Relations strategy and manages and integrates case handling and resolution of grievances.

Essential Responsibilities

• Practices self-leadership and promotes learning in others by building relationships with cross-functional stakeholders; communicating information and providing advice to drive projects forward; influencing team members within assigned unit; listening and responding to, seeking, and addressing performance feedback; adapting to competing demands and new responsibilities; providing feedback to others, including upward feedback to leadership and mentoring junior team members; creating and executing plans to capitalize on strengths and develop weaknesses; and adapting to and learning from change, difficulties, and feedback.
• Conducts or oversees business-specific projects by applying deep expertise in subject area; promoting adherence to all procedures and policies; developing work plans to meet business priorities and deadlines; determining and carrying out processes and methodologies; coordinating and delegating resources to accomplish organizational goals; partnering internally and externally to make effective business decisions; solving complex problems; escalating issues or risks as appropriate; monitoring progress and results; recognizing and capitalizing on improvement opportunities; and evaluating recommendations made by others.
• Conducts Union relations activities and initiatives by partnering with Union officials; serving as first point of contact to union representatives; presenting reports and information for sharing Union relations strategies; designing committees; developing strategies and methods for addressing joint interests; conducting negotiations as chief spokesperson for designated groups; ensuring the implementation of labor relations plans; developing and maintaining positive relationships with union leadership; assuming leadership role in joint L/M endeavors; and conducting impact bargaining resulting from the effect of business decisions on terms and conditions of employment or negotiated provisions.
• Negotiates, implements, and administers complex collective bargaining and labor agreements by ensuring alignment with Region and Business Unit objectives; preparing information for management; reviewing information on industrial labor relations programs to ensure compliance; reviewing wage and economic forecasting and trending; reviewing contractual language, wage schedules, and costing reports; analyzing and developing proposals and economic recommendations; implementing negotiated provisions; counseling management negotiating teams; compiling, researching, and preparing negotiation data (i.e., surveys, costing materials; developing bargaining strategy; conducting negotiations as chief spokesperson for designated groups; and supporting the management of labor actions (i.e., work stoppages, picketing, leafleting).
• Develops and implements the Regions and National Labor Relations strategy by accounting for federal and state laws, including the National Labor Relations Act; accounting for long-term labor implications of business decisions; ensuring alignment of Regional and National strategies; ensuring alignment of plans and initiatives with strategy; providing LR consultation regarding Human Resources/business unit implications; collaborating with senior HR and business leadership to ensure understanding of strategy and ensure alignment with overall business objectives; educating management and employees regarding strategy; and providing on-going consultation on decision-making forums (i.e., LMP Oversight Committee, Negotiation Teams).
• Manages and integrates case handing and resolution of grievances by engaging in dispute resolution as appropriate; minimizing liability; responding to escalated union/management issues; collaborating with legal counsel during arbitration/mediation; consulting with stakeholders on grievances, investigations, and disputes; evaluating issues for contractual violations; and recommending remedies to grieving parties.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities: (Core)

• Ambiguity/Uncertainty Management
• Attention to Detail
• Business Knowledge
• Communication
• Critical Thinking
• Cross-Group Collaboration
• Decision Making
• Dependability
• Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Support
• Drives Results
• Facilitation Skills
• Health Care Industry
• Influencing Others
• Integrity
• Learning Agility
• Organizational Savvy
• Problem Solving
• Short- and Long-term Learning & Recall
• Teamwork
• Topic-Specific Communication

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities: (Functional)

• Advising and Managing Partners
• Applied Data Analysis
• Business Acumen
• Business Documentation
• Business Planning
• Change Management
• Compliance Management
• Consulting
• Coordination
• Employee Training
• Employee/Labor Relations
• Employment Law
• Human Resources Audits
• Human Resources Databases
• Human Resources Policies & Regulations
• Human Resources Practices and Programs
• Information Gathering
• Internal Communications
• Investigations Management
• Labor Economics, Contract, & Law
• Managing Diverse Relationships
• Persuasion
• Preservation of Evidence
• Relationship Building
• Stakeholder Management
• Technical Documentation
• Union Partnerships
• Written Communication

Minimum Qualifications

• Minimum one (1) year experience in impact bargaining or as a chief negotiator of labor agreements.
• Minimum one (1) year experience in a leadership role with or without direct reports.
• Bachelors degree in Human Resources, Business, Social/Behavioral Science, Education, Public Administration, Liberal Arts, Law, or related field and Minimum five (5) years experience in human resources, business operations, consulting, legal, or a related field, including at least 3 years labor relations experience in a unionized environment. Additional equivalent work experience in a directly related field may be substituted for the degree requirement. Advanced degrees in the areas listed above may be substituted for years of experience.

Preferred Qualifications

• Three (3) years experience administering labor grievance and arbitration procedures, including dispute resolution.
• Three (3) years of experience writing labor agreements, contracts, or letters of understanding.