Manager of Labor Relations

hartexternaljobs; Tampa (FL); On-site; USD 88,000 - 93,000; Full time

Job summary

Hillsborough Transit Authority (HART) in Tampa, FL seeks an accomplished Manager of Labor Relations. This leadership role partners with executives, legal counsel, and union reps to shape workforce strategy for a major transit agency serving 1.4 million residents.

Reporting to the Director of Legal Services, the Manager provides strategic guidance on labor relations, collective bargaining, employee relations, and workplace investigations, fostering collaboration across HR and compliance teams.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Human Resources Management, Business Administration, Public Administration, or related field.
• Experience leading labor relations for a public-sector or transportation organization.
• Strong knowledge of Florida public-sector collective bargaining laws and unfair labor practice proceedings.
• Demonstrated experience interpreting and administering collective bargaining agreements.
• Experience conducting complex workplace investigations and resolving employee relations matters.
• Ability to build credibility with executive leadership, union officials, managers, employees, and governing boards.
• Strategic mindset balancing organizational objectives, legal compliance, and positive employee relations.

Responsibilities

• Lead labor relations activities for HART's unionized workforce, including collective bargaining support, contract administration, grievance resolution, and interpretation of collective bargaining agreements.
• Advise executives, managers, and supervisors on labor and employee relations matters while balancing operational needs with contractual obligations.
• Conduct complex workplace investigations involving employee relations, EEO, policy compliance, and workplace misconduct.
• Prepare detailed investigative reports, findings, and recommendations to support legally compliant employment decisions.
• Collaborate with Human Resources, Legal, and Compliance to proactively address workforce issues and minimize risk.
• Develop positive labor-management relationships to promote engagement and organizational success.
• Monitor developments in labor and employment law and recommend policy and practice improvements.
• Assist with collective bargaining negotiations and support the administration of negotiated agreements.

Skills

Labor relations

Communication

Strategic mindset

Collaboration

Judgment

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in Human Resources Management, Business Administration, Public Administration, or related field

Job description

Division: Administration

Closing Date: Until Filled

Location: 1201 East 7th Avenue, Tampa, FL 33605

Salary Range: $87,501.00 – $93,000.00

Lead Labor Relations for One of Florida's Most Dynamic Transit Agencies

Hillsborough Transit Authority (HART) – Tampa, Florida

HART is seeking an accomplished labor relations leader to serve as its Manager of Labor Relations. This highly visible leadership role partners with executive leadership, legal counsel, and union representatives to shape workforce strategy for an organization serving more than 1.4 million residents.

This is an exceptional opportunity for a labor relations professional who thrives in a unionized environment and enjoys partnering with executive leadership to build productive labor-management relationships while ensuring compliance with collective bargaining agreements and employment laws.

The Opportunity

Reporting to the Director of Legal Services and working closely with Human Resources, Business Ethics & Compliance, and executive leadership, the Manager of Labor Relations serves as HART's subject matter expert on labor relations, collective bargaining, employee relations, and workplace investigations.

The successful candidate will provide strategic guidance to agency leadership, foster collaborative relationships with union representatives, and help create a workplace culture built on fairness, accountability, and mutual respect.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead labor relations activities for HART's unionized workforce, including collective bargaining support, contract administration, grievance resolution, and interpretation of collective bargaining agreements.
• Advise executives, managers, and supervisors on labor and employee relations matters while balancing operational needs with contractual obligations.
• Conduct complex workplace investigations involving employee relations, Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO), policy compliance, and workplace misconduct.
• Prepare detailed investigative reports, findings, and recommendations that support sound and legally compliant employment decisions.
• Collaborate with Human Resources, Legal, Business Ethics & Compliance, and operational leadership to proactively address workforce issues and minimize organizational risk.
• Develop positive labor-management relationships that promote employee engagement, operational effectiveness, and organizational success.
• Monitor developments in labor and employment law and recommend policy and practice improvements.
• Assist with collective bargaining negotiations and support the administration of negotiated agreements.

What We're Looking For

We're seeking a collaborative leader with strong judgment, exceptional communication skills, and demonstrated success managing labor relations in a unionized environment.

The ideal candidate will have:

• Bachelor’s Degee in Human Resources Management, Business Administration, Public Administration, or related field.
• Experience leading labor relations for a public-sector or transportation organization.
• Strong knowledge of Florida public-sector collective bargaining laws and unfair labor practice proceedings.
• Demonstrated experience interpreting and administering collective bargaining agreements.
• Experience conducting complex workplace investigations and resolving employee relations matters.
• The ability to build credibility with executive leadership, union officials, managers, employees, and governing boards.
• A strategic mindset with the ability to balance organizational objectives, legal compliance, and positive employee relations.

Why Join HART?

HART is modernizing public transportation across the Tampa Bay region, serving more than 1.4 million residents through continued investments in fleet modernization, technology, facilities, and workforce development.

This position offers the opportunity to:

• Play a key leadership role within a growing regional transit agency.
• Influence labor relations strategy during a transformative period for the organization.
• Work alongside executive leadership on high-impact organizational initiatives.
• Help shape a workplace culture built on collaboration, accountability, and operational excellence.
• Make a lasting impact on the future of public transportation in the Tampa Bay community.

If you're an experienced labor relations professional who enjoys building collaborative labor-management relationships while helping shape organizational strategy, we encourage you to visit our website and apply at HART Employment.

It is the responsibility of all HART employees to provide a safe and secure environment for HART customers, contractors, visitors and fellow co-workers. HART employees are also responsible for:

• Adhering to stated policies and procedures relating to health and safety, security, and quality management.
• Recognizing and reporting all accidents and hazardous conditions.
• Assisting in the development of workplace safety procedures for their respective departments.
• Promoting workplace safety procedures within their department.
• Adhering to procedures relating to the proper use and care of equipment and materials for which the role has responsibility.

Note: The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this job. The statements are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of personnel so classified. All employees may perform other duties as assigned.

The Agency promotes a safe and healthy work environment and provides appropriate safety and equipment training for all personnel as required.

ADA Compliance: HART is committed to equal employment opportunity for all persons, regardless of race, color, creed, national origin, sex, age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, veteran status or other status protected by Federal or State law. Reasonable accommodations are available to persons with disabilities during the application process and/or interview process in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.