National Labor Relations Director

LE043 Quality Technology Services, LLC; Ashburn (VA); On-site; USD 168,000 - 253,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(k) matching contributions

Generous PTO and volunteer days

Stock Purchase Plan

11 paid holidays annually

Parental leave

Job summary

QTS Realty Trust, LLC is seeking a National Labor Relations Director to shape and drive a comprehensive labor relations strategy across markets. You will partner with Regional External Affairs leaders to monitor labor trends, assess risks, and influence strategy for development, construction and operations.

You will advise senior leaders, collaborate with multiple internal partners, and represent QTS in national labor and industry forums, while managing a broad stakeholder network across the U.S.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in labor relations, Industrial Relations, Business, Public Policy, Political Science, Human Resources, Law, or a related field.
• 10+ years of progressively responsible experience in labor relations, government affairs, external affairs, workforce strategy, labor policy, or a related discipline.
• Significant experience working with labor organizations and senior internal and external stakeholders.
• Demonstrated ability to develop strategy and navigate complex labor and stakeholder environments across multiple markets or jurisdictions.

Responsibilities

• Develop and lead the national labor relations strategy aligned with growth and External Affairs priorities.
• Partner with regional leaders to ensure consistency and escalate issues when needed.
• Engage with labor leaders, trade orgs, industry groups, and contractors to align on objectives.
• Advise senior leaders on labor dynamics affecting development timelines, workforce considerations, and risk.
• Collaborate with Legal, People Services, Development, Construction and other functions on labor matters.

Skills

Labor relations strategy

Stakeholder management

Executive communication

Negotiation

Policy analysis

Education

Bachelor’s degree in related field

Job description

Who we are: As a global leader in digital infrastructure, QTS designs, builds and operates advanced data centers that support strategic AI, cloud and digital transformation initiatives. We are driven by a mission to connect the world for good and our people make it possible. Every single day, the creativity, dedication and genuine care for our communities are what push us forward and make this a truly special place to be. The National Labor Relations Director is responsible for developing and leading QTS’s national labor relations strategy in support of the company’s growth, development, construction, and operational objectives. Serving as the enterprise subject-matter expert for labor relations within External Affairs, this role monitors the national labor environment, identifies emerging risks and opportunities, and develops strategies that support consistent, effective engagement across QTS markets. The Director partners closely with Regional External Affairs leaders and cross-functional stakeholders to assess labor dynamics affecting current and future markets, major development and construction activity, workforce availability, and business continuity. The role provides strategic guidance on complex or high-impact labor matters and coordinates national priorities with regional execution. This leader builds and maintains productive relationships with labor organizations, industry associations, contractors and other external stakeholders while providing senior leaders with timely insights regarding labor trends and developments that may affect business objectives.

What You Will Do:

• Develop and execute a comprehensive national labor relations strategy aligned with QTS growth, development, construction, operational, and External Affairs priorities.
• Establish a consistent enterprise approach to identifying, assessing, escalating, and addressing significant labor-related issues.
• Monitor national and multi-market labor trends and translate developments into actionable insights for business and External Affairs leaders.
• Identify emerging labor-related risks and opportunities that could influence market expansion, development activity, construction, operations, or QTS’s external stakeholder relationships.

Regional Partnership & Execution

• Serve as the national labor relations subject-matter expert to Regional External Affairs leaders and regional labor relations resources.
• Provide strategic guidance on complex or significant regional labor issues and support escalation when matters have broader business implications.
• Partner with regional teams to develop market-specific labor engagement strategies while driving consistency with national objectives.
• Identify patterns and emerging issues across regions and develop scalable approaches, tools, and best practices.

External Stakeholder Engagement

• Develop and maintain strategic relationships with labor leaders, trade organizations, industry associations, workforce organizations, contractors, and other relevant stakeholders.
• Represent QTS in appropriate national labor and industry forums.
• Build constructive relationships that support QTS development, construction, workforce, and operational objectives.
• Support stakeholder strategies surrounding significant development projects or markets where labor considerations may materially affect business execution.

Strategic Counsel & Risk Management

• Advise External Affairs and business leaders on labor dynamics that could affect development timelines, construction activity, market entry, workforce considerations, operating continuity, or company reputation.
• Develop proactive strategies to address emerging labor issues and reduce business risk.
• Coordinate with appropriate internal partners on significant labor-related matters to ensure business, workforce, legal, and external-affairs considerations are appropriately aligned.
• Prepare executive-level recommendations, assessments, and briefing materials regarding significant labor developments.

Cross-Functional Partnership

• Partner with Legal, People Services, Development, Construction, Procurement, Operations and other appropriate functions on labor-related matters that intersect with business strategy.
• Support development and market-entry planning by providing insight into relevant labor environments and stakeholder considerations.
• Collaborate with Government Relations and policy leaders when labor issues intersect with legislative, regulatory, or broader public-policy priorities.
• Ensure national labor strategy complements QTS’s broader government relations, community engagement, economic development, and stakeholder strategies.

What You Will Need to Be Successful:

• Bachelor’s degree in labor relations, Industrial Relations, Business, Public Policy, Political Science, Human Resources, Law, or a related field.
• 10+ years of progressively responsible experience in labor relations, government affairs, external affairs, workforce strategy, labor policy, or a related discipline.
• Significant experience working with labor organizations and senior internal and external stakeholders.
• Demonstrated ability to develop strategy and navigate complex labor and stakeholder environments across multiple markets or jurisdictions.
• Strong understanding of organized labor, labor-management dynamics, workforce issues, and the broader policy environment affecting large-scale development and operations.
• Experience advising senior leaders on complex, sensitive, or high-impact issues.
• Demonstrated ability to influence outcomes across a matrixed organization without relying on direct reporting authority.
• Strong executive communication, negotiation, stakeholder management, and relationship-building capabilities.
• Ability to travel nationally as business needs require.

Nice to Have:

• Advanced degree in Industrial and Labor Relations, Law, Business Administration, Public Policy, Human Resources, or a related discipline.
• Experience supporting large-scale infrastructure, construction, energy, utility, technology, telecommunications, real estate development, or data-center environments.
• Experience working with building trades, labor organizations, contractors, industry associations, or workforce-development organizations.
• Experience supporting complex development or construction projects across multiple U.S. markets.
• Demonstrated success building labor strategies that balance business objectives, stakeholder relationships, workforce considerations, and reputational risk.

In accordance with applicable law, the following represents a reasonable estimate of the range of possible compensation for this role if hired in Virginia. Please note that this information is provided for those hired in Virginia only, and this role is open to candidates outside of Virginia with compensation that aligns with your location. The successful candidate’s starting salary will be determined based on permissible, non-discriminatory factors such as skills, experience, and geographic location. The estimated pay range for this role, if based in Virginia, is: $168,236.25 - 253,475.95 Please note that this information is provided for those hired in Virginia only, and this role is open to candidates outside of Virginia with compensation that aligns with your location. The successful candidate’s starting salary will be determined based on permissible, non-discriminatory factors such as skills, experience, and geographic location.

In addition to a variety of benefit packages, QTS goes above and beyond for our employees:

Roth and Traditional 401(k) matching contributions with immediate vesting Every employee is bonus or commission eligible Generous PTO, Paid Volunteer Days Plus Floating Holidays Stock Purchase Plan (SPP) 11 paid Holidays Annually/Holiday compensation when worked Pet and Legal Insurance Q-Rest Sabbatical Program Q-Anniversary Service Award Program Parental Leave Military Benefits Package QTS Charitable Matching Gift Program QTS Scholarship for Employee Dependents QTS Crisis Fund Wellness Program Tuition Reimbursement Program QTS is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

QTS is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Learn more: Equal Opportunity Employer/Veterans/Disabled We conform to all the laws, statutes, and regulations concerning equal employment opportunities and affirmative action. We strongly encourage women, minorities, individuals with disabilities and veterans to apply to all of our job openings. We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or national origin, age, disability status, Genetic Information & Testing, Family & Medical Leave, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. We prohibit retaliation against individuals who bring forth any complaint, orally or in writing, to the employer or the government, or against any individuals who assist or participate in the investigation of any complaint or discrimination claim. The "Know Your Rights" Poster is included here: Know Your Rights (English) Know Your Rights (Spanish) The pay transparency policy is available here: Pay Transparency Nondiscrimination Poster-Formatted QTS is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation because of a disability for any part of the employment process, please send an e-mail to [e-mail] and let us know the nature of your request and your contact information.