Senior Employee & Labor Relations Consultant

baystatehealth; Springfield (MA); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Baystate Health in Springfield, MA seeks an experienced Senior Employee & Labor Relations Consultant to join our Employee Relations team. This role serves as a strategic advisor on complex workforce matters across the organization.

You will partner with senior leaders, HR partners, union representatives, and legal counsel to navigate sensitive issues, conduct investigations, and shape proactive policies and training for a respectful, high-performing workplace.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required in Human Resources, Law, or related field.
• 8-10 years of progressive experience in employee or labor relations within a large organization.
• Expertise in collective bargaining, grievance management, and investigations.

Responsibilities

• Lead complex, sensitive workplace investigations and provide defensible recommendations.
• Collaborate with Legal Counsel on matters potentially involving litigation or arbitration.
• Advise senior leaders and HR partners on contract provisions, compliance, and risk.

Skills

Labor relations

Employee investigations

Conflict resolution

Union relations

Policy interpretation

Education

Bachelor's degree

Job description

Shape Workplace Culture. Navigate Complexity. Make an Impact.

Baystate Health, a nationally recognized leader in healthcare quality and safety, is seeking an experienced Senior Employee & Labor Relations Consultant to join our Employee Relations team in Springfield, MA. This highly visible role serves as a strategic advisor and subject matter expert, providing expert guidance on complex employee and labor relations matters across the organization.

RESPONSIBILITIES

The Senior Employee & Labor Relations Consultant will partner with senior leaders, Human Resource Business Partners, union representatives, and legal counsel to navigate sensitive workplace matters, resolve complex employee and labor issues, and strengthen relationships across both union and non-union environments.

You’ll bring expertise in employment and labor law, workplace investigations, collective bargaining, grievance resolution, and conflict management to help leaders make thoughtful, consistent, and legally sound decisions. Under the direction of the Director of Employee and Labor Relations, you’ll also help shape proactive strategies, policies, and training that foster a respectful, inclusive, and high-performing workplace.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead complex and sensitive workplace investigations involving allegations of discrimination, harassment, sexual harassment, retaliation, misconduct, and other workplace concerns.
• Conduct interviews, evaluate evidence, synthesize findings, and provide clear, defensible recommendations regarding corrective action and risk mitigation.
• Partner with Legal Counsel on matters that may involve litigation, including EEOC, MCAD, arbitration, and other proceedings.
• Serve as a trusted advisor to senior leaders, Human Resource Business Partners, and managers on highly complex employee and labor relations matters.
• Balance legal and organizational risk with business needs, organizational values, collective bargaining obligations, and consistent application of policies and practices.
• Interpret and administer collective bargaining agreements and advise leaders and HR partners on contract provisions, compliance, and labor relations strategies.
• Manage employee disputes and labor grievances, including coordinating grievance meetings, supporting dispute resolution, and preparing matters for arbitration.
• Partner with union representatives and organizational leadership to achieve timely, effective, and sustainable resolutions.
• Participate as a member of the management labor negotiations team, supporting bargaining strategy, contract negotiations, implementation of negotiated agreements, and assessment of labor relations risks.
• Identify employee and labor relations trends and develop proactive strategies to address organizational concerns, mitigate risk, and strengthen workplace relationships.
• Contribute to the development and continuous improvement of employee and labor relations policies, programs, processes, and training.
• Maintain advanced knowledge of employment and labor law, ADA, FMLA, collective bargaining agreements, HR policies, and regulatory developments.
• Translate complex legal and contractual requirements into practical, actionable guidance for leaders, HR Business Partners, and employees.
• Advise on high-risk and highly sensitive matters, including fitness for duty, off-duty conduct, workplace misconduct, theft, harassment, disciplinary actions, just-cause determinations, contract interpretation, and legally sensitive terminations.
• Develop and facilitate training for leaders, supervisors, and HR Business Partners on employee and labor relations, investigations, conflict resolution, grievance handling, employment law, and collective bargaining agreement administration.
• Promote transparency, trust, open communication, and positive employee and labor-management relationships across Baystate Health.
• Take on additional responsibilities and initiatives that support departmental and organizational priorities.

SCHEDULE

• Full-time
• Monday-Friday
• Occasional weekends depending on case severity

LOCATION

• 280 Chestnut St, Springfield, MA
• Will be required to travel to other Baystate Health entities as needed.
• Hybrid work opportunity- minimum of 3 days on-site required. Candidate must live in MA or CT

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelors Degree, required
• 8-10 years of progressive experience in employee relations, labor relations, or human resources within a large, complex organization (typically 1,500+ employees)
• Demonstrated expertise in employee relations, labor relations, collective bargaining agreement administration, grievance management, workplace investigations, ADA, and employment law.
• Minimum of 5-7 years of recent hands-on experience providing employee and labor relations consultation in a high-volume, fast-paced environment.
• Experience participating in labor negotiations, grievance administration, and arbitration preparation, strongly preferred.
• Prior healthcare experience, strongly preferred.
• Equivalent combination