Senior Director, Employee and Labor Relations

HealthPartners is currently hiring for a Senior Director, Employee and Labor Relations. This high-impact role is a key member of the HealthPartners human resources executive leadership team and reports directly to a Chief People Officer. In support of the Organization, the Senior Director is responsible for developing and operationalizing the systemwide strategy for employee and labor relations and leads a team of five (5) HR professionals that supports employee and labor relations for the HealthPartners/Group Health Plan Inc. (GHI) employer. In partnership with HealthPartners’ Law Department and organization-wide HR, business, and clinical leaders, the Director provides equitable and consistent Employee Relations/Labor Relations (ER/LR) services that minimize risk and align with business needs across both union and non-union workforces. Success in this role requires a strategic mindset, strong relationship-building skills, and the ability to influence across all levels of the organization, including union representatives and senior leadership.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Labor Relations, or related field. 
• Thirteen (13) years of progressive HR experience with a focus on labor relations and employee relations in a complex, multi-union, or multi-entity environment. 
• Seven (7) years of proven experience leading teams and driving strategic initiatives. 
• Experience leading union negotiations and managing labor risk in large organizations. 
• Deep knowledge of labor law, collective bargaining processes, and dispute resolution mechanisms. 
• Proven leadership skills with the ability to build, inspire, and motivate teams toward a common vision and goal, navigating ambiguity, adapting to change, and thriving in a dynamic work environment.  
• Ability to drive strategic projects for the Organization, with executive presence and impact that spans across the Organization and business divisions. 
• Expertise in leading Organization-wide HR COEs 
• Skilled at building collaborative working relationships with all levels of colleagues and leaders.  
• Effective critical thinking skills and analytical mindset with ability to understand complex business challenges and develop data-informed solutions. 
• Exceptional interpersonal, communication, and influencing skills. 
• Strong oral and written communication skills, with the ability to translate data and concepts into actionable insights and present to senior level executives.  

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Labor Relations, or related field or Juris Doctorate degree
• Previous experience within the health care Industry.
• Mastery in ability to build cross-functional alignment, lead through change, and drive Organization results.

Hours/Location:

• Monday – Friday; core business hours
• This position is based at our Bloomington Corporate Office, offering a collaborative and professional environment. While primarily office-based, the Senior Director will occasionally travel to various HealthPartners sites to support enterprise-wide initiatives and foster strong relationships across teams.

Responsibilities:

• (40%) Lead the labor and employee relations strategy and implementation for GHI.
  • Oversee a team responsible for the day-to-day administration and implementation of the labor relations and employee relations programs.
  • Develop the GHI labor relations and employee relations strategy.
  • Bargain the GHI/SEIU and GHI/Local 12 Collective Bargaining Agreements
  • Responsible for GHI strike planning strategies and implementation.
  • Responsible for effective case management of people-related issues such disciplinary actions, legal issues (harassment, discrimination, leave, accommodations, etc.), performance management (including corrective action), policy interpretation, proactive workplace initiatives and strategies, conflict resolution, and positive workplace climate.
• (30%) - Strategic leadership (Labor Relations): 
  • Develop and steward the Organization’s overarching labor relations strategy and guiding philosophy through the creation of an HR labor center of excellence. 
  • Define and standardize “how we do labor” practices across entities, ensuring alignment with Organizational values and operational needs. 
  • Lead labor impact assessments for Organizational changes, including expansion, consolidation, and operational redesign. 
  • Align local and system-level labor strategies to ensure coherence and reduce fragmentation. 
  • Guide labor risk mitigation strategies across both union and non-union e