Labor Relations Director (Relocation Approved!)

At Jabil we strive to make ANYTHING POSSIBLE and EVERYTHING BETTER. We are proud to be a trusted partner for the world's top brands, offering comprehensive engineering, manufacturing, and supply chain solutions. With over 50 years of experience across industries and a vast network of over 100 sites worldwide, Jabil combines global reach with local expertise to deliver both scalable and customized solutions. Our commitment extends beyond business success as we strive to build sustainable processes that minimize environmental impact and foster vibrant and diverse communities around the globe.

How Will You Make An Impact?

The Director of Labor Relations serves as a strategic HR leader dedicated to fostering positive employee relations and advancing Jabil's labor relations strategy. Based at Jabil's Corporate Office, the Labor Relations Director develops and leads the company's labor relations strategy across all U.S. manufacturing sites, ensuring alignment with corporate objectives, compliance with federal and state labor laws, and promotion of positive employee–management relationships. This role oversees union interactions, collective bargaining, labor compliance, risk mitigation, and workforce-related change management while partnering closely with HR, Legal, Operations, and senior leadership.

Location:

This role will be based on-site at our St. Petersburg, FL Corporate Headquarters. Relocation is approved for non-local talent

The position will also involve roughly 25% travel (domestically) to various manufacturing sites, as needed.

What Will You Do?

• Develop and execute a comprehensive labor relations strategy that supports business objectives, operational performance, and workforce stability.
• Build out and deploy a labor relations team to support and execute the labor relations strategy.
• Serve as the company's senior expert on labor relations matters, providing guidance to executives, plant leadership, and HR teams.
• Lead labor relations planning for plant expansions, consolidations, M&A activity, and organizational change.
• Lead contract negotiations across multiple unions and locations; act as the company's chief spokesperson when required.
• Develop bargaining strategies, costing models, and negotiation positions in collaboration with HR, Legal, Finance, and Operations leaders.
• Manage grievance and arbitration processes, including case assessment, preparation, settlement negotiation, and representation in arbitrations.
• Maintain strong working relationships with union leadership while protecting the company's operational and financial interests.
• Ensure full compliance with the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) and all other applicable federal and state labor laws.
• Oversee responses to NLRB charges and hearings; partner with internal and external legal counsel as necessary.
• Conduct regular risk assessments of labor practices, collective bargaining agreements (CBAs), and workforce policies to identify and mitigate potential issues.
• Build frameworks to support consistent, fair, and compliant employee relations practices across all U.S. manufacturing sites.
• Partner with HR and Operations to drive workplace culture initiatives, dispute resolution, and early intervention strategies.
• Provide training to leaders and supervisors on contract interpretation, labor law compliance, and effective employee relations practices.
• Monitor labor trends, union organizing activity, legislative changes, and economic conditions impacting the manufacturing workforce.
• Partner with Corporate Communications on messaging related to labor activity, negotiations, and issues that may carry investor or public impact.
• Work closely with Legal on litigation strategy, arbitration, compliance matters, and risk management.
• Support HR COEs (Total Rewards, Talent Acquisition, Talent Management) on policies and programs affected by labor agreements or employee relations considerations.
• Serve as a key member of the crisis response team for labor-related disruptions, strike contingency planning, and operational risk scenarios.
• Develop and maintain strike preparedness plans, contingency staffing models, communication plans, and operational continuity strategies.

How Will You Get Here?

Education:

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Labor Relations, Industrial Relations, Business, or related field; Master's/JD strongly preferred.

Experience:

• 10+ years of progressive labor relations experience (traditional labor) in a multi-site U.S. manufacturing (or similar industry) environment.
• Direct experience leading complex collective bargaining negotiations and managing relationships with multiple unions (e.g., UAW, IAM, Teamsters, USW, IBEW).
• Direct experience with building out a team and managing people.

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities:

• Expert knowledge of NLRA, NLRB processes, and state labor laws.
• Demonstrated experience managing disputes, grievances, arbitrations, and union campaigns.
• Strong financial acumen, including labor costing, modeling, and scenario analysis.
• Excellent communication, influencing, and conflict-resolution skills.
• Proven ability to operate in highly regulated environments where compliance, documentation, and risk management are essential.
• Ability to manage sensitive, confidential, and high-impact negotiations with discretion and professionalism.
• Change leadership experience in union and union-free environments.
• Strong analytical skills with experience using data to inform labor strategies and operational decisions.

What Can Jabil Offer You?

Along with growth, stability, and the opportunity to be challenged, Jabil offers a competitive benefits package that includes:

• Medical, Dental, Prescription Drug, and Vision Insurance with HRA and HSA options
• 401K Match
• Employee Stock Purchase Plan
• Paid Time Off
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Life, AD&D, and Disability Insurance
• Commuter Benefits
• Employee Assistance Program
• Pet Insurance
• Adoption Assistance
• Annual Merit Increases
• Community Volunteer Opportunities