VP, Labor Relations Strategy & Initiatives

Job Summary:

This position is responsible for all aspects of economic bargaining, including; coordinating, preparing and executing an economic bargaining strategy at the Local and/or National level that addresses multiple employee groups to ensure our negotiated agreements are affordable, competitive, attract and retain talent and meet the short and long term economic goals of the organization. The position will work with Market and National Leaders on wage, benefit and labor strategies. Coordinate preparation and execution of negotiations at the national and local levels as needed. The role will report directly to the Senior Vice President of Labor Relations and coordinate closely with Total Rewards. It will also need to collaborate over multiple functions and leaders across the program to ensure success.

Essential Responsibilities:

• Closely partners with National and Market Labor Relations Leadership in creating and successfully executing labor relation strategies. Ensuring the creation of high-quality bargaining preparation and collective bargaining execution through Strategic understanding of the economic environment and potential impact to the Enterprise, impacted Individuals and Union political dynamics. Evaluates the effectiveness and impact of economic proposals in the context of our overall bargaining strategy.
• Provide advice and counsel to the SVP Labor Relations on Union negotiated issues, including; economic options and proposals, bargaining history and inter and intra union dynamics in support of addressing labor priorities within the organization-s overall affordability strategy and objectives. Support and advise market leadership in development of plans to address strategic labor strategy goals, initiatives and restructuring efforts as related to represented groups.
• In collaboration with Total Rewards Compensation and Benefits to ensure the development of effective strategies to align sustainable wage and benefit programs for the KP represented populations within the context of a competitive total compensation system. Strategies for the represented populations also must be considered in the context of non-represented employees, regional market conditions, and Medical Group impacts.
• Assists with the development of communications and engagement alignment with key stakeholder groups - Labor Relations Leadership, CEOx, KPPG Labor Relations Strategy Group, Alliance/CKPU leadership, Market HR, and PMG concerning represented economic strategies.
• Guide the development of employee -union bargaining- communication messages and materials to prepare proactive communication campaigns to educate employees and counter union messaging
• Participates in and may lead selected Local and national bargaining that have a material economic impact with LMP and Non LMP groups; advise and guide local negotiations with non-Coalition unions together with the Market Leaders and Labor Relation colleagues.
• Lead interpretation and problem solving related to economic related provisions of collective bargaining agreements and application of those provisions.
• Support union grievance resolution related to economic provisions; this may also include arbitration and litigation proceedings.
• Partner with LR Leadership Team to ensure the delivery of high-quality, timely and responsive services aligned to the goals of the enterprise. Evaluates the effectiveness of services and recommends modifications/changes for areas of responsibility.
• Develops collaborative and productive working relationships with Labor Relation colleagues across the program to develop and promote a informed approach to the development of labor relation strategies.
• Assess opportunities for consistent application of compensation and benefit and other economic related provisions that enable improved delivery, complexity and error reduction, cost-savings and value to employees. Identify best practices and work collaboratively to tailor those practices for replication program wide.

Basic Qualifications: Experience

• Minimum fifteen (15) years Human Resources experience in a highly complex unionized organization. Including fifteen (15) years experience in negotiating wage and benefits.
• Minimum ten (10) years direct experience with union negotiations, administration and problem solving.

Education

• Bachelor-s degree in Business Administration, Human Resources, Economics or related field required.

License, Certification, Registration

• N/A

Additional Requirements:

• Experience negotiating and implementing wage and benefit provisions in two or more sets of labor negotiations
• Proven exceptional analytical and problem-solving skills.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Advanced degree preferred.