The Lead People Relations Consultant, Labor Relations is responsible for leading complex labor relations matters, managing labor relations strategy and execution, and providing high-level consultation to leaders on represented workforce matters and workplace issues with significant organizational impact. This role serves as a senior labor relations subject matter expert and people leader, with responsibility for guiding and developing team members, overseeing complex casework, and ensuring consistent, thoughtful, and high-quality labor relations support across the organization. The position partners closely with senior leaders, People Business Partners, Legal, Compliance, and other stakeholders to support sound decision-making, effective labor-management relationships, and consistent application of collective bargaining agreements, policies, and workplace practices. The Lead also serves as the escalation point for the Labor Relations team, leading the strategy, coordination, and execution of collective bargaining, meet and confer activity, grievance escalation, contract administration matters, and other complex labor relations issues.
Responsibilities:
- Leads the most complex and sensitive labor relations matters end-to-end, including collective bargaining agreement interpretation, grievance escalation, represented employee issues, labor-management concerns, workplace disputes, and matters requiring senior-level judgment.
- Leads labor relations strategy and execution for assigned bargaining relationships, including preparation for collective bargaining, meet and confer processes, contract administration, negotiation support, issue analysis, and alignment across stakeholders.
- Serves as the primary escalation point for the Labor Relations team, providing direction, consultation, and quality oversight on complex matters, high-impact issues, and sensitive labor relations decisions.
- Leads, coaches, and develops Labor Relations team members by setting clear expectations, reviewing work, strengthening judgment, supporting professional growth, and promoting consistency in labor relations practices and outcomes.
- Provides strategic consultation to senior leaders and HR partners on collective bargaining agreement interpretation, grievance handling, performance and conduct matters involving represented employees, dispute resolution, and labor-related workforce decisions.
- Partners with Legal on labor relations matters involving arbitration, administrative charges, mediation, pre-litigation issues, and other complex matters requiring coordinated strategy, documentation, and witness readiness. This role does not serve as legal counsel of record.
- Performs internal and external trend analysis, identifies patterns and systemic issues, and recommends practical interventions that strengthen leader capability, improve consistency, and support a constructive employee experience.
- Serves as a senior subject matter expert in labor relations, employee relations, employment practices, HR policies and procedures, and employment law concepts, translating complexity into clear and actionable guidance for leaders and partners.
- Designs and facilitates practical, scenario-based leader training and guidance materials to strengthen labor relations capability, improve consistency in practice, and support long-term organizational effectiveness.
Qualifications:- 8-12+ years progressive employee and labor relations experience, including direct union interface and complex case leadership.
- Bachelor's degree. Equivalent experience may be considered in lieu of degree. Juris Doctor (JD) preferred; however, this role does not represent the Company in legal matters and does not act as attorney of record.
- Demonstrated experience supporting negotiations, contract administration, and grievance/arbitration preparation.
- Experience designing enterprise standards, playbooks, and leader capability programs.
- Expert labor relations capability, including NLRA fundamentals, labor-management relationship strategy, grievance processes, arbitration readiness, and bargaining preparation.
- Strong people leadership capability, including coaching, work direction, case review, performance feedback, capability building, and development of high-performing team members.
- Strong understanding of employment risk concepts (EEO, retaliation, wage and hour, leave frameworks) and ability to translate them into operational decision-making.
- Executive-level consultation skills, including confident communication, negotiation, stakeholder management, and conflict navigation.
- Advanced investigation capability, including planning, interviewing, credibility assessment, evidence analysis, and defensible documentation.
- Strong operational rigor: prioritization, case governance, standard work discipline, and ability to build repeatable systems and playbooks.
- Analytical mindset: ability to use data and insights to identify systemic drivers, recommend interventions, and measure outcomes.
- Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and collaboration tools (Teams); comfort operating in HR case management systems.
- Strong interpersonal skills, mediation skills, consultation, and the ability to handle difficult situations with tact and diplomacy.
- Ability to prioritize, handle multiple projects simultaneously in a fast-paced environment in order to meet deadlines.
- Ability to work across multiple teams, and with people on a variety of organizational levels in often ambiguous circumstances.
- High discretion and confidentiality, mature judgment, and professional integrity.
- Experience working across time zones, constituent groups, and locations, utilizing technology to complete duties is preferred.
- SHRM-CP or PHR certification preferred.
Base Pay Information
The national base pay range at the end is a good-faith estimate of what Delta Dental may pay for new hires. Actual pay may vary based on Delta Dental's assessment of the candidate's knowledge, skills, abilities (KSAs), related experience, education, certifications and ability to meet required minimum job qualifications. Other factors impacting pay include prevailing wages in the work location and internal equity.
Pay Grade 22. $93,445 - $202,465
Additional Information:Behind the smile! We are dedicated to safeguarding the health and financial stability of our employees and their loved ones. This commitment extends beyond the workplace to foster personal growth and holistic wellbeing. Our life-changing rewards package includes:
- Competitive base and incentive pay
- 401(k) with robust matching and non-matching contributions
- Rich medical & pharmacy benefits
- 100% employer-paid dental and vision benefits
- Holistic wellbeing program with deep financial incentives
- Generous paid time off plus 12 paid holidays and your birthday off
- Culture of growth and learning: career development; tuition reimbursement; recognition program
- Family support: adoption assistance, fertility treatment, child, elder & pet care assistance
- Social responsibility and volunteer opportunities
- Employee discount program
Fair Chance Ordinances and Criminal Background Considerations
This position requires that the applicant undergo a background check. Qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment in accordance with any applicable federal, state or local laws, including, but not limited to, the California Fair Chance Act, the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance, the City of Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance, the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, and/or New York Corrections Law Article 23-A.
Important Work Authorization Information
Please note, Delta Dental will not sponsor applicants for work visas for this position.
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