Director, Labor Relations

Director, Labor Relations

Presbyterian Healthcare Services (PHS) seeks a strategic, influential, and solutions-oriented leader to serve as its next Director, Labor Relations. This newly elevated enterprise role will shape and lead a proactive labor relations strategy designed to strengthen workforce stability, enhance employee engagement, mitigate organizational risk, and support Presbyterian's mission-driven culture.

As healthcare organizations face increasing workforce pressures, labor activity, and employee expectations, Presbyterian recognizes the importance of moving beyond traditional reactive labor relations practices. The Director will lead the development of a modern labor relations function focused on early risk identification, leader capability building, workforce engagement, and proactive employee relations strategies that strengthen trust across the organization.

Reporting to senior Human Resources leadership, this individual will serve as the enterprise subject matter expert on labor relations, workforce risk mitigation, labor organizing activity, and positive employee relations. The Director will partner closely with operational leaders, HR Business Partners, Legal, Compliance, and Workforce Analytics to establish scalable processes, governance structures, and leader education programs that promote a healthy workplace culture while minimizing labor-related risks.

The ideal candidate will bring significant in-house labor relations experience within a large health system or similarly complex multi-site organization and demonstrate a proven ability to assess organizational risk, create practical solutions, and successfully navigate labor organizing activity.

Work Arrangement Location: Albuquerque, New Mexico Hybrid: Regular onsite presence is required to support leadership collaboration, workforce engagement, and enterprise initiatives. Periodic travel throughout the Presbyterian delivery system may be required.

Enterprise Labor Relations Strategy

• Develop, implement, and continuously improve a system-wide labor relations strategy aligned with organizational priorities and workforce goals.
• Establish a proactive labor relations operating model that emphasizes prevention, workforce engagement, and early risk identification.
• Serve as the enterprise leader and subject matter expert on labor relations matters.
• Advise senior leaders regarding labor strategy, workforce trends, organizing activity, and risk mitigation approaches.
• Ensure labor relations strategies support workforce engagement, retention, and organizational culture objectives.

Labor Risk Assessment & Mitigation

• Identify, assess, and monitor emerging labor-relations risks and workforce hotspots across the enterprise.
• Develop enterprise risk mitigation and response strategies that address workforce concerns before escalation.
• Partner with operational leaders to develop practical solutions and action plans that improve employee relations and minimize organizational risk.
• Monitor labor organizing activity, workforce sentiment, operational trends, and employee relations indicators.
• Translate workforce intelligence into actionable recommendations for leadership.

Labor Relations Governance & Standardization

• Develop and implement labor relations playbooks, protocols, escalation pathways, and enterprise standards.
• Create governance structures that ensure consistency in labor relations practices across all PHS entities.
• Establish response frameworks for labor organizing efforts, employee concerns, and workforce-related challenges.
• Coordinate enterprise responses to labor-related issues in collaboration with Legal, Compliance, and Human Resources leadership.

Workforce Analytics & Predictive Intelligence

• Partner with Workforce Analytics teams to develop predictive labor-risk dashboards, reporting frameworks, and performance indicators.
• Utilize workforce data, employee relations trends, engagement results, turnover patterns, and operational metrics to identify emerging risks.
• Develop executive reporting and labor risk summaries for enterprise leadership.
• Create ongoing reporting routines that enable leaders to proactively address workforce issues.

Leader Education & Capability Building

• Build labor relations competency throughout the organization by providing education, consultation, coaching, and practical tools to leaders.
• Design and implement enterprise-wide labor relations training programs focused on positive employee relations and workforce engagement.
• Develop toolkits and resources that help leaders assess risk, respond appropriately to employee concerns, and foster trust within their teams.
• Strengthen leadership effectiveness through workforce engagement and employee relations best practices.

Positive Employee Relations & Workforce Engagement

• Partner with Human Resources and operational leaders to strengthen employee listening programs and workforce engagement strategies.
• Support initiatives that improve trust, employee voice, and workforce stability.
• Identify opportunities to enhance organizational culture through proactive employee relations efforts.
• Promote practices that strengthen employee engagement and reduce workforce disruption risks.

Executive Advisory & Organizational Leadership

• Serve as a trusted advisor to executive leadership on labor relations trends, risks, and strategic priorities.
• Prepare executive-level briefings, recommendations, and workforce risk assessments.
• Influence organizational decision-making through data-driven insights and practical solutions.
• Support enterprise strategic initiatives that impact workforce engagement and labor relations outcomes.

Success Measures

Within the first 1224 months, the Director will be expected to:

• Establish a comprehensive enterprise labor relations strategy that shifts the organization toward a proactive and preventative labor relations model.
• Develop and implement standardized labor relations playbooks, governance processes, and escalation protocols across PHS.
• Create predictive labor-risk dashboards and analytics tools that allow leaders to proactively identify workforce concerns.
• Strengthen leadership capability in labor relations, workforce engagement, and risk mitigation through targeted education and coaching programs.
• Improve organizational readiness and response strategies related to labor organizing efforts and workforce risks.
• Establish trusted advisory relationships with executive leaders, HR Business Partners, operational leaders, and key stakeholders.
• Increase workforce stability through proactive employee relations and engagement initiatives.
• Deliver actionable labor relations insights that support enterprise decision-making and workforce planning.
• Strengthen cross-functional collaboration among Human Resources, Legal, Compliance, Workforce Analytics, and Operations.
• Position Presbyterian Healthcare Services as an employer of choice through effective workforce engagement and employee relations practices.

Education

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Labor Relations, Business Administration, Healthcare Administration, or a related field required.
• Equivalent combination of education and relevant experience may be considered.

Preferred

• Master's degree, Juris Doctor (JD), or advanced certification in Human Resources, Labor Relations, Employment Law, or related field.

Knowledge & Work Experience

• Progressive experience in labor relations, employee relations, employment law, HR business partnership, workforce planning, or workforce risk mitigation.
• Significant in-house labor relations experience within a health system, integrated delivery network, or similarly complex multi-site organization strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated experience advising leaders on complex labor relations and employee relations matters.
• Proven success assessing organizational risk and implementing practical solutions rather than solely identifying issues.
• Experience navigating labor organizing activity, union avoidance strategies, workforce campaigns, or labor-management initiatives.
• Experience developing labor relations governance programs, leader toolkits, escalation processes, and workforce education initiatives.
• Knowledge of labor relations principles, labor law, organizing dynamics, workforce engagement, and employee relations best practices.

Benefits are effective day-one (for .45 FTE and above) and include:

• Competitive salaries
• Full medical, dental and vision insurance
• Flexible spending accounts (FSAs)
• Free wellness programs
• Paid time off (PTO)
• Retirement plans, including matching employer contributions
• Continuing education and career development opportunities
• Life insurance and short/long term disability programs

Presbyterian Healthcare Services is a locally owned, not-for-profit healthcare system of nine hospitals, a statewide health plan and a growing multi-specialty medical group. Founded in New Mexico in 1908, it is the state's largest private employer with approximately 11,000 employees.

Presbyterian's story is really the story of the remarkable people who have chosen to work here. Starting with Reverend Cooper who began our journey in 1908, the hard work of thousands of physicians, employees, board members, and other volunteers brought Presbyterian from a tiny