Labor Relations Representative Jobs in Illinois

Location: Chicago, Illinois

Business Unit: Rush Medical Center

Hospital: Rush University Medical Center

Department: Employee Relations

Work Type: Full Time (Total FTE between 0.9 and 1.0)

Shift: Shift 1

Work Schedule: 8 Hr (8:00:00 AM - 5:00:00 PM)

Pay Range: $76.35 - $113.76 per hour

Rush salaries are determined by many factors including, but not limited to, education, job-related experience and skills, as well as internal equity and industry specific market data. The pay range for each role reflects Rush’s anticipated wage or salary reasonably expected to be offered for the position. Offers may vary depending on the circumstances of each case. This role has a corresponding incentive plan based on multiple factors. Incentive compensation and additional benefits can be found on our Rush benefits page.

SUMMARY

The Senior Director, Labor Relations serves as the enterprise lead for labor relations strategy within a complex academic health system with a partially unionized workforce. This role has primary accountability for positive labor relations strategy, including NLRB petition response, collective bargaining preparedness, and post-certification labor stabilization.

Positioned within the Talent Management structure and reporting directly to the Associate Vice President, HR Partners, Employee & Labor Relations, the Senior Director provides day-to-day leadership and oversight of the Labor Relations team. The role partners closely with HR leadership and operational stakeholders to ensure operational excellence across labor strategy, programs, initiatives, and team performance. This position is responsible for building and sustaining a cohesive, high-performing team model that supports positive employee and labor relations outcomes across Rush University System for Health.

The Senior Director provides both strategic and tactical leadership during periods of heightened labor activity, including NLRB petitions, elections, bargaining unit certification, and contract negotiations, while ensuring full compliance with the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) and healthcare-specific labor requirements. As a trusted advisor to executive leadership, legal counsel, HR partners, and operational leaders, this role develops and executes a coordinated, defensible labor relations strategy that mitigates risk, supports continuity of patient care, and preserves leadership decision-making authority.

This position leads the development of enterprise labor relations infrastructure, playbooks, analytics, and leader education, and partners closely with HR COEs, HR Partners, Employee Relations, Legal, Operations leadership, Finance, Communications, and external labor counsel and consultants while exemplifying the Rush mission, vision, and values and acts in accordance with Rush policies and procedures.

REQUIRED JOB QUALIFICATIONS:

• Juris Doctor (JD).
• Minimum of seven (7) years of progressive experience in labor relations.
• Direct experience leading contract negotiations, union organizing campaigns, NLRB petitions, and implementing a labor strategy in healthcare or similarly regulated environments.
• Demonstrated experience supporting nursing or clinical populations within an academic medical center or complex health system.
• Deep working knowledge of the NLRA, NLRB procedures, and healthcare-specific labor considerations.
• Proven ability to advise senior executives and influence outcomes in high-risk, time-sensitive environments.
• Strong leadership presence with a record of developing high-performing, disciplined teams.
• Excellent communication, analytical, and project management skills; ability to operate both strategically and hands-on in a matrixed environment.
• Prior experience in both union and non-union healthcare settings.
• High integrity, sound judgment, and strong discretion.

PREFERRED JOB QUALIFICATIONS:

• Experience supporting first-contract negotiations following certification.
• Prior partnership with external labor counsel and consultants.
• Experience building labor relations infrastructure in organizations transitioning from non-union to unionized environments.
• Prior healthcare experience.
• Project management certification or demonstrated project leadership experience.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

• Hybrid work environment with regular on-site presence at hospitals and clinics.
• Occasional travel across system locations.
• Availability outside standard business hours as labor activity requires.

Responsibilities:

• Lead, coach, and develop the Labor Relations team, setting and reinforcing high standards for rigor, discretion, responsiveness, and accountability.
• Support and advise the Labor Relations team on collective bargaining agreement interpretation, grievance response strategy, and resolution of formal disputes as needed.
• Foster a culture of confidentiality, consistency, collaboration, and shared ownership in labor-related work.
• Serve as the enterprise lead during active NLRB petitions and elections, including coordination of response strategy, compliance controls, supervisor training, and messaging guardrails.
• Act as the primary HR and labor subject matter expert on contract interpretation, NLRA requirements, healthcare election rules, neutrality parameters, and unfair labor practice risk mitigation.
• Partner with Legal and executive leadership to develop enterprise labor strategy frameworks, including mitigation strategies, communication sequencing, and escalation protocols.
• Oversee labor risk assessments, control matrices, and audit-ready documentation related to organizing and election activity.
• Coach, counsel, and provide advice and direction to leaders and employees ensuring compliance with organization policy, collective bargaining agreements, and labor/employment laws and regulations.
• Prepare the organization for contract bargaining, including costing scenarios, proposal development, bargaining calendars, and operational readiness.
• Serve as Chief Negotiator and lead preparation, research, and governance for collective bargaining, including steering committees and executive briefings.
• Lead labor stabilization efforts, including grievance processes, contract administration readiness, and leader capability building.
• Advise C-suite, executives, and operational leaders on labor risk, decision-making, and leader conduct during organizing, bargaining, and contract administration.
• Design and deliver leader education, toolkits, SOPs, and just-in-time guidance on labor law compliance and union interaction.
• Ensure leaders understand restrictions on policy enforcement, contract interpretation, discipline, and organizational change during petition and election periods.
• Partner with HR Partners and Employee Relations to ensure alignment between labor strategy, investigations, corrective action, and grievance handling.
• Establish governance structures for labor-related decision-making, including escalation thresholds and document control standards.
• Collaborate with HR Centers of Excellence (recruitment, compensation, benefits, OD) to ensure integrated enterprise support.
• Build and sustain productive, professional relationships with unions representing clinical and non-clinical populations, aligned to patient care and fiscal sustainability.
• Oversee the Rush Vulnerable Employee process.

Rush is an equal opportunity employer. We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, and other legally protected characteristics.