Director, Positive Employee Engagement and Labor Relations

BUILT TO CONNECT

At Astec, we believe in the power of connection and the importance of building long-lasting relationships with our employees, customers and the communities we call home. With a team more than 4,000 strong, our employees are our #1 advantage. We invest in skills training and provide opportunities for career development to help you grow along with the business. We offer programs that support physical safety, as well as benefits and resources to enhance total health and wellbeing, so you can be your best at work and at home.

Our equipment is used to build the roads and infrastructure that connects us to each other and to the goods and services we use. We are an industry leader known for delivering innovative solutions that create value for our customers. As our industry evolves, we are using new technology and data like never before.

We’re looking for creative problem solvers to build the future with us. Connect with us today and build your career at Astec.

LOCATION: Chattanooga, TN

ABOUT THE POSITION

The Positive Employee Engagement and Labor Relations Director is responsible for fostering a workplace culture that promotes trust, collaboration, employee satisfaction and equity. This role will lead strategies to strengthen employee relations, labor relations, enhance engagement, and ensure compliance with labor laws and organizational policies. The Director will serve as a key advisor to leadership, driving initiatives that support a positive work environment and align with the company’s values and business objectives.

Deliverables & Responsibilities:

Employee Relations Strategy:

• Develop and implement proactive employee relations programs to maintain a positive and productive work environment.
• Serve as a trusted resource for employees and managers in resolving workplace concerns fairly and consistently.
• Serve as liaison between the organization and collective bargaining units, ensuring effective communication and collaboration on labor-related matters.

KPIs:

• Reduction in employee grievances annually
• Average resolution time for employee issues
• Positive feedback score from employee representatives

Engagement Initiatives:

• Design and execute engagement strategies to improve employee morale, retention, and overall satisfaction.
• Lead employee surveys, analyze results, and create action plans to address feedback.
• Facilitate regular listening sessions across departments to gather employee input, identify concerns, and foster open communication.
• Define a communications plan with HRBPs and Communications Team that regularly promotes company benefits and our value proposition. In particular communications to the shop floor.

KPIs:

• Employee engagement score improvement year-over-year
• Listening sessions conducted
• Participation rate of workforce
• Completion of action plans post-survey

Labor Relations Management:

• Lead negotiations for collective bargaining agreements and labor contracts.
• Serve as the primary liaison between the organization and labor unions.
• Monitor and interpret labor laws, regulations, and union agreements to ensure compliance.

Compliance & Risk Management:

• Ensure adherence to federal, state, and local employment laws and regulations.
• Partner with Legal and HR teams to mitigate risks and manage investigations when necessary.
• Develop and administer workplace compliance strategy, including policies, audits, and training programs to ensure organizational adherence to legal and ethical standards.

KPIs:

• 100% completion of compliance audits on schedule
• Compliance training completion rate

Retention Strategies:

• Partner with HR Business Partners (HRBPs) to develop and execute retention strategies that address turnover trends and enhance employee experience.

KPIs:

• Reduction in voluntary turnover annually
• Retention rate of high-performing employees
• Implementation of retention initiatives

Leadership Coaching & Training:

• Provide guidance and training to managers on effective employee and labor relations practices.
• Promote leadership behaviors that reinforce a positive and inclusive culture.

KPIs:

• Manager training completion rate
• Improvement in leadership effectiveness scores
• Reduction in escalated employee relations cases

Culture & Communication:

• Develop communication strategies that keep employees informed and engaged.

KPIs:

• Increase in internal communication engagement
• Positive culture survey results

To be successful in this role, your experience and competencies are:

• 
  Bachelor’s degree in human resources, Business Administration, or related field (Master’s preferred).
• 8 years of progressive HR experience with a focus on employee relations and engagement.
• Strong knowledge of employment laws and regulations and experience with collective bargaining agreements.
• Exceptional interpersonal, communication, and conflict resolution skills.
• Proven ability to influence and build relationships across all levels of the organization.

Core Competencies:

• Strategic Thinking
• Emotional Intelligence
• Problem-Solving
• Collaboration and Teamwork
• Change Management

Supervisor and Leadership Expectations

• 
  Manage employee relations budget initiatives such as engagement surveys, manager trainings, engagement activities.

Our Culture and Values

Employees that become part of Astec embody the values below throughout their work.

• Continuous devotion to meeting the needs of our customers
• Honesty and integrity in all aspects of business
• Respect for all individuals
• Preserving entrepreneurial spirit and innovation
• Safety, quality and productivity as means to ensure success

Travel Requirements: 30% of domestic travel

WORK ENVIRONMENT

Office

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly exposed to risk of injury in an office environment and occasionally a manufacturing shop plant environment. Duties include a typical office setting including extensive computer work, sitting or standing. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER