What are the responsibilities and job description for the Labor Relations Manager position at City of Richmond, Virginia?
Help shape labor-management relations for the capital city of Virginia.
The City of Richmond is seeking a strategic, analytical, and highly collaborative professional to serve as its next Labor Relations Manager.
Reporting to the Deputy Director of Human Resources or designee, the Labor Relations Manager will play a critical role in collective bargaining, contract administration, grievance and dispute resolution, labor-management relations, policy interpretation, compliance, and workforce analytics.
The City of Richmond has five recognized bargaining units, making this a high-visibility opportunity for a labor relations professional who can navigate complex issues with sound judgment, discretion, and professionalism.
THE POSITION
The Labor Relations Manager will:
- Support preparation for and participation in negotiations with the City's five collective bargaining units
- Conduct financial and operational impact analyses of union proposals
- Develop costing models, scenario analyses, and benchmarking reports
- Draft memoranda of understanding, side letters, and contract language
- Interpret collective bargaining agreements and advise departments on compliance and application
- Investigate and respond to grievances and represent the City in grievance meetings
- Assist with arbitration preparation and collaborate with legal counsel on arbitration strategy
- Support labor-management committees and serve as a liaison between City leadership and union representatives
- Monitor compliance with Virginia collective bargaining statutes and applicable labor laws
- Analyze workforce data, including overtime, leave usage, discipline trends, and compensation impacts
- Develop reports and presentations for City leadership and elected officials
Ideal Candidate
The successful candidate will possess:
- Five to seven years of progressively responsible experience in labor relations, employee relations, or human resources within a unionized environment.
- Strong knowledge of public-sector labor relations, preferably within the Commonwealth of Virginia.
- Demonstrated ability to interpret and administer complex collective bargaining agreements with precision and sound judgment.
- Strong analytical capabilities, including experience with financial costing and impact analysis related to labor agreements and personnel matters.
- Exceptional written, verbal, and presentation skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities in a deadline-driven and politically sensitive environment.
- A high degree of professionalism, discretion, political awareness, and sound judgment.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Excel and other data analysis tools.
- Experience supporting multiple bargaining units and prior supervisory or management experience is preferred.
- Experience supporting police, fire, public works, or general government bargaining units is preferred.
- Experience preparing arbitration materials is desirable.
Education & Credentials
- Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Public Administration, Labor Relations, Business Administration, or a closely related field is required.
- Master’s degree in Public Administration, Labor Relations, or a related field is preferred.
- Professional certifications such as PHR, SPHR, SHRM-CP, SHRM-SCP, PSHRA-CP, or PSHRA-SCP are desirable.
TO APPLY
If you are an experienced labor relations professional with a strong track record in collective bargaining, contract administration, grievance resolution, and labor-management relations, we invite you to explore this opportunity to help strengthen workforce practices and labor partnerships for the City of Richmond.