What are the responsibilities and job description for the City of Philadelphia, PA - Director of Labor Relations position at Raftelis?
The City of Philadelphia, a city with ambitious goals and an active labor landscape, is seeking its next Director of Labor. The Director of Labor serves as the City of Philadelphia's principal labor relations executive and the primary point of contact for the City's labor community, guiding labor policy, managing negotiations and grievance resolution with the City's internal bargaining units, and leading the department's worker protection and enforcement functions. The ideal candidate is a seasoned labor relations professional who pairs deep technical expertise with the leadership presence and collaborative instincts to build trust across a complex, multi-stakeholder environment. This is a compelling opportunity for a leader who understands that strong labor relations are not just an administrative function, but a foundation for how a city delivers on its promises to its workforce and its residents.
The Labor Director is a key member of the City's executive leadership, reports to the Chief Administrative Officer, and advises the Mayor's office on labor strategy, policy development, and emerging employment issues. Internally, the Director serves as the City's chief technical expert and principal advisor to department heads and senior leadership on all labor-related matters. Externally, the Director engages unions, worker advocacy organizations, employers, and community stakeholders — building the relationships and credibility that allow the department to fulfill its mission as both a partner and an enforcer.
The next Director will join a department with experienced, committed staff and a clearly defined mission — and will be expected to bring both strategic clarity and steady hands to a role that sits at the intersection of City management, union relationships, and community accountability.
The Department of Labor builds partnerships between City management and the labor organizations representing City employees, while also investigating and enforcing critical worker rights across Philadelphia's broader economy. The Director plans, organizes, and directs the full scope of the department's work — from collective bargaining and grievance resolution to unfair labor practice responses, from ensuring City contractors meet prevailing and living wage requirements to administering and enforcing the City's worker protection laws, including paid sick leave, wage theft prevention, and fair workweek standards.
The Director provides oversight to Deputy Directors managing the department's three primary offices — the Office of Employee and Labor Relations, the Office of Labor Standards, and the Office of Worker Protections — as well as the Living Wage Working Group. The Director also works in close coordination with a Deputy City Solicitor embedded within the department, reflecting the legal complexity and consequence of this portfolio.