Labor Relations Manager

The Employee & Labor Relations Manager serves as a strategic partner responsible for strengthening workplace culture, mitigating labor risk, and supporting positive employee relations across a large, multi‑brand restaurant organization. This role partners closely with HR, Operations, Legal, Corporate Communications, Brand Leadership, and Franchise Business Consultants to champion a culture of high engagement to mitigate the risk of unionization. The role also proactively addresses labor relations issues, supports HR compliance, and reinforces company values while maintaining a strong pulse on external labor trends and internal workforce trends.

This role requires a strong blend of labor relations expertise, cultural intelligence, and operational fluency within high‑volume, frontline environments.

• Serve as the subject matter expert on labor relations, including union activity, workplace disruptions, and concerted employee activity.
• Advise HR and Operations leaders on labor‑risk mitigation strategies and best practices for restaurant and field‑based environments.
• Partner with Legal, Corporate Communications, Risk, and HR to support responses to labor organizing efforts, unfair labor practice (ULP) allegations, and related investigations.
• Monitor labor trends, regulatory developments, and organizing activity impacting the restaurant industry and relevant geographic markets.
• Own and manage the Culture Index/Heatmap framework, identifying high‑risk locations, enterprise patterns, and operational implications while integrating insights into business decision‑making.
• Provide senior leadership with regular updates on the external labor landscape, internal risk trends, cultural indicators, and proactive prevention strategies.

• Support the design and execution of culture initiatives that promote company values and strengthen a workplace rooted in respect, fairness, and inclusion across diverse brands and markets.
• Partner with HR Business Partners and Operations to identify cultural friction points and recommend practical, scalable, and sustainable solutions.
• Analyze engagement results, exit feedback, and employee relations trends to surface insights and drive proactive, data‑informed action plans.
• Contribute to the development of culture‑focused communications, toolkits, and training resources to enable field and operational leaders.

• Serve as a trusted advisor to Operations leaders and Franchise Business Consultants on complex and sensitive employee relations matters, balancing legal risk, brand values, and operational needs.
• Collaborate with Legal, Compliance, Risk, Corporate Communications, and HR Centers of Excellence to ensure alignment on policies, messaging, and response strategies.
• Support brand‑specific employee relations and labor needs while maintaining consistency with enterprise labor relations standards and culture expectations.

• Assist in the development, review, and rollout of employee relations and labor‑related policies, guidelines, and compliance standards.
• Conduct ongoing monitoring and interpretation of HR legislation to assess enterprise impact across operations, financials, workforce practices, culture, and policy requirements.
• Support training initiatives for managers and field leaders on respectful workplace practices, labor law fundamentals, and effective employee communication.
• Develop and manage playbooks, toolkits, and response frameworks for labor relations scenarios common in the restaurant and franchise environment.

• Bachelor’s in Human Resources, Labor Relations, or a related field
• Master’s in Human Resources & Labor Relations and/or J.D.

• 5+ years of progressive experience in labor relations, employee relations, HR, or a closely related function

• Strong working knowledge of U.S. labor and employment laws, including the NLRA and relevant state and local regulations.
• Strong consultative skills with the ability to translate complex regulations into clear, actionable guidance.
• Demonstrated ability to…