Manager Human Resources & Labor Relations

Manager, HR & Labor Relations

Bring YOUR energy to Alliant Energy!

At Alliant Energy, our purpose is to serve customers and build stronger communities. We are passionate about powering beyond the market challenges of today, while powering what's next in energy. When our employees say "I am energy", it means they take pride in the work we do when disaster strikes, as well as all the days in between. We want you to be safe, happy and healthy.

That's why we prioritize safety, offer volunteer opportunities and provide competitive pay, comprehensive health and retirement benefits, tuition reimbursement and paid time off.

Job Summary

The Manager, HR & Labor Relations serves as a strategic HR leader, principal labor relations expert, and trusted advisor to business leaders, employees, and executive leadership. This role provides leadership to a team of HR Business Partners while also supporting assigned client groups through the delivery of strategic human resources consultation and workforce solutions.

The position is responsible for leading labor relations strategy delivery and collective bargaining negotiations, grievance administration, contract interpretation, arbitration preparation, labor-management relations, and represented workforce initiatives. In addition, the role partners with leaders on organizational effectiveness, talent strategy, workforce planning, employee relations, and business initiatives that support organizational objectives.

What you will do

• Serves as a strategic advisor to business leaders, HR leadership, and executive stakeholders, providing guidance and recommendations on complex workforce, organizational, employee, and labor relations matters requiring significant discretion, judgment, and business acumen.
• Leads, develops, coaches, and provides direction to a team of HR Business Partners, fostering strong business partnership capabilities and ensuring consistent, high-quality support across represented and non-represented work environments.
• Serves as the organization's principal labor relations resource, providing enterprise-wide expertise in collective bargaining agreement negotiations, labor strategy, contract administration, grievance management, arbitration preparation, and represented workforce matters.
• Partners with business leaders to develop and execute workforce strategies that support operational objectives, organizational effectiveness, talent needs, workforce planning, employee engagement, and business performance.
• Leads or serves as lead spokesperson, lead negotiator, second-chair negotiator, or key bargaining team member during collective bargaining negotiations, providing strategic recommendations regarding bargaining objectives, proposals, costing analyses, and workforce impacts.
• Provides consultation and coaching to leaders and HR professionals on complex employee relations, labor relations, performance management, workplace conduct, investigations, conflict resolution, and workforce challenges, exercising independent judgment in evaluating risk and determining appropriate resolutions.
• Leads strategy, preparation, and resolution of grievances, arbitrations, mediations, labor disputes, and other sensitive employment matters, including risk assessment, case evaluation, documentation review, and stakeholder consultation.
• Collaborates with HR Centers of Excellence, Legal, Compensation, Benefits, Finance, Talent Acquisition, and business leaders to deliver integrated workforce solutions and address organizational priorities.
• Assesses workforce, labor, organizational, and business risks; analyzes workforce trends and data; and develops recommendations that balance business objectives, employee experience, contractual obligations, and organizational priorities.
• Develops and maintains productive relationships with union representatives, business leaders, and employees while promoting constructive labor-management relations and collaborative problem-solving.
• Leads and contributes to strategic workforce, labor relations, organizational effectiveness, and change initiatives, ensuring alignment with labor agreements, company policies, employment requirements, and business objectives.
• Develops labor relations and workforce management tools, training, guidance, and best practices while serving as a mentor and resource to leaders, HR Business Partners, and other HR professionals across the organization.

Education Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Labor Relations, Industrial Relations, Business Administration, or a related field. | Required
• Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree or other advanced degree in Human Resources, Labor Relations, Business Administration, or related field. | Preferred

Required Experience

• 10+ years of progressive labor relations experience in a unionized environment.
• Demonstrated experience serving as a chief spokesperson, lead negotiator, second-chair negotiator, or key bargaining team member in collective bargaining negotiations.
• Significant experience advising business…