Labor Relations Director

Overview

The mission of the Seattle Human Resources Department (SDHR) is to provide strategic and operational human resources services that meet the city's workforce and organizational needs. Our values reflect our best thinking of how we want to act and interact with customers, consumers, partners, and each other: respect, excellence, integrity, equity, adaptability, integration, and accountability. We are seeking a strategic, accomplished labor relations executive to serve as the city's Labor Relations Director at a pivotal moment.

This role offers both scope and influence: the chance to lead high-impact negotiations, guide a talented labor relations team, strengthen labor-management partnerships, and ensure that the city’s labor practices reflect its commitment to inclusive and accountable governance.

Within SDHR, Labor Relations provides technical and professional services to policymakers and city department managers to advance effective, respectful, and fair labor relations, enhancing the city's delivery of quality public services. The Labor Relations division is staffed with 10 employees, including the Director, and operates with an FY 26 budget of $1.2 million. Additional information regarding the City’s labor relations, including bargaining units and its Labor Relations Policy Committee, can be found here.

The Labor Relations Director fosters collaborative relationships that advance the city’s labor relations strategy, supporting excellence in government and equitable treatment of all city employees. Consistent with the City’s values of inclusive and accountable governance and its labor philosophy of collaboration and partnership, the Director is accountable for:

• Overseeing and coordinating the city’s labor relations system in accordance with SMC 4.04.120, including leadership of the city’s collective bargaining process and the development and implementation of labor relations policies, practices, and programs aligned with strategic objectives.
• Leading the city’s Labor Relations Division, including labor negotiators and analysts, to deliver high-quality labor relations services across all city departments, aligning day-to-day service delivery with citywide strategies, operations, and goals.
• Fostering a culture of employee engagement and labor relations service quality by aligning labor relations strategies, programs, and activities to support the work of the city, promote equity, and empower employees to deliver exceptional services and innovate for the people of Seattle.
• Ensuring consistent, principled engagement with labor partners during bargaining, in alignment with the city’s labor philosophy and parameters established by the Labor Relations Policy Committee (LRPC).
• Serving as a trusted advisor to city departments, proactively addressing diverse operational needs; communicating requirements under relevant collective bargaining agreements, labor law, and policies; supporting department leaders and staff; facilitating open, transparent communication with labor partners; and identifying and removing barriers to effective labor relations service delivery.

The City seeks a seasoned labor relations executive with the judgment, credibility, and mindset to strategically lead complex labor relations in a large, unionized public-sector environment. The ideal candidate must be pragmatic, forward-thinking, and an advocate for collaborative action. Their work history includes experience negotiating, implementing, and interpreting collective bargaining agreements with a deep understanding of employment and labor law. They are a decisive, fair, and diplomatic leader who motivates others, respects diverse perspectives, and ensures equitable and sustainable outcomes.

A skilled organizational leader, they facilitate swift issue resolution and maintain high service standards. Consistency, openness, and responsiveness are priorities, and they are recognized as a steady, trusted leader with deep technical expertise paired with strong political and organizational acumen. The successful candidate will demonstrate:

• Strategic labor relations leadership, aligning labor…