WGL - Labor Relations Business Partner

The Labor Relations Business Partner is responsible for managing and executing labor relations strategy across multiple jurisdictions and union environments. This role owns the company's labor risk posture and serves as the escalation point for complex, high‑risk labor matters with material regulatory, financial, and reputational impact. The incumbent initiates engagement strategies that prioritize labor relations education, coaching support and risk mitigation for assigned business leaders and groups.

Anticipates labor, regulatory, and workforce trends, translating them into proactive strategies that inform collective bargaining, grievance resolution, arbitration avoidance, and compliance. Decisions made in this role establish precedent and directly shape labor relations outcomes across the enterprise.

• Support and initiate the labor relations strategy across multiple operating companies, jurisdictions, and union environments.
• Advise senior leaders on labor relations matters, ensuring compliance with labor laws, collective bargaining agreements (CBAs), and resolving complex workplace issues.
• Bridge HR strategy with operational leadership, often serving as an advisor to cross‑functional teams.
• Anticipate internal and external labor and regulatory developments and translate them into strategic direction to mitigate enterprise risk.
• Manage, interpret, and administer the terms of various collective bargaining agreements and employment policies, providing guidance to managers, HR staff, and employees and ensuring consistent, fair, and compliant application across the organization.
• Represent the organization in grievance meetings, mediations, and arbitrations.
• Manage and oversee the grievance tracking, scheduling, investigating employee concerns, and mediating disputes.
• Conduct investigations, create effective investigative reports and resolve high‑risk allegations, including interviewing complainants and witnesses.
• Serve as the escalation point for complex, high‑risk, or precedent‑setting labor matters; collaborate with legal counsel when necessary, reducing legal risk and ensuring compliance.
• Provide support at the bargaining table during labor contract negotiations with unions, including developing negotiation strategies and preparing proposals and counter‑proposals aligned with enterprise objectives and risk considerations.
• Monitor and interpret federal, state, and local labor laws and regulations (e.g., NLRA, FLSA, OSHA) and translate requirements into practical guidance; develop and update labor‑related policies and handbooks to ensure enterprise‑wide compliance and risk mitigation.
• Advise and train management on best practices for handling employee relations issues, disciplinary actions, performance management, and other labor‑related matters; anticipate emerging labor trends and build leader capability to address complex issues consistently across the enterprise.
• Act as a liaison with union officials, managers, and employees to foster productive working relationships; independently manage sensitive and complex relationships and shape engagement approaches to support organizational objectives.
• Provide strategic advice to senior leadership regarding labor practices, workforce trends, collective bargaining strategy, and potential regulatory, financial, and reputational risks associated with labor relations.
• Maintain confidentiality and handle sensitive information with discretion while navigating labor relation/human resource matters.

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Labor Relations, or related field preferred, or 5 years' experience managing and/or overseeing a unionized environment.
• Understanding of labor related laws and regulations and collective bargaining agreements, including but not limited to the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA), Title VII, ADA, FMLA, and state/local laws and ordinances.
• 3‑5 years of experience in Labor Relations, Human Resources, Employee Relations and/or Labor Union Executive Board environment.
• Experience working with unions or in a unionized environment.
• Collaborative but also initiative‑taking, ability to work…