Job description
Atlas Industrial Group is seeking an experienced Industrial Relations Manager to lead our labor relations strategy across multiple facilities in the Chicago area. This role partners with HR, Legal, Safety, and Operations to build fair, compliant, and productive working relationships with our workforce and union representatives. You will drive strategy, policy development, and performance metrics to minimize risk and maximize labor productivity.
Key focus areas include developing and implementing collective bargaining strategies, supervising ER investigations, advising leadership on contentious issues, and ensuring compliance with NLRA, state labor laws, and occupational safety regulations. The ideal candidate is a strategic thinker with exceptional negotiation and influencing skills, proven in complex union negotiations, and comfortable navigating high-stakes discussions with cross-functional teams.
Responsibility
- Lead and oversee all industrial relations initiatives across assigned facilities, ensuring alignment with business goals.
- Develop and execute collective bargaining strategies and contract administration plans with union representatives.
- Provide expert guidance to executives and managers on employee relations, investigations, discipline, and conflict resolution.
- Ensure compliance with NLRA, state labor laws, OSHA regulations, and company policies across operations.
- Coordinate with Legal, Compliance, and Safety teams to manage risk, policy updates, and training programs.
- Lead negotiations during bargaining cycles, prepare proposals, and document outcomes in formal agreements.
- Monitor labor metrics, conduct risk assessments, and report insights to senior leadership to support strategic decisions.
Qualification
- Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Labor Relations, Law, or a related field; Master’s degree preferred.
- 7+ years of progressive experience in industrial or labor relations, with direct experience in collective bargaining.
- Strong knowledge of NLRA, labor standards, compliance frameworks, and union dynamics.
- Exceptional negotiation, mediation, and conflict resolution skills with a proven track record.
- Excellent communication and influencing abilities; capable of presenting to executives and union committees.
- Experience leading cross-functional teams and driving policy development and implementation.
- Proficiency with HRIS, data analytics, and reporting tools; strong business acumen.