Labor Relations Manager

Job Description

Job Description

JOIN OUR TEAM

At Aspect Retail Logistics , we keep our customers stores supplied with the everyday products customers depend on. Our high-volume grocery distribution center operates in a safety-first, team-driven environment where reliability, accuracy, and productivity matter.

Role Summary

We are seeking an experienced Labor Relations Manage r to provide strategic leadership in a dynamic, unionized environment. This role is central to shaping productive labour partnerships and ensuring alignment between organizational objectives and employee relations practices.

You will lead complex collective bargaining initiatives, guide grievance management, and resolve escalations with a balanced, solutions-focused approach. Leveraging strong negotiation and influencing skills, you will drive sustainable outcomes that support both the business and workforce.

You will also play a critical role in ensuring compliance with labour legislation and collective agreements, while providing expert counsel on risk mitigation, policy interpretation, and best practices in employee and union relations.

Experience in a fast-paced distribution or manufacturing environment is required.

Key Duties & Responsibilities

• Investigation Management: Lead, coordinate, and document complex internal investigations involving harassment, discrimination, retaliation, code‑of‑conduct concerns, and policy violations, ensuring thoroughness, neutrality, and legal compliance.

• Conflict Resolution: Serve as an impartial facilitator to resolve interpersonal conflicts and manager–employee disputes, using mediation techniques that promote fairness and restore productive working relationships.
  
• Performance Consultation: Partner with leaders to develop effective Performance Improvement Plans (PIPs), coach them on delivering difficult feedback, and ensure performance processes are applied consistently and respectfully.
  
• Disciplinary Actions: Advise leaders on progressive discipline and oversee involuntary termination processes to ensure decisions are legally defensible, aligned with company values, and handled with professionalism and dignity.
  
• Trend Analysis: Analyze employee relations data, patterns, and root causes (e.g., turnover, recurring issues, departmental trends) to identify organizational “hot spots” and recommend targeted training, policy updates, or cultural interventions.
  
• Policy Interpretation: Act as the subject matter expert on company policies and the Employee Handbook, ensuring consistent application across departments and reducing risk related to perceived favoritism or inequitable treatment.
  
• Labor & Employment Law Compliance: Maintain up‑to‑date knowledge of federal, state/provincial, and local labor laws—including regulations related to wrongful termination, whistleblower protections, accommodation requirements, and collective activity—to guide decisions and mitigate organizational risk.
  
• Leader Coaching: Provide guidance and confidence-building support to leaders on people‑management practices, helping them navigate sensitive or complex situations with empathy, clarity, and accountability.
  
• Change & Risk Management: Evaluate workforce-related risks during reorganizations, leadership transitions, and cultural shifts, ensuring communication plans, timelines, and decisions support compliance and employee well-being.
  
• Documentation & Reporting: Produce clear, accurate, and defensible documentation for investigations, disciplinary actions, and employment decisions, ensuring readiness for audits, regulatory inquiries, or legal review.
  
• Relationship Building: Cultivate trusted, collaborative relationships with HR partners, employees, and leaders at all levels to strengthen organizational culture and improve employee experience.

• Culture: Promote a respectful, inclusive, and psychologically safe workplace by identifying culture barriers and partnering with leadership to implement improvement initiatives.

Competencies

• Judgment & Objectivity
  Demonstrates impartiality, balanced judgment, and the ability to evaluate sensitive issues without bias, even under pressure or scrutiny.
• Advanced Analytical & Investigative Thinking
  Applies structured, logical analysis to complex situations; identifies root causes and patterns to support defensible conclusions.
• High‑Stakes Communication & De‑escalation
  Effectively diffuses tension, facilitates productive dialogue, and guides stakeholders toward constructive solutions in emotionally charged environments.
• Employment Law & Policy Expertise
  Maintains deep knowledge of employment legislation and organizational policy frameworks; interprets regulatory requirements to support compliant and consistent decision‑making.
• Written Communication
  Produces concise, accurate, and well‑reasoned written materials; adapts tone and detail level for audiences ranging from team members to senior leaders or legal counsel.
• Influential Leadership & Relationship Building
  Builds trust and credibility across all levels of the organization; influences outcomes through diplomacy, clarity, and sound reasoning.
• Coaching & Capability Development
  Guides leaders to strengthen their skill in addressing performance, workplace behavior, and cultural expectations; promotes consistent, effective people practices.
• Organizational Agility & Adaptability
  Adjusts approach quickly in response to emerging issues, shifting priorities, or organizational change; maintains effectiveness in a fast‑moving environment.
• Data Literacy
  Understands HR metrics and uses analytical tools to identify trends, diagnose problems, and recommend proactive solutions.
• Technical Proficiency
  Uses HRIS platforms and productivity tools (e.g., ADP Workforce Now, Microsoft 365) to access data, organize information, and support streamlined work processes.
• Prioritization & Operational Discipline
  Manages multiple high‑sensitivity matters simultaneously; organizes workload effectively while maintaining accuracy and confidentiality.
• Cultural Awareness & Inclusion Mindset
  Recognizes the cultural factors influencing workplace dynamics; promotes fairness, respect, and psychological safety in all interactions and recommendations.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business, or a related field (Professional HR certification such as CHRP/CHRL/SHRM‑CP/SHRM‑SCP considered an asset).
• 7–10 years of progressive HR or Labor Relations experience , with demonstrated expertise managing complex workplace matters and advising leaders on sensitive issues.

WHY JOIN US?

• Work in an environment where safety is our first priority
• The opportunity to build a career with a growing company
• Medical, dental, and vision coverage for you and your family
• Life and disability insurance
• Wellness programs to support your family’s well-being
• 401K retirement savings plan with a company match
• Company sponsored social events
• Community volunteering

We are an equal opportunity employer committed to building and fostering a diverse workplace where people feel included and valued. We encourage applications from all qualified individuals.

Where permissible under applicable state and local law, applicants may be subject to pre-employment drug test and background check after receiving a conditional offer of employment.