Labor Relations Director (Ashburn, VA, US, 20147)

Join Our Team!

Salary Range: $144,000 - $154,500 / year + bonus eligible

Location: Remote, preference for candidates on the East or West Coast

Travel: up to 60%

Competitive Compensation: Health, Dental, Vision and Life Plans, Paid Time Off, 401K with company match, Employee Assistance Program

Help Make SSP America “The Best Part of the Journey.”

At SSP America, we believe strong partnerships and clear communication create the foundation for great employee experiences. As food-travel experts across North America, our people drive every moment of the journey. We’re looking for a Labor Relations Director to lead labor strategy across our unionized environments, strengthen union partnerships, and ensure consistent, compliant labor practices that support both our people and our operations. In this role, you will guide leaders through complex labor matters while shaping a stable and high-performing workforce.

Why You'll Love This Journey:

You’ll have the opportunity to:

• Lead labor relations strategy across a large, complex, multi-location organization
• Serve as a trusted advisor to senior leaders on labor strategy, risk, and compliance
• Build strong relationships with union partners to support positive labor-management outcomes
• Influence negotiations, workforce planning, and long-term labor strategy
• Drive consistency and operational stability across unionized environments

What You'll Do:

• Manage and administer collective bargaining agreements across multiple unionized locations
• Lead and be first chair in collective bargaining negotiations, including renewals and amendments
• Build and maintain strong relationships with union representatives to support collaboration
• Provide expert guidance on grievances, investigations, arbitrations, and workplace conflict resolution
• Ensure compliance with U.S. and Canadian labor laws, regulations, and company policies
• Partner with Legal to support labor-related claims, agency inquiries, and risk mitigation efforts
• Advise and coach leaders on contract interpretation and labor best practices
• Partner with Operations and People teams to align labor strategies with business needs
• Maintain accurate documentation and records for all labor relations activities
• Identify process improvements and enhance tools, communication, and leader capability

What Your Bring:

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Labor Relations, or a related field required; JD or Master’s in Industrial Relations preferred.
• Minimum 10+ years of labor relations experience, including experience in unionized environments
• Experience supporting collective bargaining, grievance handling, and arbitration preparation
• Strong knowledge of U.S. and Canadian labor laws and regulations
• Proven ability to interpret and apply collective bargaining agreements across multiple locations
• Experience partnering with Legal and Operations on labor-related matters
• Strong communication, influencing, and stakeholder management skills
• Ability to manage competing priorities in a fast-paced, high-pressure environment
• High attention to detail with strong documentation and follow-up practices
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Excel, Outlook, Teams, Word, PowerPoint)
• Ability to travel up to 60% within the U.S. and Canada
• Ability to pass required background checks and airport security clearances

Join Us on the Journey:

If you’re energized by leading labor strategy, advising leaders through complex challenges, and building strong labor partnerships, we’d love to meet you. At SSP America, you’ll play a key role in shaping a stable, compliant, and high-performing workforce across the organization.

SSP America is an equal opportunity employer. All decisions concerning the employment relationship will be made without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran status, age, disability, genetic information, or any other status or characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law. SSP America will provide reasonable accommodations during the application and interview process upon request as required to comply with applicable laws.