Director, Labor Relations in PORTLAND, Oregon at PacifiCorp

PacifiCorp is seeking customer-centric candidates to grow and sustain our commitment to a culture of customer service excellence, environmental sustainability, inclusion & belonging.

The Director, Labor Relations is a strategic leader responsible for managing and guiding all labor relations activities within a regulated utility environment. This role ensures compliance with labor laws and regulations, fosters collaborative relationships with unions, and supports the organization’s operational goals through effective labor strategies. The Director will serve as the primary liaison between management and union representatives, overseeing collective bargaining, contract administration, grievance resolution, and labor-related policy development.

This position is located in Portland, OR.

• Lead and manage labor relations strategy across the organization, aligning with business objectives and regulatory requirements.
• Serve as chief negotiator or lead advisor for eight collective bargaining agreements across a six-state territory.
• Supervise, mentor, and develop a team of labor relations professionals, ensuring high performance, collaboration, and continuous development.
• Interpret and administer collective bargaining agreements (CBAs), ensuring consistent application across departments.
• Advise senior leadership and operational managers on labor relations issues, including discipline, grievances, arbitration, and contract interpretation.
• Assign and oversee team responsibilities related to contract administration, grievance handling, arbitration preparation, and labor-related investigations.
• Develop and maintain positive relationships with union leadership to foster a collaborative and productive labor environment.
• Monitor and ensure compliance with federal, state, and local labor laws, including NLRB, FMLA, FLSA, and other applicable regulations.
• Conduct investigations and represent the company in labor disputes, arbitrations, and hearings.
• Analyze labor trends, grievances, and arbitration decisions to identify risks and recommend proactive solutions.
• Partner with HR, Legal, and Compliance teams to ensure alignment on labor-related policies and practices.
• Provide training and guidance to managers and supervisors on labor relations best practices and contract compliance.
• Direct personnel on required collective bargaining changes, support managers and employees with understanding the applicability of rules.
• Recommend and implement plans and approaches to support overall business strategies.

• Bachelor’s degree in labor relations, Human Resources, Business Administration or a related field; or the equivalent combination of education and experience.
• A minimum of ten years’ progressive labor relations experience within a unionized and regulated environment (utility industry experience strongly preferred).
• A minimum of five years’ experience of direct people management.
• Ability to interpret financial models to facilitate economic analysis throughout the collective bargaining process and for monitoring of results thereafter.
• Deep knowledge of labor laws, collective bargaining processes, and union-management relations.
• Strong leadership, coaching, and team development skills.
• Excellent negotiation, conflict resolution, and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to interpret complex contracts and legal documents.
• Strategic thinker with a proactive and solution-oriented mindset.
• Experience working with regulatory bodies and understanding of utility-specific labor challenges.
• Leadership and teamwork skills to negotiate with and influence peers and management on policy and strategic issues.
• Communication and interpersonal skills including the ability to manage and motivate employees, use oral and written communication to create a vision, communicate strategy, and effectively interface with other company leaders.
• Understand and utilize the company’s strategic plan, regulatory and political environment, as well as the company’s policies, procedures and practices, and applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations to guide decision-making.
• Travel will be required. 25%+

At PacifiCorp, we understand that living a healthy lifestyle isn’t just about your physical health — your mental, financial, and social wellbeing also play an important role. That’s why we offer a wide range of benefits designed to help you live a more balanced lifestyle

Our benefits include:

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance

• 401k with match fixed contributions, including a Roth and saving option. For union employees, matching contributions vary by union. For nonunion, PacifiCorp makes a fixed contribution equal to 4% of your eligible pay each year for new hires. In addition, PacifiCorp matches 100% of the first 6% you contribute.

• Life insurance

• Additional voluntary benefits, including pet insurance

• Tuition Assistance

• Mass Transit Pass for employees in our Portland and Salt Lake City Offices.

Work Life Balance

• Generous Paid Time Off (PTO) - Time off varies by employee type (Union or Non-Union)

• Paid short-term disability leave and long-term disability insurance

• Paid Parental Leave

• Paid Bereavement Leave

• Employee Assistance Program supporting mental and emotional wellbeing

For more information, please visit: https://careers.pacificorp.com/content/New-Benefits-Page/?locale=en_US

• Advanced Degree (Juris Doctorate recommended).
• Experience in a regulated utility environment.
• PHR or SPHR Certification.
• Working knowledge of Taft-Hartley Trusts.
• Working knowledge of the Davis-Bacon Act

Req Id: 114654
Company Code: PACIFICORP (#PM25)
Primary Location: PORTLAND (100% On-Site
Department: PacifiCorp General Counsel
Schedule: Full-Time
Personnel Subarea: Exempt
Hiring Range: $155,300 - $213,510

This position is eligible for an annual discretionary performance incentive bonus of up to 20.00% of salary.

Employees must be able to perform the essential functions of the position with or without an accommodation.

PacifiCorp is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion or religious creed, age, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status (except as required by law), gender (including gender identity and expression), sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, genetic information, physical or mental disability, medical condition, veteran or military status, familial or parental status, marital status or any other category protected by applicable local, state or U.S. federal law.

Unless otherwise required by law, all offers of employment are contingent upon the successful completion of a background check and drug screening including for marijuana. While marijuana is legal in several states, including Oregon, a positive test for positions in Oregon may disqualify a candidate. The company complies with the laws of Washington and California and only obtains and considers positive tests for marijuana in safety-sensitive positions or those covered by U.S. Department of Transportation regulations.