Lead Employee & Labor Relations Specialist
Children's National Hospital
Summary
The Lead Employee & Labor Relations Specialist (Lead ER/LR Specialist) serves as a senior-level advisor, program lead, and subject-matter expert responsible for the most complex, sensitive, and high-impact ER/LR matters across the organization. This role leads enterprise-level employment investigations, oversees labor relations processes, contributes to negotiation strategy, and drives ER/LR program development, including policies, toolkits, reporting standards, and systemic improvements.
Job description
In addition to managing a portfolio of complex cases, the Lead ER/LR Specialist provides mentorship, oversight, and quality assurance to ER/LR Specialists and Senior Specialists, ensuring consistency in practice and alignment with organizational goals. The role partners closely with organizational stakeholders including but not limited to Legal, Security, Risk Management, Corporate Compliance, HR leadership, and senior operational leaders on labor/employment strategy, organizational risk mitigation, and culture-building efforts.
The Lead ER/LR Specialist leverages data, trends, case analytics, and workforce insights to inform decision-making and shape organizational strategies. This role influences key stakeholders and ensures Children's National maintains best-in-class employment and labor practices in a complex healthcare and unionized environment.
Functional Accountabilities
Strategic ER/LR Leadership
- Serve as senior advisor to leaders, HRBPs, HR COEs and Legal on the most complex ER/LR issues requiring advanced judgment.
- Lead risk assessments and partner on enterprise-level initiatives to strengthen culture and mitigate organizational exposure.
- Use trends, analytics, and case metrics to inform leadership decisions and organization-wide interventions.
High-Risk Employment Investigations
- Lead the most sensitive, high-impact investigations involving multiple stakeholders, cross-department concerns, or significant legal exposure.
- Partner with Legal and HR Leadership to determine investigative strategies and ensure alignment with regulatory requirements.
- Establish and maintain investigation standards and best practices across the ER/LR team.
Labor Relations Strategy & Support
- Serve as a subject-matter expert on collective bargaining agreements, labor law, and labor-management relations.
- Lead grievance strategy/process and represent management in discussions with union representatives.
- Support negotiation planning, including issue tracking, costing analysis, proposal development, and historical case review.
- Participate in union contract negotiations to include first contracts, successor contracts, mid-term contracts and bargaining, and impact bargaining.
- Facilitate labor-management meetings and support resolution of ongoing labor issues.
Program Oversight & Continuous Improvement
- Lead development of ER/LR programs, toolkits, templates, policies, and workflows.
- Oversee consistency and quality across ER/LR investigations and case management.
- Develop and deliver enterprise-wide training for leaders, team members and HR colleagues.
- Influence process redesign and organizational employment practices informed by case trends and risk assessments.
Mentorship & Team Development
- Provide guidance, coaching, and direction to ER/LR Specialists and Senior Specialists.
- Review investigation reports and provide feedback to ensure quality and consistency.
- Support the Director of Employee & Labor Relations in operational planning and continuous improvement initiatives.
Requirements
- Bachelor's Degree in human resources or related field (Required)
- Juris Doctorate (J.D.) (Preferred)
- 8 years progressive employee/labor relations, HR investigations, or HR experience with significant exposure to complex employment investigations and/or labor relations (Required)
- 3 years healthcare or hospital experience preferred (Preferred)
- Deep expertise in labor/employment law, and ER/LR best practices with emphasis on healthcare and unionized settings (e.g., Title VII, FLSA, ADA, FMLA, PWFA, NLRA, USERRA, HIPAA etc.)
- Proven ability to lead high-risk investigations and influence resolution outcomes
- Strong strategic thinking and program development capabilities
- Advanced skills in communication, coaching, facilitation, and relationship management
- Ability to oversee case quality, ensure consistency, and mentor HR colleagues
- Ability to analyze and leverage workforce data to identify trends, risks, and opportunities
- Proven proficiency with MS Office; Experience using HRIS, case management, and data analytics systems (Workday, ServiceNow, PowerBI, Kronos etc.)
Benefits
- Medical, Dental & Vision
- Prescription coverage
- Infertility services
- Transgender health services
- Paid time off
- Vacation accrual
- Sick leave
- Holidays
- Personal day
- 401(k) plan
- Healthcare spending accounts
- Dependent care spending accounts
- Life insurance
- AD&D insurance
- Long-term disability
- Tuition assistance
- Fitness resources
- Employee assistance program
- Commuter benefits
Company overview
Children's National Hospital is a premier pediatric healthcare institution located in Washington, D.C., recognized as one of the top children's hospitals in the United States. Founded in 1870, it serves as the region's primary pediatric academic medical center, providing comprehensive care across all pediatric specialties. The hospital operates a 323-bed facility and offers advanced medical services including neonatal intensive care, pediatric surgery, oncology, cardiology, and neurology. As an academic medical center affiliated with the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Children's National is deeply involved in pediatric research, medical education, and clinical innovation. The institution is particularly renowned for its Sheikh Zayed Institute for Pediatric Surgical Innovation and its leadership in pediatric genomics and precision medicine. Children's National consistently ranks among the top pediatric hospitals nationally, with specialties in cancer, cardiology, neurology, and neonatology receiving particular recognition for excellence in patient care and outcomes.