Associate Vice President, Labor Relations

Oregon Health & Science University(OHSU)is seeking anAssociateVice President Labor Relations whowilladvancelabor strategy aligned with the clinical academic and research missions of the institution lead from the bargaining tabledevelop and coacha growing labor relationsteamand guide labor partnership for a workforce wherenineunions representmore than17000employees roughly 75% of OHSUs overall employee population.OHSU is a labor-friendlyinstitutionand a continued strong positive relationship with union partners is essential to the universitys continued success andgrowth.

Roughly threein four OHSU employeesmore than17000 peopleare represented by one of nine collective bargaining units spanning healthcare research and public employee unions. Labor relations is not a peripheralhuman resources (HR)function at OHSU; it is central to how the institutionoperates negotiates change and sustains its clinical academic and research missions.

The AssociateVice President(AVP) Labor Relations is OHSUs enterprise executive for labor strategy collective bargaining and union partnership across the university. Reporting to theVice President HR Business Partners & Employee and Labor Relations and with a dotted line to theExecutive Vice Presidentand Chief People Officer this role carries executive-level accountability for how OHSU engages with a represented workforce that makes up roughly three-quarters of its total employee population across nine bargaining units.

The AVP will lead a labor relations organizationand willsetavision forthestructure hiringand development ofits leaderstoensure the teamoperatesas a unified strategically aligned function.

Beyond internal leadership the AVP is OHSUs senior voice at the bargaining table and in the C-suite on labor matters translating institutional priorities into negotiation strategy advising executive leadership on risk and opportunity and ensuring that labor strategy is woven into how OHSU plans its workforce its finances and its operations. The successful candidate will bring both the gravitas to advise senior executives on high-stakes labor matters and the operational discipline to lead a growing specialized team through a period of significant organizational change.More than anything OHSU is looking for someone who leads withapeople-firstmindsetmakes it a priority tobuildauthenticrelationshipswith leadershipand sees strong labor partnership as core to moving OHSU to even greater heights.

Key Responsibilities

Enterprise Labor Relations Strategy & Governance

• Own OHSUs enterprise labor relations strategy ensuring it aligns with the universitys clinical academic and research missions and its broader financial and operational priorities

• Build the oversight model decision rights and escalation pathways that allow labor relations to function consistently across a complex multi-mission institution

• Serve as the senior authority translating institutional direction into a coherent labor relations agenda

Collective Bargaining & Negotiations

• Direct collective bargaining strategy and in-person negotiations across OHSUs nine bargaining unitsrepresentingroughly17000employees

• Lead or oversee the bargaining table personally for the universitys highest-stakes negotiations and ensure the broader team is equipped to do the same across their assigned portfolios

• Partner with Finance and Compensation on proposal costing and ensure negotiated outcomes protect both institutional sustainability and workforce stability

Contract Administration & Interpretation

• Ensure consistent compliant interpretation and administration of collective bargaining agreements and labor-related policy across every mission area of the university

• Establish standards that allow the labor relations team to apply contract provisions accurately and consistently regardless of which union or unit is involved

Arbitration & Dispute Resolution

• Provide executive oversight of arbitration and grievance strategy personally engaginginthe most complex or highest-risk cases

• Represent OHSU in arbitration and mediation proceedings as needed and build proactive risk-identification practices that reduce the volume and severity of disputes over time

Executive Advising & Stakeholder Influence

• Act as OHSUs go-to executive resource for senior leaders deans and operational leaders on labor and union-related matters particularly where decisions carry institutional risk or touch multiple bargaining units

• Translate complex labor dynamics into clear guidance that supports soundtimelyleadership decisions

Organizational Design & Team Leadership

• Design staff and lead a labor relations organization built around union-specificexpertise

• Recruit and develop theteamestablishlabor relations competencies workflows and professional development frameworks for theteamand build the bench strength needed for long-term succession

Change Management & Capability Building

• Lead communication and change management for labor agreements policy shifts and workforce transitions ensuring leaders across the university understand their obligations and options under active contracts

• Build durable tools training and frameworks that raise every managers ability to lead effectively in a unionized environment

Integration with Broader HR Strategy

• Partner with HR Business Partners Employee Relations Total Rewards and Workforce Planning to ensure labor strategy is not siloed that it actively informs and is informed by organizational design compensation strategy and employee engagement efforts across OHSU

• Provide escalation support toHR Business Partnersand Employee Relations on complex disciplinary matters involving represented employees ensuring performance management and discipline decisions hold up against active contract language

Diversity EquityInclusion& Belonging(DEIB)

• Advance DEIBoutcomes within the labor relations function and in how labor strategy is executed through hiring development promotion and theequitableapplication of contract provisions

This role requires regular onsite presence across OHSU locations and the ability to respond in person to critical events at any OHSU site within four hours. Work isgenerally performedduring standard business hours; howeverextendedand non-traditional hours should be expected during active negotiations and time-sensitive labor matters. The AVP willmaintaina visible in-person presence at the bargaining table and across OHSU worksites to stay connected to workplace climate and workforce trends.

• Bachelors degree in Human Resources Labor Relations Business Administration Law Public Administration ora relatedfieldis. Masters degree (MBA MHA MS in HR) or JDisstrongly preferred.
• 1215-plusyears of progressive labor relations experience includingsignificant timein a senior leadership capacity

• Demonstrated success leading collective bargaining across multiple unions or bargaining units simultaneously

• Track recordof building orsubstantially reshapinga labor relations function or team

• Direct experienceadvisingC-suite executives and/or governing boards on complex labor matters

• Experience in a large unionized academic medical center healthcare system or comparably complex highly regulated environmentisstrongly preferred

• Advanced knowledge of labor law collective bargaining statutes and grievance/arbitration processes

• Proven negotiation mediation and conflict-resolutionskillsat the executive level

• Ability to translate labor strategy into workforce planning organizational design and total rewards decisions

• Strong executive presence and communicationskills with the ability to influence stakeholders across clinical academic research and administrative domains

• Data-driven approach to labor analytics and risk assessment

• Demonstrated ability to lead coach and develop specialized technical teams
• Must be able to perform the essential functions of this position with or without accommodation

OHSU has engagedOpus Partners to support this search.Foradditional information and to apply please contact Thomas Lapierre: .

To be considered candidates must provide a resume and a letter of introduction that addresses the specific responsibilities expectations and qualifications described above. PleaseconsultOpus Partners for more information about the application process.

We are Oregons only public academic health center. In addition to caring for patients we lead groundbreaking research. We also train the next generation of health care professionals. As Portlands largest employer we give you opportunities to learn and advance in a system of hospitals and clinics across Oregon and Southwest Washington.

All are welcome. OHSU welcomes people of all ages ethnicities genders national origins religions and sexual orientations. We are striving to build an anti-racist multicultural institution and encourage people with diverse backgrounds to apply.

To request reasonable accommodation contact