At PGE, our work involves dreaming about, planning for, and realizing a smarter, cleaner, more enduring Oregon neighborhood. Its core to our DNA and we haven't stopped since we started in 1888. We energize lives, strengthen communities and drive advancements in energy that promote social, economic and environmental progress. We're always on the lookout for people passionate about leading and being a part of teams that are advancing innovative clean energy solutions that are also affordable and accessible to all.
OVERVIEW
The Director, Labor Relations leads PGE's strategy for managing relationships with represented employees and ensuring effective partnership with union leadership. This role is responsible for overseeing collective bargaining, advising senior leaders on labor strategy, and ensuring the organization effectively navigates complex workforce dynamics in a highly regulated industry.
Reporting directly to the Chief Human Resources Officer and serving as a member of the HR Senior Leadership Team, the Director acts as the company's lead labor strategist and chief negotiator. The role partners closely with executives, operations leadership, HR, and Legal to guide negotiations, interpret collective bargaining agreements, and manage grievances and arbitrations.
This leader plays an important role in ensuring PGE maintains strong, productive labor relationships while protecting the organization from legal risk and supporting a high-performing workforce.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
Lead Labor Relations Strategy
Lead the development and execution of PGE's labor relations strategy, ensuring alignment with enterprise priorities, operational needs, and regulatory requirements. Serve as the organization's senior advisor on labor relations matters, providing guidance to executives and operational leaders on labor strategy, union partnership, and workforce dynamics.
Lead Collective Bargaining and Negotiations
Serve as the company's chief spokesperson and lead negotiator for collective bargaining agreements. Develop and execute negotiation strategies that support PGE's operational and workforce objectives. Lead all aspects of contract negotiations, including memorandums of understanding (MOUs), contract administration, and dispute resolution while maintaining constructive relationships with union leadership.
Oversee Grievances and Contract Administration
Provide strategic oversight of grievance administration and contract interpretation to ensure consistent and compliant application of collective bargaining agreements. Partner with leaders and HR partners to address complex contract issues and represent the organization in arbitrations and mediations when necessary.
Lead Team and Develop Talent
Lead and develop the labor relations team, setting clear priorities and building a high-performing function that supports the organization's labor strategy. Strengthen leadership capability across the company by providing guidance and tools that help leaders effectively manage represented workforces while ensuring consistent labor relations practices across the enterprise.
EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE
Education: Requires a bachelor's degree in industrial relations, labor relations or another related field, or equivalent experience. Graduate-level coursework in labor law or industrial relations is preferred.
Experience: Typically 15 or more years in human resources (HR), specifically compensation benefits, staffing, training, or employee/labor relations, or related field.
Experience serving as lead negotiator and partnering with union leadership in a complex or regulated environment is strongly preferred. Experience working with represented workforces in the utility or energy industry, including the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), is highly desirable.
COMPETENCIES (KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, ABILITIES)
Functional Competencies:
Expert knowledge of federal labor relations and wage and hour laws and collective bargaining agreements
Expert skills in negotiating bargaining agreements and resolving labor disputes
Expert knowledge of labor relations principles, contract administration, and grievance processes
Advanced knowledge of utility industry practices in company operating areas
Advanced skills in designing and implementing labor relations policies, practices, and programs
General Competencies:
Expert analytical thinking skills
Expert conflict management skills
Expert consulting skills
Expert decision-making skills
Advanced organizational management skills
Expert presentation and facilitation skills
Expert problem-solving skills
Advanced resource management skills
Expert written and oral communication skills
Senior Leader Practices:
Drives Vision and Purpose
Business Insight
Strategic Mindset
Develops Talent
Manages Ambiguity
PHYSICAL, COGNITIVE DEMANDS AND SCHEDULE/ATTENDANCE
Physical:
Driving/travel/commute: Daily within service territory - Frequently (at least once a week or more)
Driving/travel/commute: Overnight inside/outside the service territory - Occasionally (one to two times a month or less)
Computer use (use computer regularly for entire work shift)
Carrying: Up to 10 lb
Cognitive Demands:
Ability to adhere to set response times, deadlines and time-sensitive tasks
Ability to follow accuracy standards
Ability to interact effectively and collaboratively within a team environment
Ability to communicate and problem solve when under stress
Ability to respond and adapt to frequent change
Ability to accept and demonstrate self-awareness when provided constructive feedback
Ability to discern feedback and acknowledge ownership of areas of improvement
Ability to successfully collaborate with peers, managers and others within the organization
Ability to process new information to be applied consistently to work tasks
Schedule/Attendance:
Ability to work long hours
Ability to work a variable schedule
Ability to report to work and perform work during periods of severe inclement weather
Ability to consistently meet attendance standards for regular, reliable, predictable full-time attendance
Ability to work shift schedule
Ability to work on-call schedule
Environment:
Office environment
Plant environment
Field environment
PGE supports flexible work arrangements; and will have a combination of in-the-office and working offsite, however, these arrangements may need to change due to business needs or changes in responsibility.
Actual total compensation, including a performance based incentive bonus, is commensurate with experience, skills, qualifications, education, training, and internal equity.
PGE believes in rewarding dedicated performance. We provide a total rewards package that is designed to reward your contributions to the company, and, at the same time, support your well-being and professional development, both now and into the future. To find out more, click here (https://portlandgeneral.com/hrcs5511) .
Join us today and power your potential!
Assisting with storms or other Company emergencies is a part of all positions at Portland General Electric.
PGE is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to fostering a workplace where employees feel connected, valued, and empowered to thrive. PGE will not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment based on race, color, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, religion, disability, protected veteran status, or other characteristics protected by law.
PGE does not discriminate on the basis of disability. We recognize individuals have a variety of abilities to offer and we believe there is much to value and celebrate by incorporating different abilities into the work we do. One very important way we live this out is in our application and interview process. We work hard to support individuals who may need an accommodation to fully participate in these processes. If you feel you may need an accommodation, or would like to request one, please notify the Recruiter associated with the job posting. You may also make this request by contacting talentacquisition@pgn.com or by calling 503-464-7250. The Recruiter will provide information and next steps for the accommodation process.
To be considered for this position, please complete the following employment application by the posting close date. Posting closes at midnight (Pacific Time) on the closing date below. If no date is listed, job is open until filled.
March 29, 2026
