Children's National Hospital · 5 hours ago
Lead Employee & Labor Relations Specialist (Lead Employment Investigator)
Washington, DC
Full-time
Onsite
Senior Level, Lead/Staff
8+ years expChildren's National Hospital is seeking a Lead Employee & Labor Relations Specialist who will serve as a senior-level advisor and subject-matter expert responsible for complex employee and labor relations matters. The role involves leading employment investigations, overseeing labor relations processes, and partnering with stakeholders to shape organizational strategies and mitigate risks.
AssociationChild CareHealth CareNon Profit
Responsibilities
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
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
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
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
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
Qualification
Required
Bachelor's Degree in human resources or related field. Relevant work experience may substitute for the educational requirement
8 years progressive employee/labor relations, HR investigations, or HR experience with significant exposure to complex employment investigations and/or labor relations
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 (e.g., PeopleSoft, Workday, HR Acuity, ServiceNow, PowerBI, Kronos etc.)
Preferred
Juris Doctorate (J.D.)
3 years healthcare or hospital experience preferred
Company
Children's National Hospital
Children’s National Hospital, based in Washington, D.C., was established in 1870 to help every child grow up stronger.
Founded in 1870Washington, District of Columbia, USA
5001-10000 employees
Funding
Current Stage
Late StageTotal Funding
$19.4MKey Investors
Gilbert Family FoundationAdvanced Research Projects Agency for HealthUnited Health Foundation
2025-10-09Grant· $8M
2024-10-23Grant· $8M
2021-11-09Grant· $3.4M
Leadership Team
Kurt Newman
President and CEO
Michelle Riley-Brown, MHA, FACHE
President and CEO
Recent News
BioWorld Financial Watch
2025-06-07
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