Director, Labour Relations

Job Summary:
The Director, Labour Relations is a strategic leadership role responsible for developing and executing Porter’s labour relations strategy. Reporting to the executive vice president and chief people officer, this role acts as a key advisor to senior leaders on all matters relating to union relationships, collective bargaining, grievance management, arbitration, and labour compliance under Canadian federal law (Canada Labour Code).

Duties & Responsibilities:
**Strategic Leadership & Labour Relations Planning**:

- Develop and implement a long-term labour relations strategy aligned with business objectives and regulatory obligations.
- Serve as the lead negotiator in collective bargaining with various bargaining units (e.g., pilots, flight attendants, customer service, and ground crew).
- Provide expert advice to executives and managers on labour relations issues, including contract interpretation, discipline, and operational decisions.

**Union & Stakeholder Relations**:

- Build and maintain constructive relationships with union representatives across multiple bargaining units.
- Act as the organization’s primary point of contact for union leadership during both routine engagement and during periods of conflict.
- Lead regular labour-management meetings and joint consultation committees to proactively address workplace issues.

**Grievance & Arbitration Management**:

- Oversee the end-to-end grievance process, ensuring timely investigation, documentation, and resolution.
- Represent the company at arbitration hearings or coordinate with external legal counsel as necessary.
- Analyze trends and root causes of grievances to recommend policy or procedural improvements.

**Collective Bargaining & Contract Administration**:

- Develop bargaining mandates in collaboration with finance, operations, and legal.
- Lead the preparation of proposals and counterproposals, manage negotiations, and oversee ratification processes.
- Ensure accurate implementation of collective agreements and updates to People and Culture systems, payroll, and operations.

**Regulatory Compliance**:

- Ensure full compliance with the **Canada Labour Code**, **Canadian Aviation Regulations**, **Occupational Health and Safety legislation**, and other applicable federal labour standards.
- Monitor changes in labour law and industry-specific regulations to mitigate risks and update policies accordingly.
- Actively participate in Porter’s Security and Safety Management System (SMS), including reporting hazards and incidents encountered in daily operations; understand, comply and promote the Company Safety Policy.

**Labour Analytics & Reporting**:

- Provide regular reports to senior leadership on key labour metrics, risks, opportunities, and trends.
- Use workforce and labour data to inform strategic decision-making and negotiations.
- Lead labour relations audits and risk assessments.

**Team Leadership & Development**:

- Provide training and coaching to People and Culture Advisors and operational leaders on unionized workforce management.

Behavioural Competencies:
**Concern for Safety**: Identifying hazardous or potentially hazardous situations and taking appropriate action to maintain a safe environment for self and others.**Teamwork**: Working collaboratively with others to achieve organizational goals.**Passenger/Customer Service**: Providing service excellence to internal and/or external customers (passengers).**Initiative**: Dealing with situations and issues proactively and persistently, seizing opportunities that arise.**Results Focus**: Focusing efforts on achieving high quality results consistent with the organization’s standards.**Fostering Communication**: Listening and communicating openly, honestly, and respectfully with different audiences, promoting dialogue and building consensus.**Exemplifying Integrity**: Treating others fairly, honestly, and respectfully, furthering the integrity of the organization and its relationships of trust with team members and the broader community.**Inspiring Others**: Energizing and inspiring others to strive for excellence and commit to common goals and purposes, creating a sense of self-efficacy, resilience, and persistence in followers.**People Leadership**: Assuming a leadership role in helping others achieve excellent results.**Leading Change**: Recognizing the need for change, being open to new ideas and methods, and championing transformational change within the organization and beyond.

Qualifications:
**Education**:

- Bachelor's degree in Industrial Relations, Human Resources, Law, or a related field is required.
- A Master’s degree or LLB/JD is an asset.
- CPHR or CHRL designation is an asset.

**Experience**:

- Minimum 10 years of progressive labour relations experience in a unionized environment, with at least 5 years in a leadership role.
- Experience in the **aviation or transportation industry** is strongly preferred.
- Proven experience in leading complex collect