The Senior Manager, Labor Relations Lead is a senior individual contributor responsible for providing expert guidance on global labor relations matters, supporting consistent and compliant practices across all regions. The role partners with People Experience, Legal, business leaders, and employee representative bodies to manage complex labor-related issues and strengthen organizational capability in collective consultation, employee representation, workplace change, labor risk, and manager enablement in a integral operating environment.

Scope and Impact

This role operates as a trusted subject matter expert within a global People Experience environment. The P5 Global Labor Relations Lead influences outcomes across multiple regions, supports high-confidentiality matters, and helps ensure that labor relations activity is aligned with legal requirements, company values, operational priorities, and employee trust. The role requires strong judgment, structured thinking, and the ability to balance risk, consistency, empathy, and business practicality. The role supports labor relations activity across key jurisdictions in AMER, EMEA, and APAC, including countries with employee representation, works council, collective consultation, or union-related obligations.

Key Responsibilities

Provide senior-level labor relations expertise and practical guidance to People Experience partners, business leaders, and cross-functional stakeholders on complex labor matters

Lead and coordinate the planning and execution of collective consultation and employee representative processes, including Works Council engagement, union interactions and collective bargaining processes

Build and maintain constructive, credible relationships with Works Councils, unions,



and other employee representative bodies

Advise on labor relations implications of organizational change, workforce planning, restructuring, policy implementation, and business transformation initiatives

Assess and inform labor relations, employee representation, consultation, and jurisdictional complexity to inform location strategy and workforce planning decisions

Partner closely with Legal, People Business Partners, Employee Relations, Total Rewards, Communications, and regional People teams to assess labor risk and develop consistent, compliant approaches

Prepare clear, accurate, and audience-appropriate materials for consultation processes, leadership briefings, employee representative discussions, and governance forums

Monitor labor relations developments, employee representative activity, external trends, and emerging risks across jurisdictions, translating insights into proactive planning and decision-making

Direct the development and maintenance of scalable labor relations frameworks, end-to-end processes, workflows, governance mechanisms, playbooks, templates, and an AI-enabled knowledge base to support consistent and efficient delivery

Coach and enable managers and People partners to understand labor relations obligations, employee voice mechanisms, consultation expectations, and escalation pathways

Contribute to sensitive investigations,



escalations, and workplace matters where labor relations considerations, representative involvement, or collective risk may be present

Maintain accurate documentation, case notes, consultation records, and decision rationale in accordance with internal governance, confidentiality, and compliance requirements

Required Qualifications

Significant experience in labor relations, employee relations, human resources, employment law, or a closely related People function, preferably in a global or matrixed organization

Strong understanding of labor relations principles, collective consultation, employee representation, union or works council processes, and employment‑related risk management

Demonstrated experience directly engaging with unions, Works Councils and/or other employee representative bodies on consultation, organizational change or other complex labor relations matters

Demonstrated ability to advise on complex and sensitive workplace matters with sound judgment, confidentiality, and practical risk awareness

Experience partnering with Legal, HR/People teams, business leaders, and employee representative groups on labor-related matters

Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to prepare clear briefings, consultation materials, stakeholder updates, and decision‑support documents

Strong project management and organizational skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities, deadlines, stakeholders, and jurisdictional requirements

Ability to interpret policy, process, and legal guidance and translate it into practical, manager‑friendly advice

Comfort operating with ambiguity, exer

📌 Senior Manager, Labor Relations (Barcelona)
🏢 Autodesk
📍 Barcelona