New job, posted less than a week ago!
Job Details
Posted date: Mar 12, 2026
Category: Labor Relations
Location: Redmond, WA
Estimated salary: $164,500
Range: $106,400 - $222,600
Employment type: Full-Time
Work location type: 0 days / week in-office – remote
Role: Individual Contributor
Description
OverviewMicrosoft is seeking an experienced Senior Labor Relations Manager to join its Human Resources team to support its limited‑integration gaming studios. This role offers a unique opportunity to support a world‑class creative organization while partnering closely with Microsoft’s central labor relations team and reporting to the Director of Labor Relations.
In this highly visible role, you will play a critical part in supporting the company’s gaming studios’ continued success by advancing Microsoft’s labor principles and fostering productive, trust‑based relationships with represented employees and their unions. You will serve as a trusted advisor to studio leadership and managers, providing strategic guidance on collective bargaining, grievance administration, and day‑to‑day contract application in a fast‑paced, evolving business environment.
The ideal candidate brings deep experience navigating unionized workplaces, a pragmatic and collaborative approach to labor‑management relations, and the ability to anticipate risk while aligning labor strategy with operational and production needs. This role is well‑suited for a labor relations professional who values integrity, accountability, and partnership—and who is energized by working in a dynamic, matrixed organization at the intersection of creativity, technology, and employee relations.
Microsoft’s mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more. As employees we come together with a growth mindset, innovate to empower others, and collaborate to realize our shared goals. Each day we build on our values of respect, integrity, and accountability to create a culture of inclusion where everyone can thrive at work and beyond.
Responsibilities
Building Labor Relations-Related CapabilityIdentifies the appropriate approach and leverages resources to enhance manager capability by conducting one-on-one consulting/coaching with business leaders, or by engaging relevant Human Resources partners to advise and guide them on labor issues, regulations, and best practices.Identifies and aggregates labor relations-related training needs within the business, region, or geography supported. Develops implementation plans to address identified labor relations-related training needs, develops relevant trainings, and coordinates and/or delivers train sessions on effective labor relations practices and topics to management, business leadership and relevant Human Resources partners and leadership. Contracts and CompliancePartners with Corporate, External, and Legal Affairs in labor contract and collective bargaining negotiations and labor arbitrations. Interprets and administers labor contracts in partnership with Corporate, External, and Legal Affairs and relevant business and Human Resources partners tied to contractually obligated terms and conditions of an employee representative body's (e.g., union) or members' employment (e.g., compensation, scheduling, hours, union practices). Engages with employee representative bodies (e.g., unions) and management as part of the Labor Management Committee to resolve issues. Negotiates with employee representative bodies on mid-term bargaining issues in partnership with Corporate, External, and Legal Affairs.Enforces labor laws, regulations, contractual obligations, and collective bargaining agreements. HR Project and ProgramsPartners with Centers of Excellence on implementing and capitalizing on scalable labor relations programs and processes (e.g., Rhythm of Business (ROB)/performance and development cycle, management excellence communities, employee movement, ad-hoc projects). Manages labor relations processes for a business, region, or geography by reviewing progress and making recommendations on project/program management. Leads the design and implementation of local labor relations and/or Human Resource (HR) projects or programs that require information and consultation with employee representative bodies (e.g., reduction of force, changes to benefits) based on unique needs for a business, region, or geography. Provides project guidance related to prioritization, timelines, budget, resourcing, and impact. Leverages, aligns, and integrates communication strategies and messages from the Center of Excellence (CoE); guides others in the implementation of communication messages; collaborates with peer disciplines (e.g., Human Resources Business Partnership) to gain buy-in on programs and processes from business stakeholders. HR Solutions ConsultingProvides expert consulting services to managers and employees related to labor relations programs, processes, and initiatives.Identifies and presents trends and insights on organizational health solutions from Employee Relations (ER) and Global Employee Relations (GER) data and recommends a solution to appropriate stakeholders. Maintaining Positive Labor RelationsDirects the diagnostics and resolution of issues with high-level complexity, visibility, and risk related to labor laws and regulation or contractual concerns/violations, both independently and by collaborating with employee representatives, managers, and peers in Human Resources and Corporate, External, and Legal Affairs as appropriate. Leads the mediation of discussions between employee representatives and the company to resolve conflict and address and resolve labor disputes and grievances. Implements solutions to address issues based on labor laws and regulations, contractual obligations, and established principles and culture, while prioritizing employee and labor experiences to maintain a safe and professional work environment.Interprets trends in labor relations, legislative, and regulatory environments that may impact labor relations and makes recommendations on changes within Human Resources policies to align with external expectations. Implements solutions to facilitate an open, inclusive, Microsoft values-based environment that enables effective labor relations for an assigned business, region, or geography. Understands precedence that has been set and anticipates long-term impacts of short term decision-making.Proactively seeks to strengthen positive relationships with employee representative bodies (e.g., union) representatives and leaders. Works with employee representative bodies to determine the scope of potential bargaining units and manages organizing activity. Maintains and utilizes a feedback loop with Human Resources (HR) and Corporate, External, and Legal Affairs (CELA) to ensure awareness of, and advise on any business decisions that may impact employee representative bodies represented employees and acts as Labor Relations Representative on Labor Management Committees (LMC). Improves relationships with managers and business stakeholders to consult and inform on decisions that impact business units. Maintains relationships with external stakeholders (e.g., employee associations, government institutions, union federations) to maintain continuous communication and engagements on complex recurring and/or ad hoc programs related to labor forces.Collaborates with Human Resource Consulting and Human Resources Business Partners to administer and investigate potential and/or actual labor dispute and employee representative bodies (e.g., union) grievance cases and implementing appropriate remediation or dispute resolution in conjunction with a business, region, or geography, and other Human Resources peers (e.g., Human Resources Business Partners, Corporate, External, and Legal Affairs, Public Relations, Global Security, Benefits) in accordance with applicable labor laws and regulations, union contracts, and collective bargaining agreements. Partners with relevant internal parties (e.g., Workplace Investigation Team [WIT], Business and Regulatory Investigation [BRI], Labor Management Committee, Corporate, Corporate, External, and Legal Affairs, Global Employee Relations [GER]) in parallel investigations. Ensures appropriate documentation of issues. Queue ManagementManages, distributes, and oversees queries or requests through relevant channels (e.g., Customer Relationship Management [CRM], queue management system) for a business, region, and geography. Assesses severity levels of queries or requests and determines management approach. Strategy DevelopmentCreates a Labor Relations Community of Practice of Country Labor Relations Specialists, in local geographical region or market, accountable for delivering the Labor Relations strategy, and enabling a listening system to identify associated risks and priorities. Builds a mentoring partnership with local Corporate, External, and Legal Affairs (CELA) and labor relations subject matter experts. Coordinates scalable local HR and Product teams in consulting on commercial or cultural matters with relevant unions, works councils, or employee representatives.Co-create an overall strategy for labor relations within local area by working in partnership with regional peers, team and local HR leaders, that is relevant to Microsoft's context of rapid innovation, hybrid work and a highly skilled, diverse, workforce and that contributes positively to our culture. Collate meaningful insights on market trends and external factors from local geographical region, that will inform a more proactive approach to labor relations. Develops recommendations for increasing the effectiveness of operating model that ensures productive and positive labor relations.Other Embody our culture and values
Qualifications
Required/minimum qualifications
Master's Degree in Business, Labor Relations, Human Resources, Law, or related field AND 4+ years experience in human resources operations, labor relations or related fieldOR Bachelor's Degree in in Business, Labor Relations, Human Resources, or related field AND 7+ years experience in human resources operations, labor relations or related fieldOR equivalent experience.Additional or preferred qualificationsMaster's Degree in Business, Labor Relations, Human Resources, Law, or related field AND 8+ years experience in human resources operations, labor relations or related fieldOR Bachelor's Degree in in Business, Labor Relations, Human Resources, or related field AND 12+ years experience in human resources operations, labor relations or related fieldOR equivalent experience.3+ years experience resolving employee-related issues tied to employees covered by a collective bargaining agreement or union contract (e.g., contract negotiations, mediation).3+ years experience leading and executing projects in a complex and matrixed organization.Society for Human Resource Management Certified Professional (SHRM-CP) or Human Resource Certification Institute (HRCI) Professional in Human Resources (PHR) certification.
Labor Relations IC5 - The typical base pay range for this role across the U.S. is USD $106,400 - $203,600 per year. There is a different range applicable to specific work locations, within the San Francisco Bay area and New York City metropolitan area, and the base pay range for this role in those locations is USD $137,600 - $222,600 per year.
Certain roles may be eligible for benefits and other compensation. Find additional benefits and pay information here:
https://careers.microsoft.com/us/en/us-corporate-pay
This position will be open for a minimum of 5 days, with applications accepted on an ongoing basis until the position is filled.
Microsoft is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, ancestry, citizenship, color, family or medical care leave, gender identity or expression, genetic information, immigration status, marital status, medical condition, national origin, physical or mental disability, political affiliation, protected veteran or military status, race, ethnicity, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by applicable local laws, regulations and ordinances. If you need assistance with religious accommodations and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application process, read more about requesting accommodations.