Director, Labor Relations – Remote

Optum is a global organization that delivers care, aided by technology to help millions of people live healthier lives. The work you do with our team will directly improve health outcomes by connecting people with the care, pharmacy benefits, data and resources they need to feel their best. Here, you will find a culture guided by inclusion, talented peers, comprehensive benefits and career development opportunities. Come make an impact on the communities we serve as you help us advance health optimization on a global scale. Join us to start Caring. Connecting. Growing together.  

We are seeking a highly motivated and experienced Director to join our Labor Relations team. This role will play a critical part in managing union relationships across the enterprise, overseeing collective bargaining, supporting union elections, and driving employee education campaigns. The ideal candidate combines deep labor law expertise, collective bargaining mastery, and business acumen with the agility to navigate evolving regulatory, political, and stakeholder landscapes. And the candidate must foster a workplace culture that lives our values of integrity, compassion, inclusion, relationships, innovation, and performance.

You’ll enjoy the flexibility to work remotely * from anywhere within the U.S. as you take on some tough challenges.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Union Engagement & Collective Bargaining
  • Serve as a lead negotiator or co-negotiator in collective bargaining processes, representing the company’s interests while fostering constructive labor-management relationships.
  • Provide strategic guidance to senior leaders and People Team partners on bargaining strategies, contract administration, and interpretation.
  • Ensure compliance with labor agreements and labor law requirements.
• Union Elections & Campaigns
  • Advance the company’s strategy and execution in union organizing and election campaigns, including compliance with NLRB regulations.
  • Partner with legal and the People Team to develop messaging, training, and engagement strategies.
  • Develop training content for managers and employees to ensure legal compliance and effective communication.
• Leadership & Team Management
  • Manage and develop one to two direct reports, providing coaching, feedback, and career development support.
  • Foster a collaborative and high-performance team culture.
• Policy & Compliance
  • Ensure adherence to federal and state labor regulations, company policies, and ethical practices.
  • Develop and enforce standardized policies, protocols, and reporting to promote consistency.
     

You’ll be rewarded and recognized for your performance in an environment that will challenge you and give you clear direction on what it takes to succeed in your role as well as provide development for other roles you may be interested in.

Required Qualifications:

• 6+ years of progressive experience in labor/ employee relations or related roles
• Direct experience with collective bargaining and union election campaigns
• Solid knowledge of labor law, including the NLRA and NLRB regulations
• Proven record of successfully negotiating, influencing, and building relationships at all levels
• Proven excellent communication, presentation, and facilitation skills

Preferred Qualification:

• Experience managing or mentoring team members 

  *All employees working remotely will be required to adhere to UnitedHealth Group’s Telecommuter Policy

Pay is based on several factors including but not limited to local labor markets, education, work experience, certifications, etc. In addition to your salary, we offer benefits such as, a comprehensive benefits package, incentive and recognition programs, equity stock purchase and 401k contribution (all benefits are subject to eligibility requirements). No matter where or when you begin a career with us, you’ll find a far-reaching choice of benefits and incentives. The salary for this role will range from $132,200 to $226,600 annually based on full-time employment. We comply with all minimum wage laws as applicable.

Application Deadline: This will be posted for a minimum of 2 business days or until a sufficient candidate pool has been collected. Job posting may come down early due to volume of applicants.

At UnitedHealth Group, our mission is to help people live healthier lives and make the health system work better for everyone. We believe everyone-of every race, gender, sexuality, age, location and income-deserves the opportunity to live their healthiest life. Today, however, there are still far too many barriers to good health which are disproportionately experienced by people of color, historically marginalized groups and those with lower incomes. We are committed to mitigating our impact on the environment and enabling and delivering equitable care that addresses health disparities and improves health outcomes – an enterprise priority reflected in our mission.

UnitedHealth Group is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer under applicable law and qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, national origin, religion, age, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, or protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by local, state, or federal laws, rules, or regulations.

UnitedHealth Group is a drug-free workplace. Candidates are required to pass a drug test before beginning employment.