Job Title: Project Manager – Labor Relations Consultant (Collective Bargaining)
Location: Illinois, Indiana, or Columbus preferred
Hybrid: Onsite visits twice a month
Duration: ASAP through 12/31/2026
Hours/Week: 40 hours
Rate: $80 - $90/hour
Contract: W-2, U.S citizens only, no C2C or visa sponsorships

**
Scope of Services:**

Our client, a large utilities provider, is seeking a seasoned Project Manager to lead the coordination and execution of its Work Continuity Program—a high-visibility initiative supporting readiness in the event of union labor disruptions. This includes strategic planning, stakeholder alignment, and continuity operations in relation to both physical and clerical union labor contracts.

The PM will serve as a strategic lead responsible for structuring, tracking, and improving an enterprise-wide master plan involving multiple stakeholder groups. Utilities industry experience and/or operational support experience is strongly preferred, as success in this role requires a deep understanding of field operations and workforce planning. While labor relations experience is beneficial, candidates do not need to have deep subject matter expertise—strong project leadership and stakeholder coordination skills are paramount.

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Role, Responsibilities & Deliverables:**

• Develop and manage the Work Continuity Master Plan in preparation for collective bargaining negotiations.
• Align cross-functional stakeholder groups (e.g., HR, Operations, Legal, Contingent Workforce, Communications).
• Collaborate with labor relations leaders to support planning and understand key dependencies.
• Drive continuity strategies, including internal cross-training and contingent workforce planning.
• Create and maintain project schedules, risk registers, communications plans, and stakeholder maps.
• Deliver executive-level briefings and project status reports to senior leadership.
• Monitor milestones, manage risks, and coordinate change requests.
• Support operational readiness activities, tabletop exercises, and post-event reviews.

**
Skills & Experience:**

• 8+ years of project management experience, ideally in regulated or operationally complex environments.
• Experience leading enterprise programs related to business continuity , contingency planning , or labor strategy.
• Prior experience in utilities or energy sectors strongly preferred.
• Strong operational acumen with the ability to coordinate across HR, labor, operations, and executive leadership.
• Familiarity with union environments and labor disruption planning is a plus.
• Proven track record managing sensitive, high-stakes initiatives.
• Skilled in stakeholder engagement, facilitation, and cross-functional alignment.
• Proficiency with PM tools: MS Project, Smartsheet, SharePoint, Excel.

**
Education & Certifications:**

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, HR, Operations, or related field required.
• PMP or comparable project management certification preferred.
• Labor relations coursework or experience helpful but not required.