Senior Specialist, Labour Relations

Job Summary

The Senior Specialist, Labour Relations plays a key role in supporting positive and productive labour relations across a unionized airline environment. This position provides expert guidance on collective agreement administration, grievance management, and compliance with the Canada Labour Code, while working closely with leaders, union partners, and team members. The successful candidate brings strong judgement, a collaborative mindset, and a practical approach to resolving complex labour relations matters in a fast-paced operational setting.
Duties & Responsibilities

• Act as a subject-matter expert and internal consultant on labour relations matters, providing authoritative advice to leaders, People & Culture partners, and senior stakeholders
• Exercise independent judgment in the interpretation and application of collective agreements, assessing operational, financial, and employee-relations risk and determining recommended courses of action
• Participate in and influence collective bargaining activities through research, preparation, costing, and negotiations
• Manage grievance and dispute resolution processes, including investigations, responses, and coordination of arbitration matters
• Build and maintain constructive working relationships with union representatives and internal stakeholders
• Ensure sustained compliance with the Canada Labour Code and applicable federal labour legislation, advising on complex or novel issues
• Partner with leaders to proactively monitor and identify emerging labour relations risks, trends, systemic issues and legislative changes impacting the airline industry, and recommend mitigation strategies
• Contribute to the development and continuous improvement of labour relations practices, tools, frameworks, and training, ensuring alignment with organizational objectives
• Actively participate in Porter’s Safety Management System (SMS) including, reporting hazards and incidents encountered in daily operations as well as the investigation and audit of hazards and incidents

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.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Labour Relations, Industrial Relations, or a related field
• A minimum of 5–7 years of similar labour relations experience in a federally regulated environment, ideally within aviation or transportation
• Strong working knowledge of the Canada Labour Code and unionized workplaces
• Hands-on experience with collective agreement administration, grievance handling, and arbitration preparation
• A thoughtful, relationship-focused approach to labour relations and conflict resolution
• Ability to manage sensitive issues with professionalism, discretion, and sound judgment
• Strong communication, analytical, and problem-solving skills
• Ability to balance operational needs with fairness, consistency, and sound judgement
• CHRP or CHRL designation (or working toward) is an asset
• Bilingualism (English/French) is an asset
• Occasional evening or extended hours during negotiations or hearings may be required
• Some travel may be required

Location

Toronto Downtown Office (250 Yonge Street) #LI-Hybrid
Company Description

Since 2006, Porter Airlines has been elevating the experience of economy air travel for every passenger, providing genuine hospitality with style, care and charm. Porter’s fleet of Embraer E195-E2 and De Havilland Dash 8-400 aircraft serves North America, including a coast-to-coast domestic Canadian network, the U.S., Mexico, the Caribbean and Central America. Headquartered in Toronto, Porter is an Official 4 Star Airline® in the World Airline Star Rating®. Visit www.flyporter.com or follow @porterairlines on Instagram, Facebook and X.