Director of Labor Relations

Patriot Erectors is a full-service, AISC Certified Steel Fabricator and AISC Advanced Steel Erector. Founded in 1991, the company is located just west of Austin, Texas, with a modern 60,000-square-foot fabrication facility. With quality employees and the equipment required to handle complicated structures, Patriot strives to provide exceptional customer service to fabricate and erect structural steel facilities and non-building steel structures, focusing on quality, safety, and immense pride in every project.

At Patriot Erectors, we are dedicated to making a positive impact on our customers, employees, stakeholders, and communities. We believe in fostering self-reliance and respecting the interdependent elements of our business. Our mission is to fabricate and erect steel products that meet or exceed customer requirements without defects or accidents. We pursue a deeper understanding of market, customer, and employee needs, and we embrace values such as Safety, Teamwork, Ethics, Enthusiasm, and Leadership in all our operations.

Company Vision:
Recognize a Need & Fulfill It. We actively seek steel-related opportunities, embracing challenges to deliver mutually respected, mutually beneficial outcomes. This approach supports continual growth and development for our employees and stakeholders

The right candidate for this position is someone with extensive experience in Safety who will support our projects. This person will constantly be responsible for successfully integrating safety initiatives into the functional operation of the different projects by maintaining processes and procedures to prevent injuries and violations of the law or company policies and minimize the environmental impact of our operations.

The Director of Labor Relations will serve as the strategic leader for all craft labor relations and employee engagement initiatives for all Patriot entities. This role is responsible for managing and fostering positive relationships with labor unions, including but not limited to Ironworkers and Operators, promoting workforce development, training, and supporting company growth objectives. The Director will partner closely with union leadership, field management, and executive leadership to promote stability, collaboration, and growth within the organization and the broader steel construction community.

They will serve as a trusted partner to both internal teams and external stakeholders, ensuring productive labor-management collaboration while advancing the company’s reputation within the steel industry and local communities.

The role will also lead community outreach and liaise with local unions to develop workforce initiatives to build sustainable talent pipelines in partnership with high schools, technical schools, vo-tech academies, and industry organizations. This leadership role will help ensure that workforce strategies are aligned with business goals, safety standards, and long-term growth initiatives.

• Build and maintain strong, trust-based relationships with Ironworkers and Operators Union representatives to promote effective communication, labor stability, and mutual respect.
• Serve as the company’s primary liaison for collective bargaining, grievance resolution, and interpretation of union agreements.
• Partner with field leadership to ensure consistent administration of labor contracts, adherence to company policies, and compliance with all labor and employment laws.
• Collaborate with union officials and apprenticeship programs to enhance training, safety, and skill development within the workforce.
• Oversee employee engagement, training, and performance management programs designed to strengthen workforce capability and culture across all divisions.
• Manage internal training initiatives for all union and non-union employees, ensuring programs are aligned with operational needs, safety standards, and long-term workforce development goals.
• Act as the liaison between HR and Operations to guide talent acquisition and hiring strategies for key operational positions, ensuring alignment with union labor needs, as applicable, and…