Labor Relations Manager

About the Company

We cause problems. The good kind.

At Bouldering Project, our mission is to connect people through a love of difficult play. Shoulder to shoulder, the impossible becomes approachable.

Our gyms combine world‑class bouldering, yoga, and fitness with welcoming community spaces designed for everyone - from first‑time climbers to experienced athletes. Since opening our first gym in 2011, Bouldering Project has grown to 13 locations across the U.S., including Seattle, Austin, Minneapolis, Salt Lake City, Brooklyn, Boston, Washington, D.C., and Tempe.

Never Static, Forever Evolving, Joyfully Obsessed. That’s Bouldering Project - and the people who choose to build it.

The Employee & Labor Relations Manager helps Bouldering Project navigate the complex and important work of people, policy, and partnership across our gyms and support teams. This role leads the company’s employee and labor relations strategy across all locations, including collective bargaining negotiations, contract administration, grievance resolution, and compliance in our unionized location, while also driving proactive employee relations practices across our non‑union gyms and support teams.

We are looking for a hands‑on labor relations professional who has served as a primary employer‑side negotiator and is comfortable leading the collective bargaining process while also supporting the broader employee relations work that comes with a growing, multi‑location organization. This leader will serve as the company’s point person on union matters and partner closely with external labor counsel when needed.

Given our multi‑state footprint and growing team, this role will also oversee workplace investigations and help build a thoughtful, multi‑state labor and employment compliance framework. The position works closely with gym leadership, support team leaders, and the People team to address challenges early, support our teams, and ensure employment practices remain consistent, fair, and legally sound.

This is a remote role. Candidates must reside in Texas or Minnesota, ideally in the Dallas–Fort Worth, Austin, or Minneapolis–Saint Paul metro areas. The role requires periodic travel to Bouldering Project locations nationwide for gym visits, leadership collaboration, and participation in collective bargaining sessions as needed.

• Develop and implement proactive employee relations strategies to support all locations
• Lead collective bargaining negotiations and administer union contracts where applicable
• Manage grievances, arbitrations, and labor disputes to resolution
• Serve as primary liaison with union representatives and external counsel
• Develop training materials and deliver training to managers on lawful communication practices, early issue identification, and positive employee engagement
• Lead and oversee workplace investigations including allegations involving harassment, discrimination, retaliation, wage and hour concerns, and policy violations; ensure timely, thorough, and well‑documented outcomes
• Develop and maintain a multi‑state labor and employment compliance framework, ensuring policies and practices align with federal, state, and local requirements
• Monitor workplace trends and partner with leadership to address employee concerns before they escape
• Advise senior leadership on risk, compliance exposure, and workforce strategy aligned with company growth objectives

• Employee and Labor Relations Leadership: Demonstrated experience leading and developing employee and labor relations strategies in complex, multi‑location organizations.
• Lead Negotiator
  
  Experience:
  
  Served as the primary negotiator (Chief Spokesperson) in at least one full collective bargaining cycle on the employer side.
• Collective Bargaining Depth : Direct experience preparing bargaining strategy, developing proposals, and managing the full negotiation process through ratification.
• Multi‑State
  
  Experience:
  
  Knowledge of employee and labor laws across multiple states.
• Investigation Expertise: Proven experience leading sensitive, high‑level investigations and defending findings if challenged.
• Bilingual in "Corporate" and…