Career Center

NICTD intends to hire a Director, Human Resources and Labor Relations to succeed its retiring incumbent.  The selected candidate will serve as the District’s senior human resource and labor relations official.  With an office in Michigan City, Indiana, the Director will manage human resource and labor relations issues for approximately 100 at-will managers and staff as well as 300 craft employees represented by 6 labor organizations.  To be considered for this opportunity, candidates must have ten (10) or more years of successful and progressively responsible human resource and labor relations experience with a demonstrated commitment to diversity in all aspects of the workplace.   This is an excellent opportunity for a motivated individual to use his or her skills in leadership, teamwork, communication, and critical thought to support the South Shore Line’s reputation for safe and high-quality service.

Duties include the following:

• Overall pro-active human resource and labor relations leadership for the managers, staff, and represented employees of the South Shore Line.
• Manages hiring process for all positions from identification/justification of new positions through on-boarding of selected candidates. This includes succession planning, drafting position descriptions, recruiting activities, diversity initiatives, publication management, oversight of selection process, offer issuance/negotiation, and post-offer administrative duties.  
• Manages and coordinates with senior staff on all other HR topics including, but not limited to, counseling, adverse personnel actions, civil rights issues (alternate intake officer), FMLA, ADA, grievances, promotions, salary reviews, and interpretations/updates of employee relations policies.
• Lead negotiator for the six collectively bargained agreements on the property. Serves as the highest designated officer under the Railway Labor Act for grievances and other minor disputes.
• Establishes and focuses on hiring deadlines to ensure sufficient employees are available for new services on the West Lake Corridor and Double Track NWI Projects.
• In coordination with the CFO, Deputy Treasurer, and Controller, negotiate and administer all facets of the District’s employee benefit programs. This includes, but is not limited to, Section 401(a) and Section 457(b) supplemental savings plans, Health Savings Accounts, health (medical, dental, wellness, and vision) benefits, short and long term disability programs, and the coordination of catastrophic claims with benefit providers.
• Provides assistance with personal injury incident management including, but not limited to, coordination of employee assistance program services for persons who need counseling; maintain oversight of employees who are off-duty for medical reasons, and manage employee medical restrictions that affect performance of duties.
• Serves as a visible and accessible leader who provides daily mentorship and helps supervisors address shortfalls in leadership or performance. Encourages self-accountability and critical thought; builds relationships that encourage a collaborative and team-oriented environment.
• Strongly supports the District’s Equal Employment Opportunity Policy, diversity initiatives, and civil rights concerns.
• Supports the District’s overall strategy and mission while encouraging a creative, professional, team-oriented culture. Works closely and cooperates with other departments, senior leaders, and the District’s General Counsel on matters of mutual concern. 
• Builds and maintains excellent working relationships with Metra, freight railroad partners, various labor unions, governmental officials, and other internal and external customers.
• Other duties as assigned.

The following skills are required: 

• Ten (10) or more years of successful and progressively responsible human resource and/or labor relations experience with a demonstrated commitment to diversity in all aspects of the workplace. Experience with both human resources and labor relations preferred. Familiarity with railroad operations and railroad industry concepts are preferred but not required.   Superior safety, attendance, and work service records are required.  Master’s degree in human resource or labor relations skills or equivalent experience is required. 
• Strategic Vision and Results Orientation. Demonstrated ability to think strategically, anticipate future consequences and trends, and incorporate thoughts into successful labor agreements and human resource policies. 
• Demonstrated record of exceeding goals and a bottom-line orientation; evidence of the ability to make good decisions through a combination of analysis, wisdom, experience, and judgment.
• Demonstrated commitment to consideration of diversity and civil rights issues.
• Mission-focused with a proven success record in previous leadership roles consistent with the South Shore Line’s reputation for delivering safe and reliable service.
• Customer Oriented. Capable of discerning the needs and wants of both external and internal customers; clearly conveys belief in and commitment to project success.
• Leadership and Organization. Exceptional demonstrated capacity for managing and leading people; a team builder with experience in scaling up organizations; ability to connect with staff on an individual level and in large groups; capacity to enforce accountability, recognize, develop and empower top-notch leaders at all levels of the organization, and learn the strengths and weaknesses of the team.
• Action Oriented. Enjoys working hard and looking for challenges; ability to effectively multi-task among competing short term priorities, able to act and react decisively as necessary, even if limited information is available; skilled at assessing and engaging operating risk; unafraid to take charge of a situation; effective in building support and achieving buy-in, both internally and externally.
• Demonstrated superior interpersonal skills; ability to effectively work with the public, employees and other departments within NICTD while under time or operational constraints; solid proficiency in business writing and Microsoft Office products.
• Valid driver’s license with a safe driving record.