Area Managing Director

• Detailed and extensive knowledge of the ILWU-PMA Pacific Coast Longshore and Clerks Agreement; the Pacific Coast Walking Bosses/Foremen Agreement; and the Pacific Coast Maritime Safety Code.
• Demonstrated success in collective bargaining negotiations with ability to respond quickly to changes and multi-task across a wide range of issues.
• Substantial knowledge of: financial and/or economic activities in the transportation industry; interest-based bargaining, contract negotiations, relevant state or federal laws.
• Strong verbal and written communication capabilities, top-flight interpersonal and negotiating skills and extensive experience in working with top levels of union, industry, public and governmental organizations.
• Skill in persuasively and effectively relating information, point-of-view, and explaining complex issues; facility in preparing clear and complete analysis, proposals, reports and other written materials in the field of labor relations, interest based bargaining and related subjects.
• Proven ability to handle sensitive and confidential situations with diplomacy, resolving problems in a timely manner using sound judgment and discretion.
• Expert problem-solving and conflict resolution capabilities leveraging analytic methods; proactive bias towards action with ability to think, act and prioritize to achieve
• results.
• Expertise in planning, leading, and supervising the work activities of direct and matrix staff resources and managing to multiple demands and deadlines.
• Highly organized and efficient work style with ability to maintain accurate records, research and analyze complex problems using critically vetted data sources and demonstrated aptitude for streamlining complex undertakings into manageable tasks.
• Ability to read, analyze and interpret collective bargaining agreements, common scientific and technical journals, financial reports and legal documents.
• Ability to merge operating scenarios together with financial results to develop a comprehensive view of expected outcomes.
• Capability for quickly establishing and maintaining effective working relationships while fostering collaborative engagement with diverse individuals, staff, peers and management to achieve results.
• Demonstrated leadership skills portfolio with achievement in building cohesive high-performance teams able to innovate and leverage collective capabilities. 

• Proficiency with standard Microsoft Office applications including: word processing, database, spreadsheet and presentation programs.

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE

• Bachelor’s degree from a four-year college or university with emphasis in business, maritime, labor relations or related studies required.
• Master’s degree in business or labor relations or a juris doctorate is desirable.
• Ten years of progressively responsible labor relations experience, including at least three (3) years of supervisory and management experience across multiple functions.  Marine transportation industry experience in the Pacific Northwest highly desirable.

Put your experience and talents to work in an Area Director role with a unique company - the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA).  PMA is a non-profit mutual benefit corporation that serves as a multi-employer collective bargaining agent for approximately 75 shipping lines, stevedore companies and marine terminal operators at , and ports.  West Coast port operations (including non-containerized cargo such as bulk and autos) now support 9 million U.S. jobs and contribute 12.5 percent of the U.S. GDP.

PMA’s primary purpose is to negotiate and administer labor contracts with the International Longshore & Warehouse Union on behalf of the Association’s member companies, as well as administrating payroll and certain benefits. Our headquarters and administrative office is located in San Francisco, California, with area offices in Southern California (Long Beach, Port Hueneme, and San Diego) and the Pacific Northwest (Portland, Oregon, Seattle and Tacoma Washington) in addition to Northern California (Oakland).

SUMMARY 

The Area Managing Director reports directly to the SVP-COO Labor Relations and is responsible for delivering regional results to meet the full portfolio of goals and objectives established annually by the Pacific Maritime Association board of directors on behalf of all association members. The position is the senior regional executive overseeing the labor relations, training and benefits administration functions in support of member company operations. With indirect reports across multiple locations in Washington and Oregon, the Area Managing Director directly supervises a team of four department-heads.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES 

Engage with Union and Coast Employer representatives at regular industry forums and with member company representatives on an individual basis on key issues including technology implementation for automated port operations; investigate potential interventions in labor policy; negotiate solutions with labor officials as appropriate.

• Maintain close working relationships with other PMA functions and member company representatives on various steering committees to ensure a consistent and coordinated approach for matters pertaining to labor relations, training, safety, and accident prevention.

• Develop and maintain productive and purposeful working relationships with union officials; pursue regular and structured communications on policy implementation, collective bargaining agreement (CBA) adherence and interpretation, identification of training gaps, and ad-hoc labor issues.
• Direct area staff in interpretation and implementation of labor relations (LR) policies and work practices in compliance with the CBA and recent arbitration decisions; coach staff in building enduring working relationships under adversarial circumstances.
• Direct staff professional development including definition of goals and objectives; driving and measuring results.  Provide regular feedback and training opportunities to build capacity and improve operational efficiency and effectiveness.
• Ensure high-quality support for grievance hearings and arbitration proceedings with staff- generated research, analytic and reporting work products; collaborate on strategy for issues related to jurisdiction, work stoppages and discipline.
• Ensure regular staff preparation of statistical reports for types and frequency of actions taken concerning grievances, arbitrations, mediations, and related labor relations activities.
• Oversee regular staff monitoring of day-to-day implementation of policies concerning wages, hours, and working conditions.
• Set and tune labor availability goals to meet or exceed service level agreements for port manpower orders and timely labor dispatch. Develop labor allocation strategies based on staff research and analysis of Area labor trends, labor requirement forecasts and related studies.
• Represent management in labor contract negotiations; strategize and assist in goal development for “big table” and local contract negotiations. Oversee timely information collection and high-quality analysis for proposed changes to current contract provisions; direct analysis of collective bargaining agreements and the application of terms.
• Develop annual budgets for Pacific Northwest Area operations; manage approved operating and union benefits budgets to stretch targets.
• Supervisory responsibility for Labor Relations and Training management staff. 

WORK ENVIRONMENT AND PHYSICAL DEMANDS 

PMA is a family-friendly, close knit professional organization. PMA is a complex environment that offers a challenging work environment. The offices are in the Queen Anne district of Seattle, Washington and downtown SW Portland, Oregon, within easy walking distance of public transportation and neighborhood retail corridors. This position will require visits to docks, terminals and ships, including climbing on ships, in all weather conditions, to successfully perform the essential functions. Occasional travel to other West Coast port areas and member company sites is required. 

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the position.

 Pacific Maritime Association is an equal opportunity employer. 

Please apply via this link: https://workforcenow.adp.com/mascsr/default/mdf/recruitment/recruitment.html?cid=96bd3008-afd4-4cdb-9b73-197ba8ce3056&ccId=19000101_000001&type=MP&lang=en_US