Sr. Manager, Blizzard Labor Relations - Irvine - BLIZZARD ENTERTAINMENT, INC

Description

Team Name: Human Resources

Job Title:

Sr. Manager, Blizzard Labor Relations

Requisition ID:

R026717

Job Description:

Job Title: Labor Relations Manager | Irvine, CA

Department: Human Resources

Location: Irvine, CA

Your Mission

The Labor Relations Manager will serve as part of the Human Resources team at Blizzard Entertainment, a limited integration gaming studio of Microsoft. Working closely with the Microsoft labor team and reporting to the Director of Labor Relations for Microsoft, you will have the opportunity to further advance the success of a very dynamic and strategic organization.

This role will ensure the continued success of Blizzard gaming while assisting with the application of Microsoft's labor principles and prioritizing a labor management relationship built on trust, respect, integrity, and accountability. This role is responsible for building and sustaining strong labor relations capability across the organization by serving as a trusted advisor for the business.

This role is anticipated to be a hybrid work position, with some work on-site and some work-from-home. The potential home studio for this role is Irvine, CA.

What you bring to the table

Priorities can often change in a fast-paced environment like ours, so this role includes, but is not limited to, the following responsibilities:

• Serve as the primary point of contact for labor unions representing studio employees; act as the company's representative to effectively communicate the company's objective.
• Act as a strategic advisor to managers and studio leadership on all union‑related matters, anticipating risks and recommending proactive approaches that align with production and business needs.
• Lead and advise on the full grievance lifecycle, including investigation, response development, grievance meetings, arbitration preparation, and resolution where appropriate.
• Provide strategic support during collective bargaining negotiations, including proposal development, costing analysis, scenario planning, and leadership briefings.
• Support post‑ratification implementation, including communication of contract changes and ensuring consistent application across the studio.
• Interpret and administer CBAs; ensure compliance with all applicable labor laws, regulations, and contractual obligations.
• Collaborate with HR partners and managers on day‑to‑day contract application and maintain a strong communication loop with HR and Legal on any business decisions impacting union‑represented employees.
• Develop labor relations policies and procedures consistent with CBAs and company values in collaboration with stakeholders; ensure policies support operational needs while minimizing labor risk.
• Design and deliver labor relations training for managers and HR; provide ongoing coaching and guidance to leaders navigating complex employee relations issues.
• Resolve labor disputes through collaboration and constructive engagement, both within and outside the formal grievance process.
• Manage multiple priorities simultaneously and lead labor relations initiatives and special projects in a complex, matrixed environment.

Minimum Requirements

Required

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Labor Relations, Industrial Relations, Business, Law, or a related field AND 7+ years' experience in HR, mediation, collective bargaining or ER-related roles OR Juris Doctorate or Master's Degree in Industrial-Organizational Psychology, Human Resources (HR), Business Administration, Organizational Leadership, Industrial Relations, Law, or related field AND 6+ years' experience in HR, mediation, collective bargaining or Employee Relations (ER)-related roles OR equivalent, substantial experience
• Significant hands‑on experience in a unionized environment.
• Demonstrated experience representing management interests in grievances, arbitrations, and/or negotiations.
• Strong working knowledge of labor laws and collective bargaining principles.
• Proven ability to advise leaders and influence outcomes in complex situations.

Preferred

• Experience supporting unionized environments within gaming, entertainment, technology, or creative industries.
• Experience as first-chair representative in collective bargaining and/or arbitration.
• Strong executive presence and ability to communicate effectively at all organizational levels.

Your Platform

Best known for iconic video game universes including Warcraft, Overwatch, Diablo, and StarCraft, Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. ), a division of Activision Blizzard, which was acquired by Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT), is a premier developer and publisher of entertainment experiences. Blizzard Entertainment has created some of the industry's most critically acclaimed and genre-defining games over the last 30 years, with a track record that includes multiple Game of the Year awards. Blizzard Entertainment engages tens of millions of players around the world with titles available on PC via , Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, iOS, and Android.

Our World

Activision Blizzard, Inc., is one of the world's largest and most successful interactive entertainment companies and is at the intersection of media, technology and entertainment. We are home to some of the most beloved entertainment franchises including Call of Duty, World of Warcraft, Overwatch, Diablo, Candy Crush and Bubble Witch. Our combined entertainment network delights hundreds of millions of monthly active users in 196 countries, making us the largest gaming network on the planet

Our ability to build immersive and innovative worlds is only enhanced by diverse teams working in an inclusive environment. We aspire to have a culture where everyone can thrive in order to connect and engage the world through epic entertainment. We provide a suite of benefits that promote physical, emotional and financial well-being for 'Every World' - we've got our employees covered

The videogame industry and therefore our business is fast-paced and will continue to evolve. As such, the duties and responsibilities of this role may be changed as directed by the Company at any time to promote and support our business and relationships with industry partners.

We love hearing from anyone who is enthusiastic about changing the games industry. Not sure you meet all qualifications? Let us decide Research shows that women and members of other under-represented groups tend to not apply to jobs when they think they may not meet every qualification, when, in fact, they often do We are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment and strongly encourage you to apply.

We are committed to working with and providing reasonable assistance to individuals with physical and mental disabilities. If you are a disabled individual requiring an accommodation to apply for an open position, please email your request to General employment questions cannot be accepted or processed here. Thank you for your interest.

We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status, among other characteristics.

Rewards

We provide a suite of benefits that promote physical, emotional and financial well-being for 'Every World' - we've got our employees covered Subject to eligibility requirements, the Company offers comprehensive benefits including:

• Medical, dental, vision, health savings account or health reimbursement account, healthcare spending accounts, dependent care spending accounts, life and AD&D insurance, disability insurance;
• 401(k) with Company match, tuition reimbursement, charitable donation matching;
• Paid holidays and vacation, paid sick time, floating holidays, compassion and bereavement leaves, parental leave;
• Mental health & wellbeing programs, fitness programs, free and discounted games, and a variety of other voluntary benefit programs like supplemental life & disability, legal service, ID protection, rental insurance, and others;
• If the Company requires that you move geographic locations for the job, then you may also be eligible for relocation assistance.

Eligibility to participate in these benefits may vary for part time and temporary full-time employees and interns with the Company. You can learn more by visiting these benefits resources:

In the U.S., the standard base pay range for this role is $105, $194,400.00 Annual. These values reflect the expected base pay range of new hires across all U.S. locations. Ultimately, your specific range and offer will be based on several factors, including relevant experience, performance, and work location. Your Talent Professional can share this role's range details for your local geography during the hiring process. In addition to a competitive base pay, employees in this role may be eligible for incentive compensation. Incentive compensation is not guaranteed. While we strive to provide competitive offers to successful candidates, new hire compensation is negotiable.