Department:
Labor Relations
Our Company Promise
We are committed to provide our Employees a stable work environment with equal opportunity for learning and personal growth. Creativity and innovation are encouraged for improving the effectiveness of Southwest Airlines. Above all, Employees will be provided the same concern, respect, and caring attitude within the organization that they are expected to share externally with every Southwest Customer.
Job Description:
As a Senior Manager Planning & Analytics, you’ll play a central role in preparing for labor negotiations by proactively gathering, analyzing, and translating data into insights that inform decision‑making. You’ll develop analytical narratives and presentation materials that enable Leaders to build and present strong union cases from a labor perspective, supporting evaluations of reasonableness, negotiation positions, and strategic stances across a wide range of scenarios. This function is critical to labor negotiations, turning complex data into clear, compelling stories that underpin negotiation strategies. The role calls for a confident self‑starter who’s comfortable operating independently, advancing ideas, and advocating for insights with clarity and conviction.
Additional Details
The culture of Southwest Airlines means we value the camaraderie, collaboration, and innovation that occurs when we come together and interact face-to-face at our vibrant Corporate Campus. Due to the nature of this role, you would be required to work from our Dallas, TX Headquarters facility during business hours.
U.S. citizenship or current authorization to work in the U.S. required and no current or future work authorization sponsorship available.
We’re committed to fair hiring practices and to making employment decisions without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, age, military or veteran status, disability, genetic information, or other legally protected characteristics.
Model the Southwest Way
Guide and lead Team Members using SWA talent management practices to coach, develop, and engage Employees
Adhere to Company values and competencies to foster a Culture of inclusion, recognition, and support of a safe work environment
Invest in Leadership and self-growth through participating in continuous learning and development
Responsibilities
Manage negotiation preparation processes, including Stakeholder input, alignment, creation of negotiation‑related files, scheduling, proposals, and documentation of language intent and negotiation conversations
Oversee the completion of requests from Lead Negotiators and Labor Relations Leaders, ensuring alignment with Labor Relations’ strategic objectives and prioritizing work accordingly
Provide executive presentations and explanations on complex issues and projects
Prepare and distribute revisions to the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA); research, create, and maintain files containing the Company’s collective bargaining agreements
Direct analytical illustrations and insights in support of labor communications, and contribute to educating Executive Leadership on labor cost impacts, competitive considerations, and the strategic positioning of the Company’s labor contracts compared to the industry
Maintain awareness of ongoing changes in the labor climate and communicate both short‑ and long‑term impacts to Labor Relations senior leadership
Collaborate across Labor Relations and with Company departments to ensure alignment and consistent application of negotiation strategies and labor policies
Work closely with Legal on litigation and arbitration matters relating to negotiations
Represent a solid viewpoint in process and efficiency improvement opportunities during negotiations
Attend negotiations as needed, acting as a Labor Relations subject matter expert
May perform other job duties as directed by Employee’s Leaders
Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities
Knowledge of the airline industry
Advanced knowledge of the business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, Leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of People and resources
Knowledge of the laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process
Skilled in using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems
Skilled in aligning labor strategies with enterprise goals, anticipating labor‑market impacts, and framing decisions within operational and financial contexts
Skilled in preparing proposals, maintaining language intent, managing stakeholder input, and ensuring disciplined, consistent negotiation processes
Skilled in managing multiple concurrent deliverables and prioritizing high‑impact work
Ability to perform complex cost modeling, scenario analysis, and competitive benchmarking that informs negotiation strategy and executive decisions
Ability to synthesize complex legal, economic, and operational information into clear, persuasive briefings for senior leadership
Ability to build alignment across Labor Relations, Legal, Finance, and Operations, and to provide guidance that shapes enterprise‑wide labor decisions
Ability to make sound recommendations with imperfect information, maintain confidentiality, and uphold integrity in sensitive labor matters
Ability to convey complex information clearly and persuasively in both written and verbal form, including delivering influential presentations and negotiation dialogue
Experience
Demonstrated experience in directly or indirectly learning Team(s)
Fully functioning, broad knowledge in:
Labor Relations
Economic and financial analysis
Business, Finance, or Strategy
Aviation/transportation industry
Preferred: Previous contract administration experience
Preferred: Previous negotiation experience
Physical Abilities
Ability to perform work duties from [limited space work station/desk/office area] for extended periods of time
Ability to communicate and interact with others in the English language to meet the demands of the job
Ability to use a computer and other office productivity tools with sufficient speed and accuracy to meet the demands of the job
Other Qualifications
Must maintain a well-groomed appearance per Company appearance standards as described in established guidelines
Must be a U.S. citizen or have authorization to work in the United States as defined by the Immigration Reform Act of 1986
Must be at least 18 years of age
Must be able to comply with Company attendance standards as described in established guidelines
May be required to work extended hours per Leader’s request
Pay & Benefits:
Competitive market salary from $168,650 per year to $187,400 per year* depending on qualifications and experience. For eligible Leadership and individual contributor roles, additional bonus opportunities are available and awarded at the discretion of the company.
Benefits you’ll love:
• Fly for free, as a privilege, on any open seat on all Southwest flights (your eligible dependents too)
• Southwest will help fund your 401(k) retirement savings with Company
contributions up to 9.3% of your eligible earnings**
• Potential for annual ProfitSharing contribution in the Southwest Retirement
Savings Plan- when Southwest profits, you profit***
• Competitive health insurance for you and your eligible dependents (including
pets)
• Southwest offers health plan coverage options that start from the very first day of employment. You will have 30 days to select and enroll in your health plan with coverage retroactively available to your first day of employment.
• Explore more Benefits you’ll love: https://careers.southwestair.com/benefits
*Pay amount does not guarantee employment for any particular period of time.
**401(k) match contributions are subject to Retirement Savings Plan vesting schedule and applicable IRS limits
***ProfitSharing contributions are subject to Retirement Savings Plan vesting schedule
and are made at the discretion of the Company
Southwest Airlines is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
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Job Posting End Date04/18/2026
