Corporate Counsel - Employment & Compliance (5298)

In this role you will serve as a critical influencer in developing and driving company-wide promotion and adoption of best practices in compliance and employee relations. Advise on development of SSB’s employee relations philosophy, guiding principles and practices. Develop and drive implementation of sustainable, consistently followed employee relations processes and practices to achieve legal and corporate compliance across SSB and its subsidiaries. Collaborate with Human Resources to implement best practices for people management and development. Participate in providing other legal services as requested and develop an in-house generalist skill set.  Supervise Legal Department support staff as appropriate and contribute to continuous improvement of Legal Department processes.

• Build credibility and trust with management and employees.

• Collaborate with SSB Operations, including plant management, to advise and provide direction on change initiatives as it pertains to employee relations, assess organizational capabilities, and develop programs and actions to address needs in problem areas.

• Assist and coach Operations leaders and Human Resources in employee and labor relations matters. Provide strategic advice and counsel, along with tactical guidance, to internal stakeholders regarding employment and labor laws.

• Manage administrative charges (NLRB, EEOC, FEP, DOL, etc.) as directed by Associate General Counsel.

• Keep abreast of all changes to local, state, and federal regulations regarding employment law. Socialize key changes as appropriate.

• Serve as a liaison between SSB Legal/Compliance, Internal Audit and Human Resources as a quality control measure to ensure thoroughness of employee investigations, completion of severance agreements, and documentation of disciplinary actions and/or responses to administrative agency charges.

• Identify areas for process improvement and potential liability, communicating those issues to functional manager.

• Work directly with Associate General Counsel to respond to compliance requests and personnel analysis for litigation, investigations and audits.

• Assist Finance and Internal Audit with internal HR-related audits; support external HR-related audits.

• Assist with the maintenance of an effective corporate compliance program including the development and implementation of policies and procedures to ensure that the organization's practices remain observant to all pertinent laws and regulations.

• Advise HR Compliance Manager on matters of compliance to include policies, personnel records management, performance improvement management, severance agreements, complaint processes, investigative procedures, talent acquisition processes, and training for HR personnel and management on employment regulations.

• Lead the effort to cultivate a positive labor relations environment across SSB’s manufacturing network, by supporting union-free initiatives and fostering positive working relationships with existing collective bargaining units.

• Develop in-house generalist skill set with a broad scope of engagement, for example, real estate, product liability and safety, retailer/consumer dispute management, antitrust, commercial litigation management.

• Manage outside Counsel and Litigation Relationships

• Achieve optimal results without compromising the organization or safety of its people
• Listens to and values internal/external customers' needs, suggestions, and feedback
• Thrives in a fast-paced, extremely dynamic environment
• Highly adaptive, resilient leader and problem solver
• Build and maintain effective partnerships and alliances and interact with a range of interpersonal styles to establish relationships in all sectors of the business
• Operate effectively in a matrix reporting relationship, serving multiple functional and operational areas
• Strong active listening & communications skills, both interpersonal and organizational
• Ability to lead others through stressful situations and earn the respect of others
• Assessment & interpretive skills required. Critical thinker, with the ability to quickly identify root causes of problems and develop creative and strategic solutions, continuous learner
• Sound quantitative, analytical and planning skills
• Well-developed negotiation and mediation skills, ability to overcome objections and drive compliant solutions that meet business objectives

• J.D., currently licensed to practice in at least one US jurisdiction

• 5+ years' broad ranging experience in Employment Law/Civil Rights practice in a large firm or employment boutique

• Employment counseling and litigation background, including trial experience

• Strong negotiation skills are required

• Some in-house experience is preferred

• Hybrid office environment - 3 days per week - Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday.

• Some travel required.

Key leaders in every function of the business, as well as Human Resources and Operations leaders at the plant level