Assistant General Counsel - Employment Law

BJ's Wholesale Club • Marlborough, MA

4d • $194,000 - $276,750 • Hybrid

About The Position

The Assistant General Counsel – Employment Law (AGC) serves as the organization’s senior legal expert on all employment law matters. The AGC is a strategic partner to senior leadership and the Human Resources team (HR), providing practical, business-oriented legal counsel. The AGC leads a team of two direct reports and supports broader corporate legal initiatives including contract review, enterprise risk management, and compliance programs. This role reports to the Vice President, Deputy General Counsel.

Requirements

• J.D. from a top law school; AmLaw 100 experience strongly preferred
• Active bar licensure in at least one U.S. jurisdiction
• 15+ years of employment law experience, with demonstrated expertise across litigation management, compliance, and advisory work
• Experience with traditional labor law matters preferred
• Familiarity with HR technology platforms and data privacy considerations as they intersect with employment law
• Proven track record navigating complex, matrixed organizations and delivering practical, business-oriented legal advice
• Experience managing and developing attorneys
• Exceptional negotiation, communication, and interpersonal skills
• Outstanding professional judgment and work ethic, with a team-first approach

Responsibilities

• Serve as the organization’s senior legal expert on the full range of employment law matters, including hiring, discipline, termination, compensation, benefits, leaves of absence, and accommodation
• Provide proactive, preventive legal counsel to HR and business leaders to identify and mitigate potential employment law risks
• Stay ahead of evolving federal, state, and local employment legislation and regulatory guidance, and advise the organization on emerging compliance obligations
• Defend, supervise, and manage employment-related claims and litigation, including oversight of outside counsel, administrative charges, attorney demand letters, settlement negotiations, and agency complaints
• Negotiate appropriate resolution of disputes and pending matters, balancing legal risk with business priorities
• Develop and implement employment policies and procedures to ensure ongoing compliance with applicable federal, state, and local laws
• Design and lead risk assessments
• Build and oversee manager and employee training programs on employment law topics, ensuring practical application across the organization
• Support enterprise-wide legal compliance programs, including policy development and risk management initiatives
• Partner closely with HR leaders on employee relations matters, performance management, disciplinary actions, and sensitive personnel decisions
• Guide and conduct internal investigations into workplace complaints, including harassment, discrimination, and retaliation allegations
• Provide employment law support for strategic transactions
• Support commercial and contract matters as needed
• Directly supervise, develop, and mentor the organization’s employment and immigration legal team
• Foster a collaborative, high-performance team culture within the legal department
• Serve as a resource and mentor to junior legal department members on all aspects of in-house legal practice

Benefits

• Weekly Pay
• Free BJ’s Memberships
• Generous Paid Time Off (vacation, personal, sick days, holidays, bereavement, and jury duty leave)
• Flexible and Affordable Health Benefits (three medical plans, optional dental, vision, Health Savings Account (HSA), and flexible spending account options)
• 401(k) Retirement Savings Plan with company match
• Employee Stock Purchase Plan with a 15% discount

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree