Deputy General Counsel - Labor, Employment & Employee Relations

ALDI•Aurora, IL

23h•Hybrid

About The Position

ALDI is one of the fastest-growing retailers in the nation, and we are charting an ambitious growth course with plans to expand its footprint to nearly 3,200 locations nationwide by 2028. Join ALDI as a Deputy General Counsel on our National Legal & Compliance team, where you'll lead the Company's labor, employment, and employee relations legal strategy, lead a team of attorneys and professionals, provide expert counsel on complex workplace matters, and oversee high-impact employment litigation and risk management initiatives. This position offers the unique opportunity to partner with key stakeholders across the business, influence strategic decisions and ensure compliance in a fast-paced, growth-driven environment. If you're eager to leverage your legal expertise to make a significant impact and contribute to shaping the future of a respected retail leader, we invite you to apply today!

Requirements

Bachelor's Degree required.
A minimum of 9 years of progressive experience in a legal environment and retail operations required with a focus on employment and labor law.
Experience in a law firm, corporate legal department and/or in-house legal counsel required.
J.D. from an ABA accredited law school; licensed to practice in Illinois (or immediate ability to become licensed) required.
Expertise in employment and labor law required.
Knowledge of OSHA laws required.
Or, a combination of education and experience providing equivalent knowledge.
Consistently demonstrates the ALDI Acts Competencies as outlined for the role.
Ability to recommend, interpret, and/or apply company policies and procedures.
Ability to develop rapport, trust, and open communication that enhances the growth and job performance of direct reports.
Possesses and demonstrates expertise with attention to detail as well as strategic thought leadership.
Demonstrates strong business acumen, superior judgment, and excellent communication skills, with a proven ability to identify and implement practical solutions that support business objectives while effectively managing risk.
Understands the history, strategy, organizational authority, interdependence of job duties, products, systems, and services of the company.
Conflict management skills.
Advanced knowledge of United States employment law and ability to assist in defending the company against employment-related industry charges.
Advanced comprehensive understanding of current Equal Employment Opportunity Commission policies and procedures and related federal, state and municipal laws and topics.
Advanced comprehensive understanding of the National Labor Relations Board policies and procedures and related labor issues and topics.
Knowledge of the process for recording, classifying, and summarizing financial transactions in accordance with company, statutory, tax, cost and reporting requirements.
Knowledge of how legal issues affect organizations and the ability to develop strategies to coordinate legal considerations to business objectives.
Understands cost/benefit analyses.
Ability to anticipate legal risks, as well as utilize excellent judgement and analytical skills.

Responsibilities

Ensures the training, development, and performance of their team’s staff to retain a motivated, professional workforce that achieves their career objectives.
Recruits and recommends qualified employees for their team’s staff positions.
Establishes, communicates and evaluates job responsibilities and performance expectations to their team to ensure a mutual understanding of desired results.
Understands the overarching company strategy while communicating and modeling the core values of the organization to create a sense of teamwork and membership among employees.
Serves as a legal liaison to the National Board and executive management on matters related to employment law including through executive communications and presentations.
Serves as the lead legal advisor on labor and employment matters, providing strategic counsel on workforce management, employment compliance, workplace policies, and emerging labor and employment risks.
Oversees labor relations matters, including union organizing activity, collective bargaining strategy, labor grievances, unfair labor practice charges, and compliance with applicable labor laws.
Leads and advises on complex and high-risk workplace investigations involving allegations of discrimination, harassment, retaliation, ethics concerns, misconduct, and other employee relations matters.
Oversees the Company's employee relations strategy, partnering with Human Resources to promote consistent workplace practices, mitigate risk, and support a positive employee experience.
Manages employment litigation and employment matters, including employment counseling, hiring/firing decisions, reviews and approves position statements prepared by junior-level counsel, EEOC and state agency charges, and other employment law-related topics as applicable.
Oversees the management of employment/labor law and approves junior counsel work as it relates to employment/labor law, employee relations, and employment law-related topics as applicable.
Provides expertise and insight on any employment-based and compliance-related law changes which impact the ALDI business including participation in various committee and HR-related strategy meetings.
Consults with leadership on the development of their team's strategy.
Advises leadership to source external vendors for applicable services when appropriate.
Liaises with applicable areas of the business to ensure timely and efficient communication flow.
Consults with the business to effectively design and streamline applicable processes within the organization.
Keeps up-to-date on external best practices and relevant changes to their field/area; communicates updates to leadership.
Oversees a wide range of employment law-related topics, including changes in employment laws which impact the business, business-wide employment counseling, company hiring/firing decisions, and preparation/review of position statements, management of EEOC and state agency charges, and employment litigation.
Oversees Impact to ALDI law tracking system and management with staff support.
Manages the in-house employment counseling program.
Manages the in-house handling of employment charges pilot program.
Leads the review/modification of the Vice President Response Guide and manages legal investigations of serious specific employment-related allegations made to the ALDI Alertline.
Evaluates and analyzes legal cases, reporting findings to their direct leader; research unique legal issues impacting the organization by identifying applicable statutes, judicial decisions, and codes.
Oversees and coordinates with outside counsel regarding employment litigation from inception to trial as well as daily case management; mediates escalated matters as appropriate.
Designs, implements, and drives process improvements, technology, and infrastructure solutions to HR, labor and employment law-specific issues; ensures successful implementation and communication of Legal programs to enhance the effectiveness of the team while providing visibility to key milestones and progress.
Performs pre-litigation work to minimize risks and maximize legal rights, at the instruction of their direct leader.
Advises on occupational, safety, and health matters for retail and warehouse operations.
Manages their team by driving projects and tasks to completion through effective prioritization, work planning, resource allocation, and cross-functional collaboration.
Provides strategic review and assessments on processes to create and improve and identifies cost-saving opportunities.
Experience with and ability to lead and develop a team of attorneys and professionals.
Collaborates across legal department teams to enable efficiencies, effective communications and working relationships with the goal of providing positive business outcomes.
Serves as the primary link between their team’s staff and leadership to ensure understanding of company goals, objectives, and opportunities for improvement.
Complies with ALDI privacy and security requirements and policies if job responsibilities include possible access to confidential and/or sensitive information.
Other duties as assigned.