The Senior Labor Counsel serves as a key member of the Corporate Legal Department, partnering closely with business and operational leaders to provide strategic labor and employment counsel across assigned divisions of the Company. This high-impact, business-facing role focuses primarily on traditional labor law matters, including leading collective bargaining negotiations, managing labor arbitrations and National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) proceedings, and advising management on complex union-related issues and labor strategy.
The Senior Labor Counsel will serve as lead negotiator for collective bargaining agreements within the assigned region and will provide practical, solution-oriented guidance to business clients in a dynamic and highly operational environment. The role requires strong judgment, executive presence, and the ability to balance legal risk, operational objectives, and employee relations considerations. This position weighs heavily in contract negotiations, with union negotiations workload between 60% and 80% of the total work.
The annual salary range for this role is $160,000 to $200,000
Benefits may vary depending on location policy. The below represents the standard Corporate Policy.
- Vacation:minimum of two (2) weeks
-Sick days: 5 days
- Holidays: 12 days; 8 standard and 4 floating
- Other standard benefits: 401(k) retirement plan, medical, dental and vision, life insurance, short-term disability, voluntary long-term disability.
Successful candidates will bring significant experience leading collective bargaining negotiations, handling grievance arbitrations, and managing NLRB matters, along with familiarity working with the American Arbitration Association (AAA) and the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS). Experience advising sophisticated business clients in complex, multi-site unionized environments is strongly preferred.
This role requires travel throughout assigned divisions within the United States based on business needs (approximately 50%).
Core Responsibilities
- Union Contract Negotiations Serve as chief spokesperson and provide strategic leadership during collective bargaining negotiations
- Partner with business unit leaders to develop negotiation strategies, including drafting proposals and counterproposals with strong attention to detail
- Oversee the day-to-day administration of multiple collective bargaining agreements (CBAs)
- Research and analyze applicable federal, state, and local labor laws and regulations impacting collective bargaining negotiations
Advice and Counsel
- Advise senior operational and HR leadership on labor strategy and organizational risk.
- Provide legal counsel and strategic guidance on traditional labor law matters, including negotiation and renegotiation of CBAs
- Develop and deliver labor relations training, including best practices related to policies, procedures, grievance prevention, and union-management relations
- Advise on internal investigations, including recommendations regarding discipline and corrective action
- Support special projects and participate on cross-functional teams as needed
Labor Arbitrations
- Represent the Company in labor grievance arbitrations, as assigned.
- Prepare post-hearing briefs, position statements, legal memoranda, and other labor-related legal documents
- Manage and maintain the labor arbitration docket
- Partner with business units to resolve union grievances, including drafting Last Chance Agreements and Memoranda of Understanding, and participating in grievance resolution meetings
National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) Practice
- Represent the Company before the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), including handling unfair labor practice charges, representation petitions, and unit clarification matters, as assigned.
- Provide proactive training and guidance regarding developments under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) and related labor regulations, as assigned.
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree and Juris Doctor (J.D.) from an accredited law school
- Licensed attorney in good standing with the state bar of the state in which the candidate resides
- Minimum of 12 years of relevant labor and employment law experience
Preferred Experience and Skills
- Experience in the transportation, logistics, manufacturing, and/or public procurement industries preferred
- Strong understanding of corporate finance, including the ability to read and interpret financial statements and assess the dynamics of unionized business environments
- Excellent written, verbal, and presentation skills
- Experience supporting multi-site and multi-state operations preferred
- Demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced, dynamic, and time-sensitive environment
- Strong analytical skills and exceptional attention to detail
- Self-directed professional with the ability to work independently and collaboratively across legal teams and highly matrixed business organizations
- Proven ability to translate complex legal and business issues into practical, business-oriented guidance
- High degree of integrity, professionalism, and intellectual curiosity
The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this classification. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of personnel so classified.
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions upon request.
Job Category: Legal
Job Type: Full Time
Work Type: Remote
Req ID: 8248
Pay Group: NF2
Cost Center: 803
