Deputy General Counsel - Labor, Employment & Employee Relations

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! **Position Type:** Full\-Time **Starting Salary:** $305,250 **Salary Increases:** Year 2 \- $320,750 \| Year 3 \- $341,500 **Work Location:** Aurora, IL This role is eligible to participate in ALDI’s Hybrid Work Program, which allows remote work up to 3 days per week (i.e., work remotely up to 3 days per week; work in\-office at least 2 days per week). **Duties and Responsibilities:** Must be able to perform duties with or without reasonable accommodation. * 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. * Le 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 * Le 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. **Job\-specific Competencies:** Knowledge/Skills/Abilities * 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, c…