Sr. Corporate Counsel - Labor And Employment

Do you love spending time outside – paddling, cycling, hiking, or just being in nature? Are you excited about an opportunity to use your legal expertise to enable a life outside for everyone. REI Co-op, a growing, purpose-driven specialty retailer and leader in outdoor recreation, is looking for a Sr. Counsel – Labor and Employment.

At REI, we believe time outside is fundamental to a life well lived and exist to inspire and enable a life outside for everyone. To deliver on that promise, we are working with our 15,000 employees, 20M members and the broader outdoor community toward a reality where everyone has the opportunity to be themselves, to access opportunities and find their place in the outdoors. For us, that means:

• Leading the industry’s efforts to welcome people and communities historically underrepresented into outdoor media and culture
• Investing in work that removes the barriers people and communities face to getting outside
• Delivering relevant products, experiences, and expertise to equip and inspire a new generation of outdoor stewards
• Cultivating a workforce that reflects the demographics of the markets we serve

REI’s Legal team is a key partner to achieving its vision. The Sr. Counsel – Labor and Employment will provide advice and leadership on labor and employment issues and serve as a trusted business partner to leaders across our organization, including counseling executive leadership like REI’s Chief People Officer, and be a key member of the legal team, reporting to the General Counsel.

Responsibilities

• Manage employment litigation with outside counsel.
• Develop and conduct labor and employment compliance trainings (live and online).
• Partner with Human Resources in the development and implementation of employment policies and practices.
• Deliver day to day legal advice on sensitive and wide-ranging labor and employment matters including hiring and recruiting, employee relations, discipline, investigations, wage and hour compliance, leaves of absence, reasonable accommodation, terminations, workforce restructuring activities, labor activities, and other related topics.
• Advise on labor law issues, including advising on organizing activities, negotiations, etc.
• Provide thought-leadership and sets direction on legal issues impacting REI’s strategic goals and objectives with respect to its employees and the employment experience
• Investigate and respond to demand letters and agency complaints and audits (e.g., EEOC, DFEH, DOL, OFCCP, DLSE, etc.).
• Ensure REI's compliance with applicable federal, state, and local labor and employment laws (Title VII, ADA, ADEA, NLRA, etc.).

Qualifications

• Client counseling and experience in employment and labor disputes.
• Registered and in good standing with at least one State Bar and eligible to practice law in the State of Washington.
• J.D. required.
• At least 10 years of employment and labor law experience at a highly respected law firm or in-house corporate environment.

Essential Leadership Attributes

• Contributes to the success of company by leading or assisting with other projects as needed
• Demonstrated ability to think strategically while acting pragmatically to handle multiple projects at the same time effectively and efficiently
• Interest in leveraging technology for efficiency in legal operations.
• Intellectual curiosity and desire to learn and develop new skills
• Willingness to lead projects independently, with initiative and ownership
• Ability to build open, trusting, and honest relationships, effectively influencing a wide range of people
• Team player with a positive attitude, self-confidence, enthusiasm and resilience
• Ability to communicate complex information in a clear manner, and drive direction for the organization
• Experience in retail, consumer, or experiential/hospitality business preferred, but not required.
• Brings a creative, problem-solving perspective to challenging issues
• High level of character and personal integrity