Job Description

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 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 16,000 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:

• Delivering relevant products, experiences, and expertise to equip and inspire a new generation of outdoor stewards
• Cultivating an engaged workforce that reflects the demographics of the markets we serve
• Leading the industry’s efforts to welcome people into the outdoors

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 Chief Legal Officer.

Responsibilities

• 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
• 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, ERGs, and other related topics.
• Manage employment-related claims and demands, including investigating, responding, and resolving demand letters and agency complaints and audits (e.g., EEOC, DFEH, DOL, OFCCP, DLSE, etc.).
• Manage employment litigation with outside counsel.
• Advise on REI's compliance with applicable federal, state, and local labor and employment laws (e.g., Title VII, ADA, ADEA, NLRA, etc.).
• Advise on legal issues relating to compensation and benefits issues.
• Advise on labor law issues, including organizing activities, negotiations, ULPs, etc.
• Partner with Human Resources in the development and implementation of employment policies and practices
• Develop and conduct labor and employment compliance training (live and online).

Qualifications

• At least 10 years of employment and labor law experience at a highly respected law firm or in-house corporate environment.
• J.D. required.
• 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.

Essential Leadership Attributes

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

At REI, we believe the outdoors is for all. We are committed to becoming a  fully inclusive, anti-racist, multicultural organization . We know that there's strength in our diversity – that each employee brings unique skills, experiences, and perspectives. Every day you are driving change, fostering a culture of respect, and knowing you're backed by benefits that support your whole life. To work towards this commitment and fulfill our brand promise of inspiring and enabling a life outside for everyone, we seek employees who demonstrate different ways of working, create a sense of belonging, and actively listen and learn.   

Pay Transparency  

We are committed to practices that promote pay equity and transparency. As required by applicable Pay Transparency laws, REI  provides a range of compensation for roles that may be hired in locations under these requirements. Factors that may be used to  determine your actual salary may include a wide array of factors, including: your specific skills and experience, geographic  location or other relevant factors. 

REI offers all regular employees a generous employee discount, access to health benefits, a retirement savings plan and  accrued time off. Click  here for a detailed overview of benefits plans by employee profile.  

Job Tags

Similar Jobs