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.
• 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