Job Details
Employment & Labor Law Counsel
Diversity of backgrounds, ideas, thoughts, and experiences is vital to our culture and the way we do business. Creating an environment where differences are embraced and where every person feels engaged and included makes us safer, stronger, and more successful.
With a history dating back to 1886, American Water is the largest and most geographically diverse U.S. publicly traded water and wastewater utility company. The company employs more than 7,000 dedicated professionals who provide regulated and market-based drinking water, wastewater and other related services to 15 million people in 46 states. American Water provides safe, clean, affordable and reliable water services to our customers to help make sure we keep their lives flowing. For more information, visit amwater.com and follow American Water on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.
On September 9, 2021, President Biden signed Executive Order 14042. This order and the associated federal safety protocols for federal contractors that were issued on September 24, 2021, require covered contractors who work with the federal government to ensure that their employees are fully vaccinated for COVID-19 or approved for a health or religious accommodation by December 8, 2021. This includes all Camden employees. As a covered federal contractor, American Water must adhere to these legal requirements. If you are made a conditional job offer, you will be required to provide proof of full vaccination or apply and be approved for a health or religious accommodation prior to your start date.
Primary Role
To provide labor and employment-related legal advice to the Company’s human resource professionals, senior management, regional counsel, and business clients throughout the American Water organization. This responsibility is national in scope and includes, but is not limited to, legal research, giving oral and/or written legal advice and analyzing risk, assisting in reorganizations, providing traditional labor law advice and preparing agency required positions statements/correspondence organization. Position also will provide counsel over a full range of commercial contract matters at the enterprise level, including all aspects of contract preparation, negotiation and administration, and development of model forms and terms. The ideal candidate can be located out of any of our AW footprint locations.
Key Accountabilities
- Provide labor and employment-related legal advice and counsel throughout the American Water organization
- Directly manages and works with outside counsel in handling assigned litigation and agency matters.
- Supervises outside counsel for litigation matters, including overseeing trials, reviewing briefs and other pleadings and memoranda, and recommending whether a case should be tried or settled.
- Represent the Company in pre-litigation employment matters and negotiates with opposing counsel to resolve issues before employment litigation is formally filed.
- Defend and counsel on labor-related arbitrations, grievances, charges, and mediation.
- Prepares employees/witnesses for depositions/investigations.
- Serve as a resource to the company Labor Relations team providing support at bargaining sessions and/or in the development of strategies and positions for bargaining
- Due diligence inquiries regarding the Company’s acquisitions/divestitures and negotiates/drafts employment-related
- Prepare, negotiate, and review contracts for various business units at an enterprise level in collaboration with Supply Chain, Technology and Innovation, and other functions and business units, oversees the Company’s contracts management and retention processes utilizing best practices, development of model agreements and terms.
Knowledge/Skills
- Able to handle a variety of ongoing projects simultaneously
- Able to work effectively with minimal supervision
- Excellent judgment in determining when and how to elevate matters
- Strong verbal and written communication skills
- Strong interpersonal and negotiation skills
- Self-starter, takes initiative to respond to and address legal issues
- Functions effectively both in individual and team environments
- Able to work collaboratively with strong interpersonal skills
Experience/Education
- Juris Doctor from an accredited law school
- Member of the New Jersey state bar or licensed to practice in at least one state in which the company conducts business and meets or will be able to meet all requirements to obtain New Jersey in-house license within six months of hire date
- Minimum 7 years of employment practice and/or traditional labor, in a large law firm, Fortune 500 company, or a combination of law firm and in-house experience.
- Has reviewed, drafted, and negotiated a wide variety of commercial contracts balancing legal and business risks (preferred)
- Has experience effectively handling a variety of matters displaying strong business acumen
- Has proven ability to successfully support the business and legal needs of clients
Travel Requirements
- Occasional out of state travel
Competencies
Join American Water...We Keep Life Flowing™
American Water is firmly committed to Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) and prohibits employment discrimination for employees and applicants based on his or her age, race, color, pregnancy, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, religion, marital status, citizenship, or because he or she is an individual with a disability, protected veteran or other status protected by federal, state, and local laws.