Associate General Counsel

About the International Foundation for Election Systems (IFES): IFES advances democracy for a better future. We collaborate with civil society, public institutions and the private sector to build resilient democracies that deliver for everyone. As the global leader in the promotion and protection of democracy, our technical assistance and applied research develops trusted electoral bodies capable of conducting credible elections; effective and accountable governing institutions; civic and political processes in which all people can safely and equally participate; and innovative ways in which technology and data can positively serve elections and democracy. Since 1987, IFES has worked in more than 145 countries, from developing to mature democracies.

The greatest assets of IFES are our team members. IFES offers competitive benefits and pay, as well as the opportunity to work in a dynamic and collaborative environment. Every member of the IFES team is responsible for carrying out the mission of IFES and integrating IFES values into their work every day: Commitment to Excellence, Effective Communication, High Quality Decision-Making, Accountability, Teamwork and Collaboration.

PRIMARY FUNCTION/PURPOSE:

Reporting to the Vice President of Labor Relations and Human Resources, the Associate General Counsel (Labor & Employment) will function as both Counsel and a Department leader overseeing the Labor Relations and Employee Relations activities. Specific responsibilities include:

The Associate General Counsel - Labor and Employment will operate as a legal advisor and business partner on labor and employment matters across the organization. The ideal candidate brings a passion for people and leading teams with a focus on adaptability and an open mind toward learning, innovation, and collaboration.

• Provides legal advice, counsel, and opinions, both orally and in writing, including recommendations to the General Counsel.
• Identifies and assesses legal risks and opportunities, and ensures compliance with all applicable laws, regulations, and policies.
• Oversees the development and maintenance of employment policies and reporting processes and tools complemented with ongoing skill and knowledge training related to labor and employment.
• Leads internal relationships with key labor representatives.
• Oversees outside litigation counsel and manages the third-party legal risk management relationship.
• Conducts pertinent legal research and prepare memoranda that are persuasive, well-organized, and well-analyzed with requisite factual descriptions and citations of authority, as well as performing independent legal reasoning and application, in order to formulate and draft recommended strategies and actions.
• Provide employment law advice and counseling to our HR department team and country offices on a broad range of issues, including recruiting, employee relations, performance management, leaves of absence, disability accommodations, wage and hour, terminations, internal investigations, compensation, workplace harassment, benefits, privacy, immigration, and employee classification.
• Draft, revise, and advise on employment-related documents, including offer letters, separation agreements, and confidentiality agreements.
• Addresses novel issues with a high degree of creative legal endeavor and interpretation of law.
• Facilitates the escalation of complex matters to outside counsel while maintaining control over cases management.
• Oversees the labor relations function including the establishment and maintenance of relationships with union representatives. Provides counsel on the day-to-day management of team member concerns, contract grievances, oversight of arbitrations, and the negotiation of collective bargaining agreements in partnership with HR Business Partners and labor representatives.
• Plan work to be accomplished by subordinate(s), set and adjust short-term priorities, and prepares schedules for completion of work.
• Evaluate work performance of subordinate(s), give advice, counsel, or instruction to employee(s) on both work and administrative matters.
• Serving as a mentor or team leader for team members to ensure that the organization's mission is communicated and integrated into strategies and work product.
• Carries out other duties as assigned, including serving as the General Counsel's Designee in his/her absence.

POSITION SCOPE: The Associate General Counsel Labor and Employment will work with the General Counsel and Vice President Labor Relations and Human Resources to ensure accountability and form a legal strategy for the organization. Manage all phases of legal, labor relations and employee relations work. Manages and/or performs complex legal work, requiring strong analytical, written and oral communications skills and capacity to evaluate and respond to new and changing issues. Demonstrate insight, judgment and initiative to resolve unusual challenges.

DECISION MAKING/PROBLEM SOLVING: Identify risk factors with potential to disrupt achievement of operational goals. Demonstrate insight, judgment and initiative to resolve unusual challenges. Ability to work effectively and collaboratively, with a high level of personal interaction in the office, across functions with a practical, solution-oriented mindset. Ability to work in a proactive, independent, and reliable manner under tight timeframes in a fast-paced environment. Exhibit excellent judgement, superior leadership, and strong problem-solving skills, and can proactively spot risk and identify solutions. Effective communicator who can explain complex legal concepts to non-lawyers and provide practical legal advice.

RELATIONSHIPS: Collaborate with HR staff and other departments and country offices in planning and implementing project activities and toward departmental objectives. Work requires a high degree of confidentiality, diplomacy, analytical and communication skills and judgment. Manage and provide leadership guidance to the HR Team. Maintains effective working relationship with members of other departments, country offices and other stakeholders.

SUPERVISION EXERCISED: May supervise a team of labor employee relations professionals or legal interns. Manage, coordinate, and monitor activities of others to assure goals are met.

POSITION REQUIREMENTS

The successful candidate will have:

Education: An applicant must have successfully completed a full course of study in a school of law accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA) and have the first professional law degree (LLB or JD). Applicant must currently be a member in good standing of the Bar of a state, territory or commonwealth of the United States (e.g., American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands), or the District of Columbia. Documents should be dated within three (3) months of the date the application is submitted.

Experience: At least 8 years of substantive experience focused on US labor and employment matters, preferably with a mix of experience as in-house counsel with a corporate legal department and with a reputable law firm.

• Legal counsel experience across the employment landscape including labor, employment, international law, contract law, compensation and benefits compliance, administrative agency responses, litigation, and ADA and FMLA administration.
• Experience counseling clients and business partners by providing practical and reasoned advice.
• Established working labor partnerships.
• Progressive labor relations experience working directly with established collective bargaining agreements, negotiations, and grievance/arbitrations.
• International employment law experience, a plus.
• Strong communication skills.
• An ability and willingness to use technology as an enabler of work efficiency.

Related Skills or Knowledge: Proficiency with Microsoft Office, SharePoint and Teams is required. Proven organizational skills and capacity to handle multiple tasks under tight deadlines. Excellent analytical, written and verbal communication skills. Team player with excellent interpersonal skills. Experience supervising a team. Excellent negotiating and influencing skills. Proven success providing advice to leadership, and managing labor management partnership/relationships.

LANGUAGE SKILLS: English required.

TRAVEL: Minimal travel may be required.

Standard office work environment. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the job.

Collective Bargaining Unit: This position is not included in the collective bargaining unit.

Location:This position is hybrid remote in the Arlington, VA headquarters.

Relocation:Local candidates preferred.

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