Employment Counsel

Employment Counsel

CHS Inc. has an exciting opportunity in our Legal organization for an Employment Counsel based in Inver Grove Heights, MN. This role serves as a strategic and tactical legal partner to Human Resources, providing day-to-day employment and labor law counsel across the enterprise. You will partner closely with the HR Leadership Team and HR Centers of Excellence—including Talent Acquisition, Total Rewards, Learning & Development, Inclusion, and Data Analytics—to deliver practical, business-oriented legal guidance that enables confident decision-making in a fast-paced environment.

This position requires an attorney who thrives on legal complexity and risk management, and who can provide principles-based guidance emphasizing the legal "why" so that aligned approaches can be consistently implemented across the organization. Success in this role demands excellent communication skills, the ability to manage multiple changing priorities efficiently, discretion and judgment with highly confidential matters, and the ability to work collaboratively with a team approach to issues.

You will report to CHS's Head of Litigation and Employment Law.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the legal partner and liaison to the HR Leadership Team, delivering reliable, consistent, and timely legal advice on employment and labor law matters.
• Elevate proactive initiatives, strategic goals, and project-based work to improve the overall employment law compliance posture of the organization.
• Partner with and provide legal counsel to HR Centers of Excellence for Talent Acquisition, Total Rewards, Learning & Development, Talent Management & Inclusion, and Data Analytics.
• Partner with and provide legal counsel to Employee & Labor Relations Center of Excellence by supporting union contract negotiations, developing labor relations strategies, and working with dispute counsel on grievance and arbitration response.
• Guide the Senior Employment Paralegal on immigration matters and oversee immigration-related legal work.
• Focus on defensive-readiness, process integrity, documentation standards, careful communications, and coaching and training for HR professionals.
• Provide legal oversight for HR Compliance initiatives to ensure adequacy and consistency of approach and documentation (e.g., personnel file management, onboarding letters, termination and separation letters, and performance management documents emphasizing SMART goals and objective measures).
• Leverage technology to stay abreast of employment law and HR Compliance developments (e.g., wage and hour, meal and rest breaks, pre-employment screening, records retention).
• Equip HR to respond confidently to employment matters, including tough employee relations issues, by providing proactive training, tools, and resources.
• Manage outside counsel engagements by ensuring the right experts are assigned to the right issues, managing costs, and driving accountability.
• Provide legal oversight for training and policy development for HR-related topics, including anti-harassment and compliance training programs.

Minimum Qualifications (required)

• J.D. Law Degree from an accredited U.S. law school.
• Active member of a state bar in good standing.
• Minimum 7 years of experience practicing employment and/or labor law, including both litigation and counseling experience.
• Demonstrated knowledge of employment-related laws including Title VII, FMLA, ADA, ADEA, FLSA, wrongful termination, retaliation, harassment, classification of employees, labor/union relations, and restrictive covenants.
• Strong judgment, strategic and analytical thinking, and business acumen with the ability to prioritize and work autonomously across multiple matters.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills with the ability to present complex information clearly and concisely to various stakeholders.

Additional Qualifications

• Ten or more years' practicing employment and/or labor law.
• Admission to practice law in Minnesota, or willingness to gain admission in Minnesota.
• Labor relations and union negotiations experience.
• Compensation and benefits-planning support and advising in a corporate setting.
• Experience advising business clients in operational environments such as supply chain, manufacturing, or agricultural industries.
• Previous in-house counsel experience in a large corporate enterprise.
• Familiarity with HRIS systems, e-discovery management, and collective actions.
• Experience developing and delivering employment law training, including anti-harassment training.
• International employment law experience.
• Experience supporting HR compliance programs and internal investigations.
• Strong learning agility and a growth-oriented mindset.
• A proven commitment to continuous improvement and a passion for helping teams achieve common goals.
• Pre-employment screening is based on the job requirements and industry guidelines and may or may not be required for the position. If required, selected candidates must pass pre-employment screenings to include all or a combination of drug, criminal, motor vehicle check, physical requirements and FMSCA Clearinghouse

CHS offers a competitive total rewards package. Compensation includes base wage and, depending upon position, may include other earnings such as bonus, incentives and commissions. Actual pay offered will vary based on multiple factors which may include, without limitation, experience, education, training, specialized skills and certifications, minimum wage/salary requirements under local law.

Benefits include medical, dental, vision, wellness programs, life insurance, health and dependent care spending accounts, paid time off, 401(k), pension, profit sharing, short- and long-term disability, tuition reimbursement and adoption assistance, subject to the eligibility requirements for each benefit plan.

CHS is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Veterans/Disability.