Labor and Employment Counsel - Portland - Profound

Description

ProFound Executive Search is serving as an external search partner to Relay Resources in its search for Labor and Employment Counsel. This position reports to the Chief Financial & Employee Operations Officer at Relay Resources.

About Relay Resources

Relay Resources is a leading disability social enterprise nonprofit in the Pacific Northwest, with a mission to transform workplaces and communities by championing disability inclusion.

The organization employs nearly 900 team members in four lines of business: building solutions, which includes janitorial, landscaping, and floor care services; document solutions; supply chain solutions; and disability inclusion and accessibility consulting services. Additionally, Relay operates three programs: Supported Employment, which places and supports disabled people in competitive jobs in the community; abilIT, a new cybersecurity and technology training and job placement program; and Affordable Housing, which manages 850 units for 1,500 residents, 27% of whom have a family member with a disability.

Relay Resources is an Equal Opportunity Employer that strives to create a diverse workforce and an inclusive culture and believes each employee makes a significant contribution to its success. That contribution should not be limited by the assigned responsibilities. Therefore, this job description is designed to outline primary duties, qualifications, and job scope, but not limit the incumbent or the organization from adjusting the work identified.

We welcome applications from disabled people/people with disabilities and neurodivergent individuals and are committed to providing accommodations throughout the hiring process. We are an equal opportunity employer.

Relay Resources Core Competencies

• Focus on strengths
• Prioritize informed action
• Communicate clearly
• Champion disability inclusion
• Build supportive relationships

Position Summary

The Labor and Employment Counsel will serve as the primary legal advisor on all employment and labor matters for Relay Resources. This role will lead employee and union relations strategy and compliance with federal and state employment laws. The role will partner with Relay Resources HR leadership to foster a disability-centric, inclusive, and legally compliant workplace. The Counsel will act as a trusted advisor to executives and managers on labor negotiations, grievance handling, workforce policies, and internal investigations of employee complaints.  

Key Responsibilities

Labor Relations Leadership 

• Serve as the lead strategist promoting collaborative labor relations and the lead negotiator for collective bargaining agreements. 
• Manage union relationships with SEIU (Service Employees International Union) and LIUNA (Laborers' International Union of North America), and ensure compliance with labor contracts. 
• Advise on contract administration, grievance handling, and arbitration processes, including strategy, resolution, and prevention. 
• Maintain effective relationships with union leadership and industry labor relations contacts, and monitor trends related to wages, hours, working conditions, and benefits. 
• Ensure Relay Resources team leaders have the tools and training required to effectively create a disability-inclusive work environment, consistent with customer requirements and in compliance with the applicable collective bargaining agreement. 

Employment Law Compliance 

• Provide guidance and ensure compliance with federal, state, and local employment and labor laws (including but not limited to FMLA, FLSA, ADA, ADEA, NLRA, and related wage/hour, leave, anti-discrimination, recruitment, onboarding, workplace safety, and data privacy requirements). 
• Draft and review employment policies, handbooks, and procedures. 
• Monitor regulatory changes and update practices accordingly. 
• Manage investigations and responses to any federal or state employment claims or inquiries. 
• Audit Relay Resources employment practices and records to ensure compliance and provide solutions for gaps, training needs, and / or compliance software or technology solutions.

Employee Relations 

• Partner with HR and leadership on complex employee relations issues and dispute resolution. Provide consultation and support in disciplinary matters.  
• Conduct internal investigations into workplace complaints and advise on corrective actions. 
• Support Relay's initiatives related to disability, equity, and inclusion from a legal perspective. Strengthen organizational effectiveness through clear policies, procedures, and practices.
• Ensure team leaders have tools and training to manage employee situations consistent with Relay's disability-centric values and culture. 
• Use systems, tools, and data to identify trends, report findings, and recommend process improvements.

Risk Management & Training 

• Develop and deliver training for managers on labor and employment compliance. 
• Mitigate legal risks through proactive strategies and documentation. 
• Manage outside counsel relationships when specialized expertise is required. 

Leadership and Team Management

• Lead, set goals, and provide direction for the Manager of Employee and Labor Relations and the Labor Relations Specialist.
• Provide coaching and guidance for the HR team members in all legal and compliance matters.
• Develop effective working partnerships with Relay Resources function leads and Relay Resources Team Leaders. Provide counsel on all legal and employment compliance matters. Recommend practices to mitigate employee and labor relations issues. 
• Represent Relay's values, culture, and policies with Union Leadership and representatives.

Disability Inclusion and Accessibility

• Advance the Relay Resources mission to transform workplaces and communities by championing disability inclusion through legally sound and strategic practices.
• Serve as the primary legal advisor across a disability-centric organization.
• Guide and support leaders in implementing accessible, compliant, and equitable practices.
• Actively engage with emerging issues and best practices in disability law and inclusion, and bring forward ideas and guidance that strengthen organizational impact and credibility.
• Partner with internal and external stakeholders to share expertise and influence practice, such as participating in trainings, presentations, publications, or professional forums related to disability inclusion and employment law.

Qualifications

• Juris Doctor (JD) from an accredited law school; active license to practice law in Oregon (or ability to obtain) within 6 months. 
• Minimum 7 years of experience in employment and labor law, including union negotiations and grievance handling. 
• Knowledge of FMLA, FLSA, ADA, ADEA, NLRA, wage/hour laws, and other employment regulations, with experience monitoring updates, interpreting, and applying laws and regulations in day-to-day workplace matters
• Communication, negotiation, and problem-solving skills, with experience explaining complex legal guidance clearly, working collaboratively in negotiations, and identifying practical, compliant solutions. Commitment to Relay Resources' mission of disability inclusion and workplace equity. 

Preferred Experience

• Prior in-house counsel experience in a unionized environment. 
• Familiarity with disability-centric employment practices. 
• Experience in nonprofit or social enterprise settings. 

Salary Range

$160,000 - $180,000

ProFound Executive Search is serving as an external search partner to Relay Resources in its search for Labor and Employment Counsel. To express interest and learn more about the role from the ProFound team, please visit: https://www.ProFoundExecSearch.com/candidates