Senior Paralegal

Position Description

• The[Company] , headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, is a $10 billion company that stands alone as one of the world's leading producers of concentrated phosphate and potash crop nutrients. Our world-class mining and processing operations produce the highest quality fertilizer and animal feed ingredients. As a global leader in nourishing crops and delivering distinctive value to the world's agriculture, [Company] offers an opportunity to share in an exciting future.

What are our Values?

• We consider our employees to be our most valued ingredient. [Company] employees are richly diverse in their skills, experience and backgrounds. From engineering, operations, finance, HR, marketing and research, our team came to [Company] not just for a job but a career that makes a positive impact on the world by nourishing the crops our growing population needs.

Are you our next Senior Paralegal?

• We are currently seeking a Senior Paralegal for our Plymouth, MN location. The Senior Paralegal will provide support to the [Company] Law Department on a wide variety of labor, employment and benefits legal matters, including EEO, non-discrimination and harassment programs, employee relations, Ethics Point / Employee Dispute Resolution Program and legal compliance matters. In addition, this person will draft severance and general release agreements, HR and benefits agreements, and provide litigation support.

What will you do?

• Employee Relations Policies and Programs: Research and analyze HR policy best practices, and consult on HR policy development.  Consult on ER policy interpretation matters.  Conduct HR policy and program compliance audits.  Stay abreast of related legal compliance changes.  Provide consultation and advice to support HR Generalists in handling performance/behavior concerns.  Coordinates employment law training for employees and managers.  Appropriately escalate issues to assigned [Company] attorneys and external counsel.
• Ethics Point and Employee Dispute Resolution:  Manage HR-related Ethics Point cases and provide advice, guidance and counseling to HR Generalists and People Leaders.  Assign or conduct investigations and mediate employee concerns, as appropriate.  Appropriately escalate issues to assigned [Company] attorneys and external counsel. Develop and deliver appropriate communications and education materials to ensure program compliance and awareness.  Stay abreast of compliance changes and pro-actively address and implement changes due to compliance requirements.
• Employment, Benefits and Labor Law: Provide support for a variety of complex employment law matters, which can include drafting severance and general release agreements, HR and Benefits agreements, ERISA issues reviewing discipline and termination requests, RIF’s, WARN, FMLA, ADA, assist in EEOC charge responses, NLRB charges, wage and hour, FLSA, collective bargaining negotiation matters, arbitrations, immigration and provide related counseling and advice.
• Contracts and Litigation Support:  Review and draft complex contract documents, which can include software licensing agreements confidentiality agreements and other appropriate documents.  Provide general litigation support, which can include assessing cases, investigating and determining facts, coordinating discovery, monitoring case progress and bringing cases to closure. Other miscellaneous job duties as assigned.
• Be vigilant of issues and conditions that can affect their fellow workers.
• Report any issues that can impact the environment or the safety of the employees.

Position Requirements

• Associate’s Degree required, Bachelor’s Degree preferred. Major in Law or related discipline.
• 5+ years of paralegal experience.
• Previous HR Generalist or Employee Relations experience in a unionized environment is preferred.
• Global experience is preferred.
• Paralegal certificate required.
• Strong computer skills, which includes proficiency with Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook).
• Demonstrated leadership and relationship-building skills are required.
• Ability to handle highly confidential and sensitive information.
• Ability to effectively work and create effective partnerships with employees at all levels within the organization.
• Ability to adapt to a continually changing business and work environment and manage multiple priorities.
• Must be able to safely perform the essential functions of the job without posing a direct threat to the safety of his or her own self, or the safety of others.
• Work environment: typically indoors and in a consistent temperature.
• Able to lift approximately 0-25 lbs. occasionally.
• Must be authorized to work in the United States.