Labour Counsel

First Student is the largest school transportation provider in North America with more than a century of experience providing safe and reliable transportation. We work with 1,250 school districts in 39 states and 8 Canadian provinces carrying approximately five million students in 21,000 schools daily.

The Labor Counsel position is an integral role to the organization and a key functioning hands-on member of the Labor Relations / HR team. In this role you will work closely with the Labour Relations / HR leadership team, and collaborate closely with key members of the company Operational, Finance and other key support positions. Serve as a subject matter expert, providing day to day guidance on Labour Relations and related legal matters. This includes leading the preparation for collective bargaining union contract negotiations and serving as the Chief Spokesperson during collective bargaining negotiations. Serve as the company representative for related federal, provincial and municipal matters, including representing the company at various labour boards, human rights tribunals and conducting arbitrations and mediations.

Major Responsibilities:

1. Serves as chief negotiator in collective bargaining negotiations for various operational locations, involving a variety of unions.
2. Having first-chair, chief labor negotiator spokesperson experience is highly preferred.
3. Must be a subject matter expert in Labour Relations related matters.
4. Serve as the company representation before various boards and tribunals.
5. Provides Operations and HR leaders with day-to-day guidance regarding all Labour Relations related matters, such as Labor contract interpretation, regulations, policies, and procedures.
6. Lead the facilitation, application, and rollout of new labor law requirements, working closely with Operations and Human Resources leaders, developing strategy and communication execution.
7. Serve as the strategic leader for collective bargaining preparation initiatives, ensuring timely and effective advanced planning.
8. Provide guidance in addressing any potential work stoppage, from Operation contingency planning to media and security involvement.
9. Collaborate closely with the Labour Relations, Human Resources, Operations and Financial team leaders in all collective bargaining preparation and execution matters.

Minimum Experience & Skills Required:

1. Minimum of 2-4 years of traditional labour and employment experience.
2. Law degree.
3. Highly effective verbal and written communication skills to include; clear, concise, and persuasive skills.
4. Computer proficiency.
5. Can function self-sufficiently and independently.
6. Must be a detailed oriented strategic leader, responsible for delivering on the execution of initiatives.
7. Ability to multitask, prioritize and manage multiple assignments while meeting deadlines.
8. Ability to work as a strong collaborative and influential team player.
9. Strong administrative skills and superior interpersonal skills.
10. Effective leadership and organization skills. Must have the ability to be a strategic thinker, develop strategy and goals, while working with individuals across the organization.
11. Travel 50% - 75%.