Senior Counsel, Labor-East Coast

Transdev; New York (NY); Hybrid; USD 160,000 - 200,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Vacation: 2 weeks

Sick days: 5

Holidays: 12 days

401(k) and health benefits

Job summary

Transdev is seeking a Senior Labor Counsel to join its Corporate Legal Department. The role focuses on traditional labor law, including collective bargaining negotiations, labor arbitrations, and NLRB matters, across divisions with travel up to 50%. The position is remote with residency required in specified U.S.

states. Salary ranges from $160,000 to $200,000 annually. Applicants should bring extensive experience handling multi-site union environments and advising senior leadership on labor

Qualifications

• J.D. from an accredited law school and active bar in the candidate's state.
• Minimum 12 years of relevant labor and employment law experience.
• Experience leading collective bargaining negotiations and labor arbitrations.

Responsibilities

• Lead union contract negotiations and act as chief spokesperson.
• Partner with business leaders to develop negotiation strategies and draft proposals.
• Oversee administration of multiple collective bargaining agreements (CBAs).
• Research and analyze federal, state, and local labor laws impacting CBAs.

Skills

Labor negotiations

Labor strategy

Union relations

HR collaboration

Education

Juris Doctor (J.D.)

Bar admission

Job description

This is a fully remote position, but we require the successful candidate to reside in one of the following states:

New York

New Jersey

Virginia

Maryland

North Carolina

Washington DC

Maine

New Hampshire

Rhode Island

Connecticut

Massachusetts

About the Role

Building on Transdev’s purpose and values, the Senior Labor Counsel serves as a key member of the Corporate Legal Department, partnering closely with business and operational leaders to provide strategic labor and employment counsel across assigned divisions of the Company. This high-impact, business-facing role focuses primarily on traditional labor law matters, including leading collective bargaining negotiations, managing labor arbitrations and National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) proceedings, and advising management on complex union-related issues and labor strategy.

The Senior Labor Counsel will serve as lead negotiator for collective bargaining agreements within the assigned region and will provide practical, solution-oriented guidance to business clients in a dynamic and highly operational environment. The role requires strong judgment, executive presence, and the ability to balance legal risk, operational objectives, and employee relations considerations. This position weighs heavily in contract negotiations, with union negotiations workload between 60% and 80% of the total work.

The annual salary range for this role is $160,000 to $200,000

Benefits may vary depending on location policy. The below represents the standard Corporate Policy.

• Vacation: minimum of two (2) weeks
• Sick days: 5 days
• Holidays: 12 days; 8 standard and 4 floating
• Other standard benefits: 401(k) retirement plan, medical, dental and vision, life insurance, short-term disability, voluntary long-term disability.

Successful candidates will bring significant experience leading collective bargaining negotiations, handling grievance arbitrations, and managing NLRB matters, along with familiarity working with the American Arbitration Association (AAA) and the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS). Experience advising sophisticated business clients in complex, multi-site unionized environments is strongly preferred.

This role requires travel throughout assigned divisions within the United States based on business needs (approximately 50%).

Core Responsibilities

• Union Contract Negotiations Serve as chief spokesperson and provide strategic leadership during collective bargaining negotiations
• Partner with business unit leaders to develop negotiation strategies, including drafting proposals and counterproposals with strong attention to detail
• Oversee the day-to-day administration of multiple collective bargaining agreements (CBAs)
• Research and analyze applicable federal, state, and local labor laws and regulations impacting collective bargaining negotiations

Advice and Counsel

• Advise senior operational and HR leadership on labor strategy and organizational risk.
• Provide legal counsel and strategic guidance on traditional labor law matters, including negotiation and renegotiation of CBAs
• Develop and deliver labor relations training, including best practices related to policies, procedures, grievance prevention, and union-management relations
• Advise on internal investigations, including recommendations regarding discipline and corrective action
• Support special projects and participate on cross-functional teams as needed

Labor Arbitrations

• Represent the Company in labor grievance arbitrations, as assigned.
• Prepare post-hearing briefs, position statements, legal memoranda, and other labor-related legal documents
• Manage and maintain the labor arbitration docket
• Partner with business units to resolve union grievances, including drafting Last Chance Agreements and Memoranda of Understanding, and participating in grievance resolution meetings

National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) Practice

• Represent the Company before the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), including handling unfair labor practice charges, representation petitions, and unit clarification matters, as assigned.
• Provide proactive training and guidance regarding developments under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) and related labor regulations, as assigned.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree and Juris Doctor (J.D.) from an accredited law school
• Licensed attorney in good standing with the state bar of the state in which the candidate resides
• Minimum of 12 years of relevant labor and employment law experience

Preferred Experience and Skills

• Experience in the transportation, logistics, manufacturing, and/or public procurement industries preferred
• Strong understanding of corporate finance, including the ability to read and interpret financial statements and assess the dynamics of unionized business environments
• Excellent written, verbal, and presentation skills
• Experience supporting multi-site and multi-state operations preferredDemonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced, dynamic, and time‑sensitive environment
• Strong analytical skills and exceptional attention to detail
• Self‑directed professional with the ability to work independently and collaboratively across legal teams and highly matrixed business organizations
• Proven ability to translate complex legal and business issues into practical, business‑oriented guidance
• High degree of integrity, professionalism, and intellectual curiosity

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this classification. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of personnel so classified.

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions upon request.

Transdev is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) employer and welcomes all qualified applicants. Applicants will receive fair and impartial consideration without regard to race, sex, color, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, genetic data, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion or other legally protected status, or any other classification protected by federal, state, or local law.

Drug‑free workplace

If based in the United States, applicants must be eligible to work in U.S. without restrictions for any employer at any time; be able to pass a drug screen and background check.

California applicants: Please Click Here for CA Employee Privacy Policy.

Job Category

Management

Job Type

Full Time

Work Type

Remote

Req ID

9004

Pay Group

NF2

Cost Center

803

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this classification. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of personnel so classified.

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions upon request.

Transdev is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) employer and welcomes all qualified applicants. Applicants will receive fair and impartial consideration without regard to race, sex, color, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, genetic data, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion or other legally protected status, or any other classification protected by federal, state, or local law.

Drug‑free workplace

If based in the United States, applicants must be eligible to work in U.S. without restrictions for any employer at any time; be able to pass a drug screen and background check.

California applicants: Please Click Here for CA Employee Privacy Policy.

About Transdev

Cities, counties, airports, companies, and universities across the U.S. contract with Transdev to operate their transportation systems, maintain their vehicle and fleets, and deliver on mobility solutions. Transdev U.S. employs a team of 32,000 across 400 locations while maintaining more than 17,000 vehicles.

Part of a global company, Transdev is a leader in mobility with operations in 19 countries, proudly operated by 110,000 team members from around the world. As an operator and global integrator of mobility, we are driven by our purpose. Transdev – the mobility company – empowers the freedom to move every day thank to safe, reliable, and innovative solutions that serve the common good. Find out more at http://www.TransdevNA.com or watch an overview video.