Corporate Counsel II - Regulatory Affairs

ALDI is one of the fastest-growing retailers in the nation, and we are charting an aggressive growth course with plans to add 800 new stores by 2028, increasing to nearly 3,200 locations nationwide. You can play a vital part by joining our Legal team. Our Legal team is key to our strategic direction and the management of a wide range of legal matters impacting the business. As a member of this team, you'll support ALDI in achieving our company initiatives and upholding our core values.

We are seeking a Corporate Counsel II to join our Regulatory Affairs team and play a key role in helping the business navigate an increasingly complex regulatory environment. As Corporate Counsel II, you will partner closely with business leaders to identify and manage risk, provide practical legal guidance, and support compliance across a broad range of regulatory matters impacting a national retailer. This role is particularly well-suited for an attorney with experience advising on sustainability and environmental compliance initiatives, including packaging regulations, extended producer responsibility (EPR) programs, waste and recycling requirements, climate-related regulatory developments, and other emerging ESG obligations. You will also serve as a trusted advisor on weights and measures requirements, pricing and promotional practices, product labeling obligations, and other regulations affecting retail operations. In this highly collaborative role, you will work across multiple functions to develop effective compliance strategies, monitor legislative and regulatory developments, engage with regulatory agencies and industry stakeholders, and help prepare the organization for evolving legal requirements. The ideal candidate combines strong legal judgment with a business-minded approach, possesses deep knowledge of federal and state regulatory frameworks, and excels at translating complex legal concepts into practical, actionable advice that enables business growth while managing risk.

Position Type: Full-Time
Starting Salary: $155,250
Salary Increases: Year 2 - $165,500| Year 3 - $176,000
Work Location: Aurora, IL
This role is eligible to participate in ALDI’s Legal Hybrid Work Program, which requires work in-office at least 2 days per month.

Duties and Responsibilities:
Must be able to perform duties with or without reasonable accommodation.

• Communicates effectively and informs direct leader of issues, status, and results of assigned tasks.
• Identifies legaland regulatory affairs issues and recommends responsive action, with an emphasis on risk mitigation.
• Engages with leadership, various business units,government agencies, industry groups, and external stakeholders regarding regulatory matters and compliance obligations.
• Partners and liaises with outside counsel on legal matters and manages relevant external consultants.
• Recommends process improvements for area of responsibility.
• Provides strategic counsel to assigned business units on a wide range of legaland regulatory affairs issuesto drive strategy and operational goals.
• Researches, monitors, assesses, and communicates emergent legal trends, new legaland regulatory issues and laws, legislation, regulations,agency guidance, rulemaking activity, enforcement developments, and court decisionsin multiple jurisdictions to drive strategy and operational goals; identifies and communicates impactful updatesand business implications todirect leader and relevant business units.
• Drafts legal memorandums,regulatory assessments, attorney correspondence, reports, and other work product to identify exposures and risks then reports findings to direct leader.
• Partners with Quality Assurance, Sustainability, Buying, Supply Chain, Operations, Compliance, and other business functions to assess regulatory requirements and implement effective compliance solutions.
• Serves as a liaison for various areas of the business, including creating and reviewing related agreements.
• Assists in responding to regulatory inquiries, examinations, inspections, audits, investigations, and enforcement matters initiated by governmental authorities.
• Partners with and manages outside counsel with respect to complex legaland regulatory affairs matters.
• Identifies proactive, cost-effective solutions that will eliminate and/or mitigate legal and business risks.
• Ensures effective implementation and communication of Legal programs, providing visibility of key milestones and progress.
• Assists in developing, implementing and driving process improvements and infrastructure solutions to enhance the department’s ability to assist the Company and function efficiently. 
• Ensures compliance with legal documentation and Company policies.
• Prepares and analyzes data to identify exposures and risks.
• Provides proactive analysis of current projects and analytical review of reported results.
• Develops, reviews, and delivers compliance guidance, policies, procedures, and training materials to support adherence to applicable regulatory requirements.
• Advises business partners on regulatory requirements relating to retail operations, sustainability and environmental compliance initiatives, product labeling obligations, food and product compliance, weights and measures requirements, pricing, marketing and advertising, consumer protection, and other regulations affecting the Company.
•  Performs special projects as requested.
• Drafts, reviews, and negotiates agreements.
• Collaborates with team members and communicates relevant information to leadership.
• Complies with ALDI privacy and security requirements and policies if job responsibilities include possible access to confidential and/or sensitive information.
• Other duties as assigned.

Job-specific Competencies:
Knowledge/Skills/Abilities

• Consistently demonstrates the Mindsets, ALDI Acts Competencies and Professional Skills (M.A.P.) as outlined for the role.
• Gives attention to detail and follows instruction.
• Excellent verbal and written communication and customer service skills, including the ability to communicate with a wide variety of individuals and respond to inquiries in a timely, professional manner.
• Effective time management; maximizes productivity.
• Prepares written materials to meet purpose and audience.
• Develops and maintains positive relationships with internal and external parties.
• Demonstrated skills in the areas of time management, interpersonal skills, relationship building, collaboration, presentation, and problem solving.
• Ability to work in a collaborative team environment.
• Knowledge of relevant United States contract law, commercial transactions, and/or data privacy including the ability to analyze regulatory requirements, assess compliance risks, and advise business stakeholders on implementation strategies.
• Knowledge of federal and state administrative law, regulatory law and enforcement processes, agency investigations, and legislative and regulatory monitoring.
• Ability to identify, assess, and communicate the impact of legislative, regulatory, and enforcement developments on business operations.
• Knowledge of how legal issues affect organizations and the ability to develop strategies to coordinate legal considerations to business objectives.
• Strong interpersonal skills, including creativity and ability to communicate information accurately and proficiently to non-lawyers.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite.
• Ability to analyze and present complex data.
• Ability to anticipate legal risks as well as utilize excellent judgment and analytical skills.
• Ability to interpret and apply company policies and procedures.
• Ability to stay organized, multi-task, and prioritize in a professional and efficient manner while working under strict deadlines.
• Knowledge of retail industry standards and practices. 
• Negotiation skills. 
• Ability to plan and organize workflow and embrace new challenges. 
• Ability to apply creative solutions. 
• Leverages legal expertise and business acumen to support the company in achieving its objectives. 

Education and Experience:

• Bachelor's Degree required.
• A minimum of 5 years of progressive experience in a legal environment required, preferably in a combination of law firm and corporate or in-house experiencewith significant experience advising on regulatory, compliance, administrative law, or governmental affairs matters.
• Experience advising on sustainability frameworks is preferred.
• J.D.  from an ABA accredited law school required. 
• Licensed to practice in Illinois (or immediate ability to become licensed) required.
• Experience monitoring legislation, regulatory developments, agency guidance, and enforcement trends and advising business stakeholders regarding legal and          operational impacts is preferred.
• Experience interacting with or advising on matters involving federal, state, or local regulatory agencies preferred.
• Experience supporting retail, food and beverage, consumer products, supply chain, product compliance, advertising, privacy, or other highly regulated industries preferred.
• Or a combination of education and experience providing equivalent knowledge. 

Physical Requirements:

• Work may be performed in an office, remote office or a combination of both where a computer and office equipment may be used as needed to perform duties.
• Regularly required to sit, reach, grasp, stand and move from one area to another.
• Constantly and repeatedly use keyboard/mouse.
• Occasionally required to push, pull, bend, lift and move up to 25 lbs. 

Travel:

• Domestic travel required.
• Up to 10%.

ALDI offers competitive wages and benefits, to all employees including:

• 401(k) Plan
• Company 401(k) Matching Contributions
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• PerkSpot National Discount Program

In addition, full-time employees are offered:

• Medical, Prescription, Dental & Vision Insurance
• Generous Vacation Time & 7 Paid Holidays
• Up to 6 Weeks Paid Parental Leave at 100% of pay
• Up to 2 Weeks Paid Caregiver Leave at 100% of pay
• Short and Long-Term Disability Insurance
• Life, Dependent Life and AD&D Insurance
• Voluntary Term Life Insurance

*Full-time employees average 30 or more hours per week within an annual lookback period

**Benefits offered to full-time and part-time employees may vary by state

ALDI is committed to equal opportunity for all employees and applicants. As a proud Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE), we do not discriminate based on race, color, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, religion, sex, sexual stereotyping, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, age, marital status, mental or physical disability, medical condition, genetic information, military or veteran status, pregnancy (which includes pregnancy, childbirth, and medical conditions related to pregnancy, childbirth, or breastfeeding), or any other protected characteristic. Employment may be contingent upon ALDI's receipt of an acceptable and job-related drug test, motor vehicle report, and/or reference check, as applicable and permissible by law.