Associate General Counsel - Benefits

Business Unit Overview
Feeding the world is what we do - how we do it is unique. We are not your textbook consumer packaged goods company. While others are slow to make change happen, we continuously drive both inorganic and organic growth. Our history is evidence of that fact with over 100 years of heritage and growth from brands that transcend generations like Grape Nuts, Honey Bunches of Oats, Fruity Pebbles, Malt-O-Meal, Egg Beaters, Peter Pan Peanut Butter, Bob Evans Farms and more. And our foodservice and ingredient businesses supply other brands, restaurants, stores, and products you love.
Our offices and manufacturing sites are in 60 locations in seven countries, and we have 10,000+ employees. Over the past 10 years, Post has made 20+ acquisitions and reached $6.2 billion in net sales in fiscal 2021. During turbulent times of market uncertainty, the food industry has provided a level of stability unlike other industries.
Post Holdings, Inc. is headquartered in Brentwood, a suburb of St. Louis, Missouri. Our casual professional atmosphere encourages team members to collaborate, innovate and support our operating companies. Our passion and drive advance the reputation of our operating companies and brands-together, we make a difference.
Responsibilities
The Associate General Counsel - Benefits will be part of the dynamic Post Holdings Legal Department and provide support for the Company's employee benefits and executive compensation matters, as well as supporting these functions within the context of mergers and acquisitions. The Company sponsors and maintains a wide variety of benefits and compensation plans and programs. This position requires a self-motivated attorney who is solutions-oriented, pragmatic and proactive in approach to legal advice and able to work both collaboratively and autonomously. The Associate General Counsel - Benefits will report to the Assistant General Counsel, Benefits & Compensation, and will be based at either the Company's corporate headquarters in Brentwood, Missouri or a subsidiary office in the Minneapolis, Minnesota area (or for the right candidate, other U.S. locations may be considered).
Responsibilities
Primary

• Work as a critical member of the Benefits/Legal collaborative team, answering day-to-day legal questions to aid the administration of benefit plans and ensure compliance.
• Draft and update benefit plan documents (health and welfare, 401(k), pension) and compensation program documents (bonus, retention, equity) to reflect legislative/regulatory changes, design changes, and provisions relating to mergers and acquisitions.
• Draft and review Company communications involving benefits and compensation matters.
• Advise on Federal and state laws affecting benefits, including ERISA, HIPAA and COBRA and the Internal Revenue Code, and assist with employee training on such laws as needed.
• Draft and review benefits vendor contracts and assist with negotiation.
• Provide technical advice on the claims and appeals process and assist with communications.
• Review and draft benefits provisions for collective bargaining agreements.
• Attend and draft minutes for meeting of internal plan fiduciary committees.
• Provide support for benefits, compensation and labor- and employment-related matters in the context of mergers, acquisitions, divestitures and other corporate transactions, including performance of due diligence and drafting of related memos, review of and drafting/revision of relevant provisions in transaction agreements, and management of pre-closing and post-closing legal items such as plan mergers and employee agreement matters.

Secondary

• Provide legal support for executive compensation, equity compensation, and deferred compensation plan design, implementation and administration, including issue-spotting and coordination with benefits team and with securities counsel with respect to relevant securities laws.
• Advise on Federal and state laws affecting compensation matters, including Code Sections 409A and 280G.
• Counsel internal fiduciary committees regarding benefits matters.
• Advise on other employment-related matters and draft other employment-related communications, including severance agreements, non-competition agreements, offer letters and employee handbooks.
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• At least six (6) years of experience as an attorney working primarily in employee benefits/compensation required, including with a law firm.
• Impeccable writing skills, with strong attention to detail but also an efficient, direct writing style that quickly conveys the legal analysis and any decisions needed.
• Ability to make sound, practical decisions quickly and in the face of ambiguity and uncertainty.
• Strong command of the details of relevant law but with an ability to distill legal matters for management and bring matters to a decision point; good presentation skills for this purpose.
• Excellent analytical skills and oral communication skills.
• Efficient and diligent work habits with an ability to handle multiple projects simultaneously.
• Comfortable working in a fast-paced, dynamic environment with frequent change.
• Ability to work primarily on an independent basis but also in collaboration with other attorneys and business professionals in a team environment.
• Knowledge of public company considerations in benefits/compensation desired.
• JD with excellent academic credentials from an accredited law school.
• Member of the Missouri Bar (or applicable state Bar) in good standing.
• If position is located in Brentwood, Missouri, minimal travel may be required. If position is located in another location, regular travel to Brentwood will be required.
• If position is located at a Post or subsidiary office, hybrid schedule applies - which is generally work from home Mondays and Fridays, in-office Tuesday through Thursday (from time-to-time in-office work on Mondays or Fridays may be needed).