Sr Counsel - Employment

Overview: Realize new levels of autonomy and professional ownership. At Ulta Beauty, our Legal, Risk & Governance team provides clarity and continuity in ways that have made our growth a seamless venture, with keen insights that have opened up new and previously unexplored areas of opportunity. Through superior leadership and work that continually challenges, you’ll have the chance to help set strategic direction through ethical and collaborative thought and practice. : THE IMPACT YOU CAN HAVE The Senior Counsel, Employment serves as a senior legal advisor within Ulta Beauty’s Legal, Risk & Governance Department, supporting a Fortune 500 retailer with more than 60,000 associates nationwide. The Senior Counsel manages multifaceted matters, with a primary focus on individual litigation, class and collective actions, and wage and hour matters spanning all 50 states, while also advising on enterprise-wide legal strategy on workforce issues, risk mitigation and policy development. This role functions as a trusted partner to Leadership, People Success, and the Operations teams. The Senior Counsel will operate in a hybrid environment, balancing remote work with regular on-site collaboration while playing a critical role in supporting Ulta Beauty’s dynamic, growing workforce and ensuring enterprise-level compliance and protection. The ability to develop and maintain positive and effective relationships with business partners at all levels across the enterprise as well as with colleagues within the Legal, Risk & Governance team is a must. The ideal candidate will bring deep litigation experience, sharp business judgment and a proactive, solutions-focused approach to advising internal stakeholders on complex employment issues. YOU'LL ACCOMPLISH THESE GOALS BY: • Lead Ulta Beauty’s response to employment litigation, including complex class and collective actions, PAGA claims, individual plaintiff disputes, and government investigations. • Strategically manage outside counsel across a national litigation portfolio, overseeing pleadings, discovery, depositions, mediations, trial preparation, case resolution and litigation strategy • Work closely with counterparts in the Legal, Risk & Governance Department and cross-functional teams to proactively reduce litigation risk through early intervention, internal investigations and strategic policy updates • Contribute deep functional employment law expertise to support business objectives and collaborate with business and legal colleagues to manage risks, particularly related to wage and hour matters • Collaborate closely with People Success, Operations, and other business partners to align legal guidance with evolving business strategies • Offer business-focused and user-friendly counseling to support employment compliance • Conduct legal reviews of workforce-related technology and systems to foster compliance and advance business priorities • Draft, review and negotiate a wide variety of employment-related documents • Mentor junior attorneys and legal professionals, and contribute to team development, process optimization and internal training initiatives ADDITIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES: • Support special projects as assigned by the V.P., Assistant General Counsel • Drive cost discipline and operational excellence in executing initiatives that support the company’s key strategic imperatives • Provide services within established budgets and communicate project costs to business partners for transparency • Deliver all legal services using a consultative approach and model accountability and responsiveness by communicating proactively and meeting service commitments timely : THE ESSENTIALS OF SUCCESS • JD and excellent academic credentials • License to practice law in the state of Illinois (for remote candidates admission to practice law in states other than Illinois will be considered) • 10+ years of experience focused on employment law and litigation, with a track record of success either in-house or at a top law firm • Public company or retail/consumer sector work strongly preferred • Proven track record handling wage and hour litigation, employment class actions, and government audits/investigations (experience in California is preferred) • Exceptional legal judgment, negotiation skills, and the ability to translate legal risks into practical business guidance • Proven ability to effectively manage multiple complex matters simultaneously and flexibility to shift focus and priority as business needs change while also consistently maintaining strong attention to detail, accuracy and quality • Experience with cross-border employment issues or international jurisdictions is a plus • Strong leadership presence, excellent judgment, and proven ability to influence senior stakeholders and build trusted business relationships • This position will be located at Ulta Beauty’s corporate offices in Bolingbrook, Illinois. For remote candidates, monthly travel to the corporate office will be