Environmental Counsel

About the Role

Gates is a leading manufacturer of application-specific fluid power and power transmission solutions, pushing the boundaries of material science to engineer solutions that continually exceed customer expectations. We are seeking an experienced environmental legal professional to provide extensive regulatory, permitting, and technical guidance across our global operations.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Advise on environmental compliance, permitting, and incident response related to safety and environmental regulations
• Manage complex environmental litigation, enforcement actions, and negotiations with government agencies
• Provide legal advice on transactional matters, sustainability, and environmental due diligence
• Provide extensive environmental regulatory, permitting, and technical guidance for topics including: product/chemicals regulations, standards & abatement (Packaging, REACH, RoHS, PFAS, GADSL, PCBs, asbestos, lead, etc.); air & greenhouse gas emissions; wastewater and storm water; solid and hazardous waste, reuse & recycling; environmental marketing; life cycle assessment & carbon footprint; pollution prevention & resource conservation; storage tank management; and HSE Management Systems (ISO 14001, 14040, 14044, 45001, 50001, etc.)
• Assess, inform, and collaborate with internal stakeholders to minimize impact of environmental regulations to business, operations, products, and commercial markets
• Advise on environmental clauses in agreements or conditions for business and property transactions
• Support communications and negotiations with federal, state, and local environmental agencies around the world in collaboration with regional HSE teams
• Facilitate audit program to achieve compliance and reasonable assurance
• Lead site investigations, remediation strategies, and cost control for remediation portfolio
• Provide technical support and data for environmental reserves and reporting (10K, Sustainability Report, CSRD, etc.)
• Manage environmental department invoice processing & accruals

Keys to Success

• Requires depth and breadth of expertise in specialized area; considered a company subject matter expert in their particular discipline
• Incorporates understanding of business objectives and strategies in recommending functional goals and operating plans
• Leads projects with notable risk and complexity
• Decision making involves researching, analyzing and evaluating data and using judgment in applying professional expertise
• Anticipates business, vendor and/or regulatory changes; recommends product, process or service improvements
• Communicates complex concepts, anticipates potential objections and persuades senior executives to adopt a different point of view

Supervisory Responsibilities

• Provides technical leadership and consultation to management and peers
• 1-2 direct reports

Requirements

• 5+ years of experience in environmental law, regulatory compliance, and enforcement
• Juris Doctor (JD) degree required
• Active license to practice law in the U.S., with strong preference for admission to the Colorado Bar or eligibility to waive into it
• Specific experience in Clean Air Act compliance, hazardous waste regulations, remediation, and permitting is highly sought after
• Strong advocacy, project management, and negotiation skills, along with the ability to manage external counsel
• 25-30% travel allotment, both domestic and international
• Must be legally authorized to work in the US without company sponsorship

Pay & Benefits

• Full-Time
• Salary Range: $155,000 - $170,000
• Bonus Eligible: 15%
• Medical, Dental, Vision insurance and other voluntary benefit options – benefits begin on the first day of the month immediately following your date of hire
• Eligible for 3 weeks of paid vacation + 11 holidays (9 scheduled & 2 floating) + 8 sick days (all vacation days are accrued)
• 401(k): 3% company contribution and additional 3% company match
• Tuition Reimbursement