Legal Counsel Employee Benefits and Compensation

About the role

The Legal Counsel – Employee Benefits role serves as a critical business partner and legal adviser to Pizza Hut's Human Resources benefits teams, plan fiduciaries, and other internal colleagues. Reporting to the Director of Global Litigation, Employment and Brand Protection, this position supports the Total Rewards group.

Responsibilities

• Support the Total Rewards group by providing legal advice and support to benefit plan design, implementation, interpretation, and compliance with respect to health and welfare plans; wellness initiatives; disability and leave programs; defined contribution retirement plans; and various other benefit programs.
• Provide legal support for nonqualified plans and executive compensation, including deferred compensation, bonus, and other incentive compensation, and various employee reward and recognition programs.
• Monitor developments in employee benefits law and policy, and proactively coordinate with HR teams and others to ensure ongoing compliance with legal and policy requirements.
• Provide day-to-day employee benefits legal advice to Pizza Hut’s benefits teams, plan fiduciaries, and other internal colleagues.
• Provide analysis and review of benefit plans and benefit plan administration, including drafting and reviewing plan documents and amendments, summary plan descriptions, participant communications, open enrollment materials, legal notices, and other employee benefits documents.
• Provide compliance support for annual governmental filings, required plan testing, operational reviews, and corrections.
• Review and negotiate service provider agreements.
• Coordinate strategically with HR and Litigation teams, and work closely with outside counsel to defend Pizza Hut in government investigations and private benefits litigation, if applicable.
• Partner with HR Business Partners on advice and counsel and compliance related to leaves of absence and accommodations.
• Develop and deliver training to HR professionals, plan fiduciaries, and business leaders on legal requirements, fiduciary responsibilities, and emerging risks affecting employee benefit plans and compensation programs.

Requirements

• Active license to practice law in Texas (or ability to obtain in-house counsel registration where required)
• 4 - 8 years of experience in a law firm or in-house legal department, with a primary focus on Employment Benefits law
• Ability to assess and weigh risks against operational needs to develop reasoned recommendations, including risk mitigation strategies
• Ability to work quickly and competently to prioritize, manage, and multi-task in a fast-paced and dynamic working environment
• Ability to deliver sound, clear, and practical legal advice, both verbally and in writing
• Ability to develop strong working relationships with colleagues and internal clients
• Ability to self-start and work proactively to advance business objectives to completion
• Solution-oriented and collaborative mindset, including ability to work successfully in a team environment
• Excellent communication skills, including the ability to listen and effectively explain complex legal issues to non-lawyers in one-on-one and large presentation formats
• High personal and professional integrity, including the ability to establish personal credibility within the department and Company

Qualifications

• Juris Doctor (JD) Degree from an ABA accredited law school

Skills

• Strategic growth mindset
• Passion for providing world-class legal support
• Collaborative working across business units
• Modeling Pizza Hut’s cultural values

Benefits

• Flexible work schedule: Three days per week in the Plano, Texas office, with remote work on Mondays and Fridays

Pay

$125,200 to $147,200 annually + bonus eligibility. This is the expected salary range for this position. Ultimately, in determining pay, we'll consider the successful candidate’s location, experience, and other job-related factors.