Xylem Hiring for Associate General Counsel, Global Litigation & Risk Management at Cheektowaga Full Time

Xylem |ˈzīləm|

1) The tissue in plants that brings water upward from the roots;

2) a leading global water technology company.

Xylem, a leading global water technology company dedicated to solving the world’s most challenging water issues, is the leading global provider of efficient, innovative and sustainable water technologies improving the way water is used, managed, conserved and re-used. Our international team is unified in a common purpose: creating advanced technology and other trusted solutions to solve the world’s water challenges. We are committed to creating an organization of inclusion and diversity, where everyone feels involved, respected, valued and connected, and where everyone is free to bring their authentic selves and ideas.

If you are excited and passionate about helping us #letssolvewater, we want to hear from you!

The Role: The Associate General Counsel, Global Litigation and Risk Management (AGC) is responsible for managing Xylem’s Global Litigation Center of Excellence and the overall strategy and execution of Xylem’s insurance and risk management program. The AGC will perform a variety of complex legal activities, including handling claims/litigation/losses directly or through the use of external counsel; administering the risk management program daily; managing and analyzing risk management data; conducting risk management education programs; and training the business on litigation lessons learned and leading projects focused on loss reduction and safety. The position requires a strong knowledge of the insurance programs, including placement of insurance lines, interfacing with Third-Party Administration (TPA’S) and external Counsel.

The AGC will need to collaborate with various business units, external counsel, brokers and underwriters, and claim personnel regarding the company’s assets and operations. As a senior legal liaison to the business, the AGC will need to work proactively with cross-functional leaders to help achieve common goals and objectives through thoughtful analysis and collaborative partnership, making recommendations on all matters including policies and complex legal problems. The AGC must possess a continuous improvement mindset with the goal of executing a best-in-class Litigation COE and Risk Management function.

Candidates must be creative and outgoing, have excellent analytical and communication skills, thrive in a high-performance culture, have a “can-do” attitude, be willing to take on broader Companywide projects, think proactively and possess good business sense. The role will interact with Xylem’s 17,000 employees around the world to provide service and support in their daily business needs.

Essential Duties/Principal Responsibilities:

• Manage Xylem’s global litigation docket for all litigation (with the exception of IP claims) including review of all pleadings, completion of discovery, fact-finding and analysis, witness preparation, depositions, case management conferences, motion practice, and arbitration or trial preparation and presentation.

• Assist senior leadership across product, engineering and business teams by informing of litigation and pre-litigation disputes, including identifying potential litigation or regulatory risk and counsel the business to minimize exposure.

• Manage and prepare the global quarterly litigation report to coordinate with legal and accounting to establish reserves and present current case updates

• Prepare litigation disclosures for the Board and for regulatory filings.

• Serve as the main contact for external litigation attorneys; manage relationships, fee arrangements, and associated budgets.

• Identify and communicate opportunities and advantages presented by legal risks and trends, including providing input into and helping drive the development, deployment and communication of the global litigation strategy

• Develop, implement and manage comprehensive and competitive insurance programs. Conduct market negotiations for the procurement of new insurance coverages and the renewal/consolidation of existing coverages, including participating in the formulation of risk management strategy, maintaining the calendar for coverage renewals, preparing marketing presentations and analyzing pricing and program structure options, including the use of self insurance.

• Research, evaluate and make recommendations regarding current and state-of-the-art trends in risk management, safety and loss control strategies.

• Prepare budgets, forecasts, total cost of risk analyses, premium allocations, liability reserve analyses and manage premium audits and retro calculations.

• Oversee and manage all aspects of global insurance claims processes, coordinate with businesses, legal, and other functions, as required, to ensure timely and appropriate settlement of claims. Participate in claim review meetings and analysis of claim reserves.

• Provide consultation and technical advice to the business units on insurance and risk management issues.

• Assist with M&A due diligence, identifying and analyzing significant risk management and insurance issues, estimating cost synergies, compiling required underwriting data and making appropriate recommendations. Ensure smooth and efficient integration of acquisitions into Xylem’s insurance and risk management programs.

• Negotiate and maintain strong relationships with and manage services provided by insurers, brokers, TPAs and other service providers necessary to the risk management programs.

• Review contracts and other legal documents to evaluate risk related provisions and make recommendations while assuring compliance with insurance and risk management policies.

• Create and disseminate regular reports of key metrics (dashboards) to business units to drive risk improvement.

• Develop and deliver training and communications to ensure the efficient operation of the risk management programs by individual operating units.

• Other duties as assigned, including possible captive insurance feasibility study and implementation.

• Participation in Xylem Watermark volunteer activities

Minimum Qualifications: Education, Experience, Skills, Abilities, License/Certification:

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited undergraduate college or university, and JD from an ABA accredited law school

• Admitted to and in good standing with a state bar

• 15 years of relevant experience at a top law firm, in-house practice, or with an insurance company. The preferred candidate will have combined experience working at a top law firm and with a global insurance company.

• Minimum of 8 years’ experience in the field of Risk Management. In-house Risk Management or broker account executive experience is preferred.

• Experience working with global insurance programs, exposures and colleagues.

• Excellent oral and written communication skills, strong interpersonal skills

• Team player with the ability to work cross functionally and take on complex problems and responsibilities

• Business focused, with solid judgment and a deep working knowledge of commercial, operational, and financial concepts; ability to prioritize issues and risks that have the most significance to the business

• Proactively manage projects

• Solve problems in creative and pragmatic ways

• Works with minimal supervision on multiple, simultaneous and complex assignments while meeting deadlines and managing competing priorities consistent with Xylem’s, the business’, and the legal team’s objectives

• Experience managing a budget; strategic resource planning and allocation

• Organized and comfortable with managing a diverse workload

• Possesses continuous improvement mindset

• Consultation and advisory skills as a subject matter expert on risk management for a diverse, global community of colleagues and businesses.

• Strong PC skills including MS Office (Word, Excel and PowerPoint).

• Flexibility to travel 20%

We Offer You More Than Just “A Job”

• Professional Development – To advance the capabilities of our people, we offer a wide variety of experiences to support our employees’ professional growth and continuous learning.

• Total Rewards – We offer comprehensive programs for compensation, benefits, recognition, learning and development, work-life integration and corporate citizenship.

• Watermark – Watermark is our corporate social responsibility program working to provide education and access to safe water to ensure healthy lives, gender equality, and resilient communities. Employees have the opportunity to learn and volunteer on various water-related projects.

• Employee Networks – Our Employee Networks provide a professional, supportive network for employees from diverse backgrounds, including Women’s, LGBT+ and Allies, Veteran’s, People of Color and Allies, Hispanic Origin & Latin Affinity, Emerging Leaders, Working Parents Networks and Non-Native English Speakers and Allies.

Physical Demands/Work Environment:

(The physical demands and work environment described here are representative of those an employee encounters and must be met to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.)

• Regularly required to sit, stand, walk and reach with hands and arms.

• Regularly required to communicate orally.

• Ability to use hands and fingers dexterously to operate office equipment.

• Will require travel to operational sites.

• Employee use of personal protective equipment (PPE) may be required in certain situations.

• Employee must comply with all local regulations and published Company work rules as well as written instructions.

• Office: Florescent lighting, dust, recycled air, cooling fans, semi-enclosed areas, central heating, seasonal warmer temperatures and office noise

• Travel requirement:

Xylem is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, national or ethnic origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, protected veteran status or other characteristics protected by law.