Contracts & Risk Management

Environmental Science Associates (ESA) is seeking an experienced Senior Counsel, Legal & Enterprise Risk to lead and continuously strengthen our firmwide approach to contractual, operational, employment, and enterprise risk. The ideal candidate shall have a combination of legal and contractual expertise, business judgment, emotional intelligence, and the ability to influence leaders across a complex professional services organization.

This is a highly visible, collaborative position working directly with the Chief Operating Officer and senior leadership, while partnering extensively with Human Resources, Finance, project and regional leadership, and other corporate functions. You will lead ESA's proactive risk management program while serving as a trusted resource on complex contracts, employment-related risks, project delivery, business transactions, and emerging organizational issues. The right person will be able to move comfortably between detailed contract negotiations, sensitive employee matters, project risk, and executive-level discussions. Just as importantly, you will help leaders understand not simply what the risk is, but what ESA can reasonably do about it. The ideal candidate shall be based in either Los Angeles, CA, and/or San Francisco, CA and be able to work a hybrid schedule.

You are an approachable and credible advisor who can deliver difficult guidance clearly and constructively. You understand that excellent risk management does not mean eliminating every risk—it means helping leaders understand risk, make informed decisions, and take appropriate action. You are comfortable challenging assumptions when necessary while listening, collaborating, and finding workable solutions. You can move from reviewing a sophisticated client agreement to consulting with HR on a sensitive employee matter, advising an executive on enterprise risk, or helping a Project Manager understand how a contract provision could affect project delivery. You are financially astute, pragmatic, curious, and comfortable operating in an organization where relationships matter. Above all, you recognize that at a 100% employee-owned company, protecting the organization means protecting the long-term interests of every employee-owner.

You will ideally bring:

• →10+ years of progressively responsible experience in contracts, legal operations, enterprise risk, employment law, or related corporate legal/risk functions.
• →Significant experience interpreting, drafting, and negotiating sophisticated commercial contracts.
• →Strong working knowledge of U.S. employment law, including experience advising organizations with employees across multiple states.
• →Meaningful knowledge of California employment law and regulatory requirements strongly preferred.
• →Experience advising HR and organizational leadership on complex employee-relations and employment-risk matters.
• →Demonstrated ability to identify risk and develop practical mitigation strategies without unnecessarily impeding business objectives.
• →Experience managing or coordinating outside legal counsel.
• →Strong understanding of professional-services contracting and risk; AEC industry experience is strongly preferred.
• →Experience partnering with executives and senior operational leaders.
• →Experience developing and implementing risk-management programs, policies, training, and controls.
• →Excellent negotiation, communication, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
• →Strong discretion and judgment when handling sensitive and confidential matters.

• Juris Doctor (JD) strongly preferred, particularly for candidates expected to provide substantial employment-law expertise.
• Active bar membership in at least one U.S. jurisdiction is desirable.
• Experience as in-house counsel, employment counsel, contracts/risk leader, or in a combined legal and risk-management role.
• Experience within an AEC, engineering, environmental consulting, architecture, construction, or other professional-services organization.
• Experience with employment matters involving California, Washington, Oregon, and other jurisdictions where ESA operates.
• Experience supporting mergers, acquisitions, workforce integrations, or organizational restructuring.
• Familiarity with professional liability and other insurance programs relevant to professional-services firms.

Within your first year, you will build strong partnerships across Operations, HR, Finance, regional leadership, and executive management while strengthening ESA's approach to contractual, employment, project, and enterprise risk.

Success will include improving the consistency and efficiency of contract review and escalation; establishing clear protocols for higher-risk employment matters; increasing visibility into significant projects, contracts, claims, and organizational risks; strengthening coordination with outside counsel; and delivering practical training for Project Managers and leaders.

Most importantly, you will help ESA move toward a more proactive approach to risk—identifying recurring sources of exposure and implementing preventative solutions while balancing legal protection, employee considerations, client relationships, financial performance, and ESA's business objectives.

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ESA is an Equal Opportunity Employer, committed to a diverse and inclusive work environment. (EOE M/V/F/D)