Massachusetts Jobs

Watts, through its subsidiaries, is a global provider of plumbing, heating, and water quality solutions for residential, industrial, municipal, and commercial settings. Through its family of companies (http://www.wattswater.com/Solutions) , Watts offers one of the most varied plumbing, heating, and water quality product lines in the world. We offer a wide range of world-class, water-related solutions focused on:

• Plumbing & Flow Control

• Water Quality & Conditioning

• Water Reuse & Drainage

• HVAC

• Municipal Waterworks

  Watts has a global presence, with its corporate headquarters in North Andover, MA, and key business subsidiaries in the Americas, Europe, Middle East, and Asia.

  Watts is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “WTS.” As a public company, growing shareholder value is critical. To that end, they focus on a five-part Global Strategy (http://www.wattswater.com/About-Us/Corporate-Strategy) : Growth, Commercial Excellence, Operational Excellence, One Watts, and a Talent & Performance Culture.

Position Information

This position covers a broad range of responsibilities, with a primary focus on managing litigation and product liability claims, administering the Company’s compliance program, and providing legal guidance in connection with various Company departments and initiatives, including human resources, product literature and marketing, and nerw product development. This position will report to the Deputy General Counsel/Chief Compliance Officer, but will require close coordination with the Director of Product Liability and Insurance Risk Management,the Director of Regulatory & Global Trade Compliance, Marketing, and Human Resources.

This is a very visible position with routine interaction with senior management. The expectation is that responsibilities will increase as warranted by performance. This is an excellent opportunity to gain in-house experience in a collaborative environment with department succession opportunities.

Responsibilities:

• Manage litigation, administrative proceedings, and product liability matters

• Active management with outside counsel of litigation matters, principally involving product liability but also including contract disputes, employee relations matters, and other claims affecting the Company

• Advise and support Risk Management regarding claims and arbitration

• Conduct risk assessments involving product safety, including issues related to the CPSC and other regulatory bodies

• Administer the Company’s compliance program

• Develop, review, and update compliance policies and procedures on topics such as Code of Conduct, Business Courtesies, and Anti-Corruption

• Develop, provide, and manage trainings on key compliance initiatives

• Research and advise the business team regarding regulatory compliance issues

• Conduct internal audits of key compliance initiatives

• Advise the Marketing Department on advertising copy and marketing materials, including

• advising on promotions,

• press releases,

• point of sale marketing, and

• drafting product instructions and labels, conditions and disclaimers.

• Advise Human Resources Department on employment-related issues, investigations, and management of employment-related legal proceedings.

• Provide assistance and advice on other legal matters as needed, including

• contract disputes,

• insurance matters,

• litigation preparedness,

• internal investigations,

• contract disputes, and

• regulatory disputes.

• Advise business clients on legal issues and risks, product development, approval processes, Company policies and procedures.

Qualifications & Skills

The ideal candidate will have at least five years of litigation experience in a law firm setting. Litigation experience should include commercial disputes, employment litigation, and product liability claims. Additional in-house experience is highly valued, as is experience in a consumer products and/or manufacturing sectors. The position requires daily interaction with Company personnel, outside experts, insurance personnel, and in-house and outside counsel. Accordingly, the candidate must demonstrate the ability to:

• Effectively coordinate and interact with cross-functional teams;

• Work independently;

• Coordinate multiple priorities;

• Problem solve; and

• Maintain a proactive sense of urgency to complete projects.

Additional skills include:

• Expertise in litigation strategy, and the rules of civil procedure.

• Experience in product liability litigation, consumer products and/or manufacturing environment a plus.

• Significant deposition and other hands-on experience, such as arguing motions.

• Trial experience is a plus.

• Experience in conducting and managing internal investigations.

• Analytical, strategic, and creative problem solving skills with a focus on achieving business goals and objectives.

• Ability and flexibility to set and reset priorities as required.

• Interpersonal and communication skills necessary to interact effectively with senior management and the rest of the legal team.

• A calm, confident, and professional demeanor.

• Ability to discern and prioritize what is really important and what does not require immediate attention from senior management.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS: as required by Americans Disabilities Act (ADA)

While performing the tasks of this job, you are frequently required to walk, talk, and/or hear. You are occasionally required to stand, sit, and use hands to finger, handle, or feel. You must occasionally lift and/or move up to 20 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus.

Watts is committed to equal employment opportunity. We follow a policy of administering all employment decisions and personnel actions without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, pregnancy, national origin, sexual orientation, age, physical or mental disability, genetic disposition or carrier status, marital status, military or veteran status, minorities, or any other category protected under applicable federal, state, or local law. Consistent with the obligations of state and federal law, Watts will make reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities. Any employee who needs a reasonable accommodation should contact Human Resources.

Watts is committed to equal employment opportunity. We follow a policy of administering all employment decisions and personnel actions without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, pregnancy, national origin, sexual orientation, age, physical or mental disability, genetic disposition or carrier status, marital status, military or veteran status, minorities, or any other category protected under applicable federal, state, or local law. Consistent with the obligations of state and federal law, Watts will make reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities. Any employee who needs a reasonable accommodation should contact Human Resources.

Watts Water is a global leader of quality water solutions for residential, industrial, municipal, and commercial settings. Our family of brands (https://www.watts.com/our-story/brands) offers some of the most varied product lines in the world, with world-class, water-related solutions focused on:

• Drainage and Water Reuse

• HVAC and Hot Water

• Plumbing and Flow Control

• Water Quality and Rainwater Harvesting

We are a $1.9 billion global company, listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) with a presence in five (5) continents and twenty-four (24) countries, and an employee population that speaks over eighteen (18) languages. As a people-first company, we prize enriching and caring for all who work here not only through words but through actions. This includes executing our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) strategy, and providing our employees with meaningful career growth opportunities, a positive and safe work environment, and affirmation that they are heard, valued, and respected.We are proud to be an organization that believes that a safer world is a more sustainable world – a belief that we proudly reflect in each of our technologies and solutions and our environmental and social commitments, such as our partnership with Planet Water Foundation.

Learn more about the Watts way, here (https://www.watts.com/our-story/brands) .

Specialties

Plumbing, HVAC, Water Quality, and Gas

Headquarters

Americas & Corporate Headquarters: North Andover, Massachusetts, USA

Asia-Pacific, Middle East & Africa (APMEA) Headquarters: Shanghai, China

Company Size

About 5,000 employees

Website

http://www.watts.com/

http://www.wattsindustries.com/

http://www.wattsasia.com/

Industry

Machinery

Founded

1874