Head of Employment Law

The Head of Employment Law will serve as the organisation’s senior legal advisor on all employment-related matters globally. This individual will lead the employment law function, providing strategic and practical guidance to senior leadership, HR, and business units on complex employment and labour issues across multiple jurisdictions.

Key Responsibilities

• Strategic Leadership:
• Lead the global employment law team and oversee all employment-related legal matters across the company’s jurisdictions.
• Develop and implement the company’s global employment law strategy in alignment with business objectives and risk tolerance.
• Advisory & Risk Management:
• Advise executives, HR, and business leaders on employment law issues, including hiring, terminations, compensation, discrimination, whistleblowing, and workplace investigations.
• Identify and mitigate legal risks related to employee relations, policies, and practices.
• Policy Development & Compliance:
• Oversee the creation, review, and implementation of employment policies and handbooks to ensure compliance with local laws and alignment with global standards.
• Monitor legislative and regulatory developments in key jurisdictions and provide proactive guidance.
• Litigation & Dispute Resolution:
• Manage employment-related litigation and disputes, including oversight of external counsel and strategy development.
• Represent the company’s interests in significant or sensitive employment matters.
• Business Partnering:
• Collaborate with HR, compliance, and business teams to ensure legal support for organisational change, restructuring, and M&A activities.
• Support diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives from a legal perspective.
• Team Leadership:
• Manage, mentor, and develop a high-performing global employment law team.
• Promote collaboration, knowledge-sharing, and professional development across regions.

Qualifications & Experience

• Qualified lawyer (e.g., Solicitor, Attorney, Barrister) with at least 10–15 years’ post-qualification experience, including significant international exposure.
• Extensive experience in employment and labour law, ideally gained in both private practice and in-house at a multinational corporation.
• Proven track record of managing complex cross-border employment issues.
• Strong leadership and stakeholder management skills.
• Exceptional judgment, strategic thinking, and communication abilities.

Key Competencies

• Strategic and commercial mindset with the ability to balance risk and business objectives.
• Excellent negotiation and interpersonal skills.
• High degree of integrity, discretion, and professionalism.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, matrixed global organisation.