About the Firm
Ready to take the lead on complex employment matters across an international organisation?
Our client is a major global business seeking an Associate General Counsel, Employment to join its Group Legal function in Birmingham. This is a senior position with responsibility for leading the organisation’s central employment and labour law capability, providing strategic, commercial and practical advice on significant matters across the business.
Working closely with senior Legal and HR stakeholders, the successful lawyer will help shape the organisation’s approach to employment risk, support its People strategy and advise on organisational and business change. The remit spans the UK and international jurisdictions outside the US, including sensitive cross-border matters, disputes, investigations and strategic projects.
The Opportunity
- Act as the organisation’s dedicated employment and labour law specialist, advising Group and divisional stakeholders on complex employment matters.
- Partner with Legal and HR colleagues on employment policies, governance frameworks and the implementation of the wider People strategy.
- Advise on reorganisations, workforce transformation, consultation processes, executive employment matters and other significant organisational change.
- Lead the employment law aspects of complex cross-border projects and help establish consistent approaches to managing employment risk internationally.
- Oversee and support material employment disputes, litigation, internal investigations and other sensitive employee matters.
- Advise on the employment aspects of acquisitions, disposals, carve-outs, restructurings and other strategic transactions, including due diligence, consultation and post-completion integration.
- Work with HR and Reward teams on material compensation, benefits and executive employment initiatives.
- Provide employment law input into governance matters, external disclosures and regulatory developments, including Equal Pay Transparency requirements.
- Develop practical policies, guidance and training for Legal and HR stakeholders across the organisation.
- Manage the employment law external counsel strategy and associated legal budget, including panel relationships, matter allocation, forecasting and cost control.
The Ideal Candidate
- A qualified English Solicitor, with approximately 6+ years’ PQE.
- Substantial expertise across contentious and non-contentious UK employment law.
- Significant understanding of international employment law, with experience advising on cross-border employment matters.
- Experience supporting material organisational change and multi-jurisdictional employment projects.
- In-house experience within an international business, including employment litigation, would be preferred.
- Comfortable advising and influencing senior HR, Legal and business stakeholders.
- Experience managing external counsel, legal budgets and competing priorities.
- An excellent communicator, able to provide clear and actionable advice on complex issues.
- Sound judgement and discretion when dealing with sensitive or high‑pressure situations.
- A continuous improvement mindset, with an interest in the effective and responsible use of technology to improve legal service delivery.
What’s on Offer
- A senior position within the Group Legal function of a major international organisation.
- The opportunity to lead the central employment and labour law capability across a substantial international remit.
- Exposure to sophisticated employment matters spanning organisational change, strategic transactions, disputes, investigations and cross-border projects.
- Significant influence over the organisation’s approach to employment law risk and the development of employment policies and strategy.
- Regular interaction with senior Legal, HR and business stakeholders across the organisation.
- A high degree of autonomy when handling strategically important and sensitive employment matters.
- Hybrid working from Birmingham, with four days in the office and one day working remotely.
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