Sr Legal Counsel - Employment EMEA

Provide clear, pragmatic, and solution-oriented legal advice to enable business strategy while managing legal risk. Participate in complex problem resolution, providing expert legal advice on high-stakes issues and disputes. Ensure compliance with relevant laws and regulations. Partner with business counterparts across the enterprise to help drive the delivery of effective legal services. Escalate complex issues to senior legal leadership where appropriate. Provide timely, strategic employment law advice across Belgium, France, Germany, Israel, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Republic of Ireland, Spain, Sweden, UAE, and the UK & Northern Ireland, enabling compliant and commercially sound business decisions. Monitor and anticipate legislative and regulatory developments across the region, advising on legal risk, mitigation strategies, and required compliance controls. Lead and manage employee litigation matters in partnership with external counsel, shaping strategy and ensuring effective, proportionate outcomes aligned with business objectives. Partner closely with People Partners and the Employee Relations team on labour law matters, including workforce consultations, works council engagement, and restructuring initiatives. Support organisational change and restructuring projects through proactive legal risk assessment and clear, pragmatic guidance. Deliver practical and engaging employment law training to HR, managers, and other stakeholders. Contribute to a consistent EMEA Employment Legal voice and approach, supporting cross-border alignment and collaboration within the team. Identify and manage employment-related risk proactively across the region. Travel within EMEA as required. 8+ years relevant experience and a Juris doctorate degree OR Any equivalent combination of education and experience. A qualified lawyer in one of the EMEA jurisdictions with strong practical expertise in employment and labour law, with experience across two or more EMEA jurisdictions. Significant post-qualification experience (ideally 8+ years), including proven senior in-house experience within a multinational organisation. Demonstrated capability in managing complex litigation, investigations, and workforce change projects. Commercially pragmatic, solutions-focused, and confident advising senior stakeholders across multiple countries. Excellent drafting and communication skills in English; additional European languages are advantageous. Strong judgment, stakeholder management capability, and the ability to balance legal risk with business priorities. Self-motivated, adaptable, and comfortable operating in a fast-paced, international environment.