Senior Employment Counsel, EMEA

Job Description

Job Title :

Senior Counsel, Employment, EMEA

Location : We will consider candidates from any of our EMEA locations

About Zendesk :

At Zendesk we’re on a mission to simplify the complexity of business and make it easy for companies and customers to create connections. We show companies how to unlock the power of everyday customer interactions so they can make those experiences extraordinary.

And you know what? This work is important, because we’re all customers. We believe life is a little bit better when the customer experiences we all share are painless, frictionless, and more helpful.

Job Summary :

Zendesk is seeking a strategic legal partner to join our Global Employment Legal team as Senior Counsel, Employment for EMEA.  In this role, you will be an integral part of Zendesk’s stunning Legal team, proactively identifying and solving complex employment / labor law challenges across EMEA. In advising, you’ll be effectively balancing business needs, legal risk, and cost considerations while supporting positive and legally compliant workplaces throughout the region. This role involves close and ongoing collaboration with stakeholders in EMEA to provide guidance on employment / labor-related legal matters, where you will smartly balance risk and compliance with global business objectives that aligns with our Company culture.

This role will report directly to the VP, Legal, Global Employment, who is based in the US.

Key Responsibilities :

Provide subject matter expertise on employment / labor-related matters throughout the EMEA region where Zendesk has employees, and, where appropriate, training to HR and other stakeholders on a broad range of employment issues and best practices;

Proactively identify, assess, and balance employment law risk, and offer practical, business-oriented and creative solutions in partnership with the HR and business teams, presenting nuanced employment law concepts in a clear, compelling manner with the goal of ensuring understanding and alignment;

Collaborate with the Global Employment Legal team to stay abreast of, and advise Zendesk on, meaningful employment-related legal developments across EMEA. When necessary, provide relevant in-depth competitive and market analysis to shape employment strategies that anticipate employment law risks, mitigate potential issues, and proactively implement solutions that align with Zendesk’s business goals;

Collaborate with the Global Employment Legal team on global projects and issues, bringing in HR and other stakeholders as appropriate to design and implement local and / or global progressive workplace policies and initiatives.  Help build efficient and scalable internal processes, tools and systems to assist internal stakeholders, including leveraging technology and AI, where / when appropriate;

Support HR / ER partners on investigations into allegations of misconduct and other employee relations issues, including discrimination and harassment, and advise on performance management, reorganizations, and terminations.  When necessary, c ollaborate with Zendesk’s litigation lead on EMEA-based employment-related litigation; and

Select, manage and use outside counsel effectively.

Required Qualifications :

You are a qualified lawyer in good standing in the EMEA country where you are based;

You have a deep knowledge of employment laws across the region, with at least 7 years of experience advising on EMEA employment law matters within a multinational company and / or top-tier law firm.

You are a proactive and dynamic self-starter with a results-driven mindset and keen attention to detail, with an open mind and the ability to adjust and pivot quickly as business needs change.

You possess the ability to anticipate and apply a reality-based assessment of risks, think strategically, keep a cool head in high-stress situations and don’t agonize over decisions.

You are able to provide innovative solutions and align legal advice with business objectives while translating legal complexities into practical, actionable guidance for non-legal stakeholders.

You are experienced with advising on regionally based employment-related disputes, investigations, and in holding sensitive conversations.

You work effectively and collaboratively with stakeholders across different functions and levels, and one of your superpowers is building trust and influence across organizations.

You thrive in a dynamic setting where priorities shift and quick, informed decision-making is critical.

You are committed to Zendesk’s core values, including being customer focused, innovative, and committed to fostering an inclusive and equitable workplace.

You act at all times with integrity, courage and empathy, without losing your sense of humor.

Preferred Experience :

Experience in the technology or SaaS industry.

Experience working in multicultural environments.

Hybrid : In this role, our hybrid experience is designed at the team level to give you a rich onsite experience packed with connection, collaboration, learning, and celebration - while also giving you flexibility to work remotely for part of the week. This role must attend our local office for part of the week. The specific in-office schedule is to be determined by the hiring manager.