Counsel, Employment

Job Description

Zendesk provides software that helps its 160,000+ paid customer accounts across more than 150 countries and territories to build the best customer experience. Zendesk is looking for a Counsel, Employment to join a dynamic and fun legal team. This role reports to the Director, Employment Legal. This is a great opportunity to join a vibrant team within an exciting company!

Responsibilities (what you get to do every day):

• Provide legal guidance and support for our global HR business partners, with primary ownership of the EMEA region.
• You exercise good business judgment and will provide practical, sound advice for the EMEA region in the midst of an evolving business landscape.
• Be a trusted partner to the HR team to evaluate EMEA legal risks and provide subject matter knowledge and advice on best practices on a broad range of employment topics, such as: flexible and remote work arrangements, employee relations, performance management, dispute resolution, leaves of absence and accommodations, wage and hour, internal investigations, compensation and benefits, M&A, and independent contractor relationships.
• Partner with internal stakeholders to determine strategy and approach on global employment-related policies, guidelines and processes, and agreements with an approach that balances pragmatism, risk and compliance.
• Draft, review, revise, and update employment-related agreements, templates, and documentation.
• Monitor changes and updates to employment laws.
• Work cross-functionally with teams across legal and the business, leveraging internal knowledge of Zendesk’s business and goals to provide practical advice.
• Support the legal department and team projects.
• Work with our litigation counsel and privacy counsel on employment related matters.
• Scaling, efficiency, and process improvements.

Requirements (what you bring to the role):

• 7+ years of relevant experience as a qualified lawyer, combined in-house multi-national organization and law firm experience.
• Admitted to practice law.
• Able to manage multiple projects simultaneously.
• Problem solver with a focus on practical solutions and guidance.
• Accountable and hands-on, self-starter, results-oriented.
• Experience in advising on complex employment related topics involving EMEA employment and labor laws.
• Experience supporting international business operations and partnering with HR and other professionals across multiple regions.
• Experience providing pragmatic and actionable advice to internal clients on legal risks.
• Excellent communication skills.
• Fluent English (both verbal and written) required. Fluency in other languages is highly valued.
• Experience working with SaaS at a global tech company preferred.

Zendesk software was built to bring a sense of calm to the chaotic world of customer service. Today we power billions of conversations with brands you know and love.

Zendesk believes in offering our people a fulfilling and inclusive experience. Our hybrid way of working, enables us to purposefully come together in person, at one of our many Zendesk offices around the world, to connect, collaborate and learn whilst also giving our people the flexibility to work remotely for part of the week.

The intelligent heart of customer experience
Zendesk software was built to bring a sense of calm to the chaotic world of customer service. Today we power billions of conversations with brands you know and love. We advocate for digital first customer experiences—and we stick with it in our workplace. Over 5,000 employees worldwide are collaborating from kitchen tables, home offices, coworking spaces, and Zendesk workspaces to make one team.

Zendesk is an equal opportunity employer, and we’re proud of our ongoing efforts to foster global diversity, equity, & inclusion in the workplace. Individuals seeking employment and employees at Zendesk are considered without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, medical condition, ancestry, disability, military or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. We are an AA/EEO/Veterans/Disabled employer. If you are based in the United States and would like more information about your EEO rights under the law, please click here.

Zendesk endeavors to make reasonable accommodations for applicants with disabilities and disabled veterans pursuant to applicable federal and state law. If you are an individual with a disability and require a reasonable accommodation to submit this application, complete any pre-employment testing, or otherwise participate in the employee selection process, please send an e-mail to peopleandplaces@zendesk.com with your specific accommodation request.