Hybrid Senior Legal Counsel – Employment

at AstraZeneca

• Job title: Senior Legal Counsel – Employment
• Job type: Full Time
• Experience level: Senior
• Salary: Not specified
• Degree requirement: Professional Certificate
• Location requirements: Hybrid, Cambridge, United Kingdom

About the role

• Senior Legal Counsel at AstraZeneca advising on UK employment law and managing legal risks across multiple business units. Leading litigation matters and driving compliance initiatives in HR services.

Responsibilities

• Advise leaders across all AstraZeneca business units on all aspects of UK employment law, including performance management, discrimination and harassment prevention, workplace investigations, absence and reasonable adjustments, flexible working requests and management, office attendance, contingent workers, compensation, pay equity, terminations, and restructuring.
• Lead all aspects of assigned employment-related litigation matters, including Employment Tribunal and High Court litigation, with responsibilities such as strategy management, cost containment, discovery/e-discovery, and communication with internal parties, in partnership with External Legal Counsel (ELC) and under limited supervision from AGC, Global Employment.
• Handle pre-litigation employment matters, including advising on pre-litigation grievances and handling pre-litigation correspondence with employees and their representatives.
• Continually review UK HR policies and practices to ensure legal compliance and provide strategic partnership in the development of new policies and initiatives.
• Drive AstraZeneca’s global strategies on increasing inclusion and diversity while ensuring compliance with UK and other relevant laws in overseas jurisdictions.
• Identify and manage present and potential legal risks in the delivery of all HR services, including legal risks associated with the implementation of strategic initiatives and projects.
• Manage ELC to control internal and external resources to meet budget requirements.
• Independently handle complex legal matters and innovative business arrangements and projects.
• Ensure collaboration with other Legal teams and support areas to ensure seamless service to clients.
• Handle special projects assigned by Legal leadership.

Requirements

• UK-qualified solicitor or barrister with solid years legal practice experience
• Ability to take accountability, appropriately calibrate risk and enable clear decision-making with confidence and professional maturity
• Solutions-oriented with pragmatic approach
• Intellectually curious, appetite for learning with a track record to master new subjects quickly and effectively
• Resilient and able to operate effectively and independently under pressure
• Ability to work flexibly and collaboratively
• Excellent interpersonal, communication and presentation skills
• Demonstrated experience managing accountabilities and stakeholders
• High level of integrity and strong work ethic

Benefits

• Competitive salary and benefits