Senior Counsel, Global Employment Law

Role Description

The Senior Counsel, Global Employment Law will provide legal counsel and strategic guidance on a broad range of employment and labor-related matters across multiple jurisdictions. This role supports global business units, ensuring compliance with international, federal, state, and local employment laws while balancing business objectives and mitigating risk. Key responsibilities include advising on employee relations, wage and hour compliance, workplace accommodations, protected leave, and internal investigations. The Counsel will work closely with HR professionals, senior leadership, and external counsel to develop policies, conduct training, and oversee compliance initiatives across multiple regions. The role requires a proactive, business-oriented approach to legal risk assessment and management with a strong understanding of multinational employment regulations.

Responsibilities

Advice & Counseling

• Provide legal advice on global employment matters, including compliance with international labor laws, regional wage and hour regulations, and workplace safety mandates.
• Monitor and track employment law landscape to proactively advise on employment and labor-related matters.
• Develop and review global employment policies and practices to ensure compliance with evolving legal requirements across multiple jurisdictions.
• Advise on immigration-related employment matters and assist in compliance with relevant international laws and agencies.
• Conduct global risk assessments and provide legal guidance on business objectives to mitigate unnecessary liability.
• Collaborate with internal regional counsel with respect to employment matters.
• Collaborate with and oversee outside counsel in different jurisdictions to ensure cost-effective and strategic defense.
  

Employment Litigation

• Manage labor and employment litigation, arbitrations and other legal investigations or proceedings.
• Conduct legal research and analysis to support ongoing cases
• Litigate cases; attend depositions, hearings, and other court proceedings
  

Employee Relations & Internal Investigations

• Counsel HR professionals and management on global employee relations issues, including terminations, workplace disputes, accommodations, and wage and hour matters.
• Assist HR in conducting internal investigations into claims of harassment, discrimination, and other workplace misconduct across various regions, ensuring thorough and compliant procedures.
• Collaborate with HR and compliance teams to ensure timely resolution of workplace issues in different legal landscapes.
  

Training & Stakeholder Engagement

• Develop and deliver training programs for HR and management on global employment law topics, workplace best practices, and compliance requirements.
• Serve as a trusted advisor to senior leadership, HR teams, and business units on employment legal matters worldwide.
• Monitor legal and regulatory developments impacting employment policies programs in all operating countries.

Education and Experience

Required:

• Juris Doctor (JD) or equivalent law degree from an accredited institution.
• Admission to at least one U.S. state bar or an equivalent legal qualification in another jurisdiction.
• Minimum of 10 years of experience in employment law, including in-house and/or law firm experience.
• Strong understanding of international employment regulations.
  

Preferred:

• Experience managing employment matters across multiple jurisdictions.
• Experience in a corporate legal department supporting multi-country employment matters.
• Excellent analytical, communication, and client relationship skills with an international focus.

Technical Skill Requirements

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and legal research tools.
• Strong drafting, negotiation, and advocacy skills with an international legal perspective.
• Ability to translate complex global legal concepts into practical business advice.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced, high-volume environment and manage multiple priorities across different time zones.

Physical Position Requirements

• Hybrid working environment, with approximately 50% of time (2-3 workdays per week) required on-site in Parsippany, NJ headquarters.
• Ability to travel up to 20% internationally as needed.
• Standard office work environment, with occasional extended hours as necessary to work with global teams located in multiple time zones.

Any unsolicited resumes sent to Zoetis from a third party, such as an Agency recruiter, including unsolicited resumes sent to a Zoetis mailing address, fax machine or email address, directly to Zoetis employees, or to Zoetis resume database will be considered Zoetis property. Zoetis will NOT pay a fee for any placement resulting from the receipt of an unsolicited resume.

Zoetis will consider any candidate for whom an Agency has submitted an unsolicited resume to have been referred by the Agency free of any charges or fees. This includes any Agency that is an approved/engaged vendor but does not have the appropriate approvals to be engaged on a search.