Job Type:
Permanent
Build a brilliant future with Hiscox
Senior Employment Counsel
The Role
This is a senior legal business partner role within the Hiscox Legal team, reporting to the Group General Counsel.
The successful candidate will serve as the lead employment lawyer for Hiscox, providing commercially focused legal advice on employment, labour relations, workforce change, employee relations, investigations and people-related risk across the Group.
The role combines strategic advisory work with hands‑on support for complex and sensitive employment matters. The successful candidate will work closely with senior leaders in Human Resources, business leadership, Risk, Compliance and local legal teams to support good decision‑making, protect the business and enable Hiscox to manage its workforce in a fair, compliant and commercially effective way.
The role requires excellent legal judgement, strong stakeholder management skills, discretion, resilience and the ability to balance legal rigour with pace, pragmatism and sensitivity across multiple jurisdictions.
Key Responsibilities
Strategic Business Partnering
Act as a trusted legal adviser to the Group General Counsel, Chief People Officer, people leadership and senior business stakeholders on employment law and workforce‑related matters.
Provide commercially pragmatic legal advice which supports strategic decision‑making and helps manage employment, conduct, regulatory and reputational risk.
Support significant people‑related projects, including organisational design, restructuring, transformation, senior hiring and exits, workplace investigations and cross‑border workforce initiatives.
Influence and shape business outcomes through proactive engagement, clear risk analysis and solution‑oriented legal support.
Employment Law Advisory
Advise on the full range of employment law matters, including employee relations, disciplinary and grievance issues, performance management, sickness absence, reasonable adjustments, whistleblowing, discrimination, harassment, restrictive covenants and settlement agreements.
Advise on senior executive employment arrangements, departures, severance, garden leave, confidentiality, post‑termination restrictions and related governance considerations.
Support the business and HR teams on legally sensitive people matters requiring careful judgement, confidentiality and clear documentation.
Provide practical guidance that balances legal risk, employee fairness, regulatory expectations and commercial objectives.
Workforce Change and International Support
Lead legal support for restructurings, reorganisations, redundancy programmes, transfers and other workforce change initiatives.
Advise on cross‑border employment matters, working with local legal colleagues and external counsel where required.
Support consistency of employment law advice across the Group while recognising local legal, regulatory and cultural requirements.
Help senior stakeholders manage people risk arising from acquisitions, integrations, disposals, outsourcing and business transformation.
Investigations, Litigation and Disputes
Advise on internal investigations, whistleblowing matters, conduct concerns and other sensitive employee issues.
Manage employment disputes, threatened claims and litigation, including instructing and supervising external counsel where appropriate.
Support preparation of legally privileged advice, investigation plans, witness materials, settlement strategy and risk assessments.
Identify themes and lessons learned from disputes and investigations, and work with stakeholders to reduce future risk.
Policy, Governance and Regulatory Alignment
Advise on employment‑related policies, procedures, templates and guidance, ensuring they remain legally compliant, practical and aligned with Hiscox values.
Monitor legal and regulatory developments affecting employment law and workforce governance, translating them into practical guidance for HR and the business.
Support employment‑related aspects of regulatory, governance and culture matters, including conduct, accountability, whistleblowing, diversity and inclusion, and workplace behaviour.
Contribute to training and awareness for HR, managers and legal colleagues on key employment law and people risk topics.
Legal Operations and Team Contribution
Drive continuous improvement in the delivery of employment law support, including use of templates, playbooks, triage processes, AI tools and external counsel management.
Optimise use of external counsel and legal service providers, ensuring cost discipline, quality and appropriate escalation of sensitive matters.
Promote collaboration, knowledge sharing and best practice across the global Legal function and people teams.
Support and mentor colleagues within the Legal team where appropriate.
Role Scope
Lead employment law support for significant, sensitive and cross‑border people matters.
Manage a diverse portfolio of complex employment law and workforc
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Senior Employment Counsel employer: Hiscox
Hiscox is an exceptional employer that prioritises employee growth and well-being, offering a dynamic work culture where diversity and inclusion are at the forefront. As a Workforce Change Manager, you will enjoy the benefits of hybrid working, allowing for a balanced professional and personal life while collaborating with talented colleagues on impactful people change initiatives. With a commitment to continuous improvement and professional development, Hiscox provides a supportive environment for you to thrive and make a meaningful contribution to the organisation's strategic goals.
