Director, Employment Law

Together, WE enable individuals to look, feel, and be their true selves.

Wella Company is one of the world’s leading beauty companies, comprised of a family of iconic brands such as Wella Professionals, Clairol, OPI, Nioxin and ghd. With 6,000 employees globally and a presence in over 100 countries, Wella Company and its brands enable consumers to look, feel, and be their true selves. As innovators in the hair and nail industry, Wella Company empowers its people to delight consumers, inspire beauty professionals, engage communities, and deliver sustainable growth to its stakeholders. For additional information about the Wella Company please visit: www.wellacompany.com

THE ROLE

We are seeking the future Director, Employment Law, based in London, reporting to the SVP Legal Global Operations, Corporate, Labor, IT & Digital. The successful candidate will play a crucial role in providing legal guidance and expertise on labor & employment matters across our global operations. This position offers an opportunity to shape and influence our labor & employment strategies while ensuring compliance with applicable laws and regulations and be a key member of Wella’s global Legal team as well as a key partner for Wella’s Human Resources (HR).

The role requires:

• The individual to counsel on a broad spectrum of matters in the field of labor & employment law in a truly international and dynamic business environment
• An effective ability to provide clear and solution-oriented guidance, often in complex and rapidly evolving projects in a global environment, without always referring systematically to external legal advisors
• A good track record of successfully executing and driving results and providing legally compliant solutions in a fast-paced and demanding environment
• Strong social and communication skills together with the ability to build a network of trusting relationships with HR, other Legal colleagues, management, and employees with various backgrounds and different styles

The successful candidate will lead the European legal approach towards employment and labor matters to develop a ‘best in class’ structure aligned to the global strategy, business, and values of the organization; drawing on extensive and leadership experience combined with a strong business-minded approach.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

The duties of the European Employment and Labor Legal Director will include:

• Provide expert legal advice and counsel to senior management and business teams as well as HR team members on a wide range of labor & employment law issues, including but not limited to employment contracts, terminations, discrimination, harassment, wage and hour compliance, and workplace policies
• Collaborate with internal stakeholders to develop and implement effective labor & employment strategies that align with business goals and legal requirements
• Partner with employee relations lead to provide legal and strategic guidance on workforce restructuring, including reorganizations,  mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures (including matters giving rise to significant works council/TUPE exposure), to ensure compliance and minimize legal risk
• Advise the HR Leadership Team, senior management of the Wella Company, and other business leaders regarding the European labor & employment legal aspects of strategic decisions as well as providing legal advice on the way to navigate compliantly among and through the employee representativeness
• Monitor and analyze changes in labor & employment laws globally and proactively advise the organization on potential impacts and necessary adjustments, including in relation to new legislative trends for regions & markets to act compliantly
• Support local HR and teams for significant employment-related legal questions /concerns, including but not limited to employee terminations, employee claims and work councils set up and management
• Manage and oversee employment-related litigation and disputes, collaborating with external legal counsel as needed
• Support M&A projects by advising on all labor law-related aspects

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

• At least 15 years of post-qualification experience in employment law in a multinational environment in a law firm and a multinational company
• Solid track record in international employment law (with an emphasis on the EU), management of external advisors, and the ability to take the lead in coordinating group-wide employment law projects.
• Solid track record in transformation, reorganization, and related employment activities, including strong works council/TUPE exposure in a global and multinational company.
• Experience as a strategic business advisor who possesses the leadership skills to successfully operate in a highly visible role and within a newly formed and fast-moving organization.
• Prior experience within the Consumer/FMCG industry is preferred, but other regulated industries will also be considered.
• Demonstrable skills in managing as well as influencing risk-based decision-making
• Experience of successfully leveraging communication skills and taking a partnership-orientated approach with colleagues to navigate employment demands.

EDUCATION & QUALIFICATIONS

• Master of Laws degree (or similar) and Bar qualifications
• High English proficiency. Additional other languages are a plus.

The role requires:

• The individual to counsel on a broad spectrum of matters in the field of labor & employment law in a truly international and dynamic business environment
• A practical ability to provide clear and solution-oriented guidance, often in complex and rapidly evolving projects in a global environment, without always referring systematically to external legal advisors
• A good track record of successfully executing and driving results and providing legally compliant solutions in a fast-paced and demanding environment
• Strong social and communication skills together with ability to build a network of trusting relationships with HR, other Legal colleagues, management and employees with various backgrounds and different styles
• The successful candidate will lead the European legal approach towards employment and labor matters to develop a ‘best in class’ structure aligned to the global strategy, business, and values of the organization; drawing on extensive and leadership experience combined with a solid business-minded approach.

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