Senior Employment Counsel- EMEA & APAC

Cencora are looking for a Senior Employment Counsel - EMEA & APAC to join the team, hybrid based in London.

You will act as a legally qualified business partner, supporting senior stakeholders across all Cencora businesses across EMEA and APAC in all employment law matters, in order to provide them with timely legal advice and support. The main focus will be employment law matters in Europe for Pharmalex, a wholly owned subsidiary of Cencora with 3000 employees in EMEA & APAC.

This role sits within the Cencora Corporate Legal Department. The job holder will work independently, reporting into and with oversight from the Assistant General Counsel, Employment (EMEA & APAC) (AGC), ensuring that all employment legal risks are identified and appropriately mitigated.

Key Responsibilities:

• Partner closely with the HR Directors & HR Business Partners within Cencora’s global businesses to drive best practice, provide solution orientated, risk based legal advice on all aspects of Employment and Industrial Relations Law
• Participate in and influence the decision-making process on all employment and human resources strategies with key stakeholders across Cencora.
• Ensure appropriate proactive reporting on, and escalating of, key employment and industrial relations (e.g., via works councils, trade unions, and employee representatives) matters to leadership within the Cencora Legal Department and management of such matters from a legal standpoint.
• Maximise brand protection and minimise reputational risk.
• Establish and maintain relationships, credibility and trust with stakeholders, Legal & HR team members and other colleagues.
• Work collaboratively with colleagues in Cencora legal, sharing and utilising the expertise of other teams as required and foster a collegiate and collective approach across Cencora.
• Identify and assess HR-related legal risks and make recommendations for process improvements.
• Assess, plan and prioritise all legal work and, where necessary, instruct external legal counsel to provide value-for-money support.
• Supervise outside counsel on all employment-related claims and litigation matters for Cencora business entities.
• Typical areas of focus include, but are not limited to:
• Delivering clear advice on the risk, merit and quantum in employment and industrial relations disputes, and managing claims in line with the Company’s interests.
• Drafting, reviewing and updating the full range of employment related documentation and providing associated support to the Cencora HR Team as appropriate.
• Providing advice and support to the HR teams on complex employee relations matters including information and consultation requirements, grievance, disciplinary and appeal investigations, terminations (including settlement agreements) and restructuring projects.
• Supporting the Cencora legal team with merger and acquisition activity as required, including the related integration of new employees across Cencora and/or transfers of employees into/out of Cencora in connection with corporate transactions.
• Ensuring the Vice President and Group General Counsel of Cencora, the AGC, and the HR Leadership Team are kept updated on relevant Employment and Industrial Relations legislation changes and the implications for Group.
• Perform other tasks as assigned or requested from time to time by the Vice President and Group General Counsel of Cencora, the AGC and/or the Global HR Leadership Team.

Experience:

• Graduate and qualified solicitor or equivalent from another jurisdiction.
• This role would be most suited to lawyer with 7 years of experience. Experience working working in-house as an employment lawyer would also be beneficial.
• Competent lawyer with broad experience in employment and industrial relations matters (e.g., via works councils, trade unions, and employee representatives) gained through substantive relevant experience, some of which would have ideally been gained in private practice. Experience ideally should include work on matters in other jurisdictions in Europe (and elsewhere globally) for multi-national corporations.
• Some understanding of the distribution and healthcare sectors is desirable but not essential.
• A successful track record of working effectively with senior management and a proven ability to understand and provide incisive and confidential counsel on complex employment and industrial relations issues in an international context.
• A track record of operating successfully within an international business.

Skills:

• Strong business acumen: understands how the business works and appreciates the role that the legal function can play in supporting business objectives;
• Manages priorities effectively to ensure that business critical matters are appropriately addressed and supported in a timely manner;
• Keeps the AGC and HR teams informed of all matters that present significant, legal, regulatory, financial and/or reputational risk and/or have the potential to materially and adversely affect the business;
• An approachable, down to earth, straightforward, resilient and persuasive personality with strong negotiation, communication and influencing skills;
• The self-confidence and strength of character to speak his or her mind, combined with the sensitivity, judgement and tact to know when to insist and when to pull back;
• International in outlook and able to work easily with people from different cultures and backgrounds.
• Fluency in German, French or Spanish would be highly advantageous.