Senior Counsel – Employment
Macclesfield, UK or Cambridge, UK
Competitive salary and benefits

AstraZeneca is a global, science-led, patient-focused biopharmaceutical company that focuses on the discovery, development and commercialisation of prescription medicines for some of the world’s most serious disease. But we’re more than one of the world’s leading pharmaceutical companies.

The work we do here is meaningful. Every action we take is focused on putting our patients first, and they add up to something bigger. We help AstraZeneca to run faster and better, powering everyone else to focus on what’s important and work towards delivering life-changing medicines.

What you’ll do as the Senior Counsel – Employment:
You will work independently, reporting into and with oversight from the Assistant General Counsel (AGC) Global Employment, ensuring all employment legal risks within your remit are identified and appropriately mitigated. You will prioritise and manage legal risks of high materiality and/or reputational impact.

Key responsibilities

• With the existing Senior Counsel, Employment based in Cambridge, UK you will:

  - manage the delivery of employment legal advice and services to all UK Human Resources (HR) teams and other clients for matters across the AstraZeneca (AZ) Group (including all AZ business units, the AZ UK Marketing Company (UKMC), the UK Oncology Business Unit (OBU) and Alexion UK)
  - manage all UK-based employment litigation (Employment Tribunal (ET) and Court), under limited supervision from the AGC
  - manage all UK settlement agreements, including early assessment of suitability/quantum with UK HR Employment teams
  - continually review UK HR policies and practices to ensure legal compliance and provides strategic partnership in development of new policies/initiatives
  - provide advice to the UK HR Leadership Council

• Help drive efficiency of employment legal support to AZ’s Business Development (BD) activity (for example significant business acquisitions and divestments), both in the UK and across the world

• Initially under supervision of the AGC, and with expert local employment counsel, provide employment legal support in relation to employment matters and disputes outside of the UK (for example complex multi-country business transformation or projects, ex-UK investigations or ex-UK senior executive terminations)

• Help drive AZ’s global strategies on increasing inclusion and diversity, and eradicating all harassment and bullying

• Closely align with HR Vice Presidents for the UK, Talent Acquisition, Inclusion and Diversity, Operations and Europe

• Identify and manage present and potential legal risks in delivery of all HR services, including legal risks associated with the implementation of strategic initiatives and projects

• Manage External Legal Counsel (ELC) to aggressively control internal and external resources to meet budget requirements

• Focus on delivering the appropriate level of service, from internal and external resources, at the lowest possible cost

• Personally handle complex legal matters and innovative business arrangements and projects

• Ensure collaboration with other Legal support areas to ensure a seamless service to clients

• Handle special projects assigned by the General Counsel, Deputy General Counsel, Corporate or AGC

Essential criteria

• Law degree

• Professional legal qualification to practice in the UK

• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills

• Substantial UK employment legal practice experience with a broad knowledge of all related areas, including ET/Court litigation

• Experience directing the legal work of others, for example internal/external lawyers and other staff

• Ability to demonstrate strong AstraZeneca Leadership Capabilities

Desirable criteria

• Experience of working on matters involving providing employment legal advice in countries outside of the UK, with or without support from specialist local employment lawyers

• Experience of working on BD matters, in the UK and across the world

• Skills in analysing and solving issues related to a wide variety of substantive legal areas

• In-house experience (including secondment in-house from private practice)

• Pharmaceutical or other regulated industry experience desirable but not essential

So, what’s next?

Are you already imagining yourself joining our team? Good, because we can’t wait to hear from you.

Where can I find out more?

• Follow AstraZeneca on LinkedIn

• Follow AstraZeneca on Facebook

• Follow AstraZeneca on Instagram

When we put unexpected teams in the same room, we unleash bold thinking with the power to inspire life-changing medicines. In-person working give us the platform we need to connect, work at pace and challenge perceptions. That’s why we work, on average, a minimum of three days per week from the office. But that doesn’t mean we’re not flexible. We balance the expectation of being in the office while respecting individual flexibility. Join us in our unique and ambitious world.

Date Posted

Closing Date

AstraZeneca embraces diversity and equality of opportunity. We are committed to building an inclusive and diverse team representing all backgrounds, with as wide a range of perspectives as possible, and harnessing industry-leading skills. We believe that the more inclusive we are, the better our work will be. We welcome and consider applications to join our team from all qualified candidates, regardless of their characteristics. We comply with all applicable laws and regulations on non-discrimination in employment (and recruitment), as well as work authorization and employment eligibility verification requirements.