Lead Counsel Labour & Employment and Country Governance

ABB Schweiz AG; Abu Dhabi; Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking a Lead Counsel for Labour & Employment and Country Governance. This pivotal role involves providing strategic legal guidance to enhance business integrity and support global operations. With a focus on Labour & Employment law, you will advise on complex governance matters, develop risk mitigation strategies, and lead a dedicated team. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in both law firm and in-house settings, demonstrating strong communication skills and the ability to navigate diverse legal environments. Join a collaborative team where your contributions will shape global employment practices and drive sustainable solutions.

Qualifications

• 12+ years of experience in Labour & Employment and corporate governance.
• Strong presence and ability to offer pragmatic solutions.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic legal advice on L&E and governance matters.
• Manage a small team of L&E counsels and foster collaboration.

Skills

Labour & Employment Law

Corporate Governance

Legal Advisory

Risk Mitigation

M&A Experience

Multinational Company Experience

Communication Skills

Education

Master of Law

Tools

Diligent

ONIT

CSRD Reporting

Job description

Lead Counsel Labour & Employment and Country Governance

At ABB, we are dedicated to addressing global challenges. Our core values : care, courage, curiosity, and collaboration - combined with a focus on diversity, inclusion, and equal opportunities - are key drivers in our aim to empower everyone to create sustainable solutions.Write the next chapter of your ABB story.

This position reports to

Chief Counsel – Process Automation

Your role and responsibilities

In this role, you will have the opportunity to provide strategic legal advice and counsel to ABB Process Automation (PA), with a focus on Labour & Employment (L&E) and country governance matters. You will support PA’s global operations by driving consistency and excellence in legal services, collaborating closely with country counsels, L&E professionals, HR and other key stakeholders across the business.You will act as a trusted advisor on sensitive and complex employment law and corporate governance topics, supporting PA’s legal and business integrity while enabling business outcomes.You will join a highly engaged and collaborative legal team, with the opportunity to shape how legal support is delivered across PA globally. We value openness, integrity, and a strong team spirit - and we are looking for someone who thrives in a dynamic, international environment.Your main areas of accountability will include : - Providing expert, practical legal advice on L&E and country governance matters across PA.- Developing risk mitigation strategies, particularly in M&A and organizational change initiatives.- Advising HR on core employment topics, including investigations, employment contracts, settlement agreements, redundancies, contracted workforce, global mobility, and labor litigation.- Delivering training and knowledge-sharing sessions for key stakeholders on employment law.- Managing and developing a small team of L&E counsels while fostering strong collaboration across Legal & Integrity and business teams.- Leading country governance and corporate matters in PA-led countries, supporting country counsels and promoting best practice approaches.- Handling or supporting sensitive governance matters where deeper expertise or escalation is needed.- Acting as country counsel for selected smaller countries, including local board management and corporate housekeeping (with support from local external counsel where needed).- Maintaining and reviewing legal data in ABB systems (e.g. Diligent, ONIT, CSRD reporting), and providing guidance to country counsels using these tools.- Collaborating with Legal & Integrity colleagues across other Business Areas to ensure alignment.- Managing external counsel when required, with a focus on cost-effectiveness and quality.The work model for the role is : hybrid #LiHybrid

Qualifications for the role

• Your background :
• To be successful in this role, you bring a Master of Law degree from a reputable university and are a qualified attorney (bar admitted). You have developed your expertise through at least 12 years of professional experience, ideally combining both law firm and in-house roles, where you have advised multinational companies on labour and employment as well as corporate governance matters.
• Your background includes working across multiple jurisdictions and cultures, giving you a strong understanding of both common law and civil law systems.
• You are known for your strong presence, personal credibility, and ability to challenge constructively while offering pragmatic, business-oriented solutions. With an agile mindset and a proactive approach, you are comfortable navigating complex and evolving business environments.
• Your excellent communication and influencing skills enable you to build trust and foster collaboration across functions and geographies. Fluency in English is essential, and additional language skills would be considered an advantage.
• If you’re looking for a role where you can make a real impact, shape global employment practices, and work closely with senior leaders, we encourage you to apply.

More about us

We value people from different backgrounds. Apply today for your next career step within ABB and visit www.abb.com to learn about the impact of our solutions across the globe. #MyABBStory

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