Legal Counsel Principal Specialist

Amadeus; Nice; On-site; EUR 110,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Amadeus is seeking an Employment Legal Counsel to join the France Employment Legal and Employee Relations team for a 6-month fixed-term replacement. The role focuses on individual employment relations, delivering pragmatic, business-focused legal advice to HR in a dynamic, international tech environment.

The ideal candidate holds a Master’s in French Employment/Labour Law with 5–10 years of experience, strong drafting and advisory skills, and fluency in French and English. DPRT/DJCE is a plus.

Qualifications

• 5–10 years of employment law experience, preferably in a law firm or a large international org.
• Strong expertise in French individual employment law, including performance management, disciplinary procedures, dismissals, contracts, and disputes.
• Ability to translate complex legal matters into clear, actionable recommendations.

Responsibilities

• Advise HR on a wide range of individual employment matters and disputes.
• Provide and update employment-related documentation (contracts, amendments, communications).
• Manage or coordinate employment litigation and pre-litigation matters with external counsel.
• Monitor French employment law developments and advise on risk and compliance.
• Support cross-functional projects and collective labour relations as needed.

Skills

Stakeholder management

Legal drafting

Analytical skills

Attention to detail

Organizational skills

Discretion

Autonomy

Interpersonal skills

Education

Master’s degree in French Employment/Labour Law

DPRT or DJCE specialization (advantage)

Job description

Job Title Legal Counsel Principal Specialist

About Amadeus: At Amadeus, we are shaping better journeys through travel technology and helping create new possibilities across the travel industry. We are a global team of more than 22,000 professionals representing over 150 nationalities and working across 100 offices worldwide. Within our France entity, comprising more than 4,000 professionals, we value diverse perspectives and believe they contribute to better discussions, stronger decisions, and improved outcomes for our people, customers, and communities.

Our Team

Within our People & Culture organization, the France Employment Legal and Employee Relations team supports the business on all aspects of French employment and labour law. The team is organized around two main areas of expertise: Individual Employment Relations and Collective Labour Relations, under the supervision of the Head of Legal and Employee Relations France. While each team member has a primary area of focus, we operate as one collaborative and integrated team. Depending on business priorities and workload, team members may support colleagues across both individual and collective employment matters.

The Role

We are looking for an Employment Legal Counsel to join our France Employment Legal and Employee Relations team under a 6-month fixed-term replacement contract, with a primary focus on individual employment relations. Working in a dynamic, international, and technology-driven environment, you will provide practical, business-focused, and risk-aware legal advice to Human Resources (HR) teams on a wide range of employment matters. You will collaborate closely with HR stakeholders to support day-to-day employee relations activities as well as more complex or sensitive individual situations.

Key Responsibilities

• Advise HR teams on a broad range of individual employment matters, including performance management, disciplinary procedures, dismissals, contractual issues, and employee disputes.
• Provide legal guidance on complex and sensitive employee situations, assess legal risks, and recommend practical solutions.
• Draft, review, and update employment-related documentation, including employment contracts, amendments, correspondence, disciplinary documentation, settlement agreements, policies, and employee communications.
• Manage or support employment litigation and pre-litigation matters, including coordination with external legal counsel where appropriate, while monitoring developments in French employment legislation and case law.
• Contribute to cross-functional projects and provide support on collective labour relations matters as required by team priorities and business needs.

Ideal Candidate

• Master’s degree (Bac+5) in French Employment/Labour Law; DPRT, DJCE or a similar specialization would be an advantage.
• 5 to 10 years of employment law experience gained within a law firm and/or the legal department of a large international organization, ideally in the technology sector.
• Strong expertise in French individual employment law, including performance management, disciplinary procedures, dismissals, employment contracts, employee disputes and litigation matters.
• Ability to provide pragmatic, business-oriented and risk-based legal advice, translating complex legal matters into clear and actionable recommendations.
• Excellent legal drafting, analytical and reasoning skills, combined with strong organizational abilities, attention to detail and sound judgment.
• Comfortable managing multiple sensitive matters simultaneously while balancing competing priorities, maintaining confidentiality and exercising appropriate autonomy.
• Strong stakeholder management and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build trusted relationships across Human Resources (HR), management teams and business stakeholders in a complex international matrix environment.
• Fluent in French and professionally proficient in English, with an interest in technology and emerging trends; knowledge of the Syntec Collective Bargaining Agreement (CCN Syntec) would be an advantage.

Diversity & Inclusion

Amadeus aspires to be a leader in Diversity and Inclusion in the tech industry, enabling every employee to reach their full potential by fostering a culture of belonging and fair treatment, attracting the best talent from all backgrounds, and as a role model for an inclusive employee experience.Amadeus is an equal opportunity employer and committed to an accessible recruitment process. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation,age, beliefs, disability or any other characteristics protected by law.

We are Amadeus and we make travel work better for everyone, everywhere. As part of our global team of 20,000+ passionate team members across 100+ locations, you’ll join a community united by a love for travel and technology. We’re not just shaping the future of travel; we’re using it as a force for good, enriching lives and supporting our planet. Here, you’ll be free to innovate and grow with driven colleagues. Join us on a journey where you will help us bring the world closer!