Employment Legal Director

Sellick Partnership; Greater Manchester; Hybrid; GBP 140,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

Sellick Partnership seeks an Employment Legal Director in Manchester to lead high-value employment matters for multinational clients within a leading international law firm. The role balances technical excellence with strategic and commercial impact.

You will manage complex litigation, advise on executive matters, and drive cross-border projects while developing client relationships and mentoring junior lawyers in a hybrid, international environment.

Qualifications

• Strong technical ability in employment law with commercial awareness.
• Experience advising on complex employment matters for multinational employers.

Responsibilities

• Advising major corporate and international clients on complex employment law matters.
• Managing high-value Employment Tribunal litigation including discrimination and unfair dismissal.
• Advising on executive appointments, exits, settlement agreements and restrictive covenants.
• Providing strategic advice on corporate transactions, TUPE, outsourcing and large-scale workforce change.
• Advising on collective matters and industrial relations.
• Collaborating with other teams on cross-border projects.
• Building client relationships and developing new business.
• Mentoring junior lawyers and maintaining high standards.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Employment law

Cross-border work

Client relationship management

People development

Negotiation & drafting

Team collaboration

Education

Scottish solicitor qualification

Job description

Employment Legal Director

Manchester| Leading International Law Firm | Full-Time | Hybrid Working

The opportunity

An outstanding opportunity has arisen for an ambitious and commercially minded Employment Legal Director to join the Manchester office of a leading international law firm.

The successful candidate will join a highly regarded Employment team advising an impressive portfolio of multinational businesses, FTSE-listed organisations, major UK employers and market-leading brands. The role offers exposure to complex, high-value employment matters, cross-border projects and strategic workforce issues, working alongside leading practitioners across an international network.

The role

As Employment Legal Director, you will play a key role in delivering strategic employment law advice to a sophisticated client base, combining technical excellence with commercial insight and a proactive approach to client development.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Advising major corporate and international clients on complex contentious and non-contentious employment law matters.
• Managing high-value Employment Tribunal litigation, including discrimination, whistleblowing, unfair dismissal and equal pay claims.
• Advising on senior executive appointments and exits, settlement agreements, restrictive covenants and contractual disputes.
• Providing strategic advice on corporate transactions, TUPE, outsourcing, reorganisations, redundancies and large-scale workforce change.
• Advising on collective employment matters, industrial relations and trade union engagement.
• Collaborating with corporate, commercial, regulatory and other specialist teams on multidisciplinary and cross-border projects.
• Building and strengthening relationships with key clients, identifying opportunities to expand existing mandates and develop new business.
• Contributing to the team's market profile through thought leadership, client training, seminars and networking.
• Supervising, mentoring and developing junior lawyers, helping to maintain the team's technical standards and collaborative culture.
• Supporting the strategic development and continued growth of the firm's employment practice in Scotland.

The ideal candidate

We are keen to hear from experienced employment lawyers who combine strong technical ability with commercial awareness, leadership potential and a genuine commitment to delivering exceptional client service.

You will ideally demonstrate:

• Scottish solicitor qualification and substantial post-qualification experience in employment law, typically at Legal Director or equivalent senior level.
• A strong track record advising employer clients on complex employment law issues.
• Experience across both contentious and non-contentious employment work.
• The ability to manage sophisticated matters independently and provide clear, commercially focused advice to senior stakeholders.
• Strong client relationship management skills and a demonstrable interest in business development.
• Experience supervising and mentoring junior colleagues.
• Excellent drafting, negotiation, communication and analytical skills.

An established client following would be advantageous but is not essential for the right candidate.

Why consider this opportunity?

This position offers the chance to join a sophisticated international platform with access to high-quality work and a diverse client base.

The successful candidate can expect:

• Exceptional quality of work: Complex employment matters for major domestic and international organisations.
• International exposure: Opportunities to collaborate on cross-border projects with colleagues in multiple jurisdictions.
• Career development: Scope to strengthen your market profile and progress towards further senior leadership opportunities.
• Client ownership: The opportunity to develop trusted relationships with key clients and play a meaningful role in growing the practice.
• Collaborative culture: Work alongside experienced employment specialists and colleagues across a broad range of legal disciplines.
• Competitive remuneration: A market-aligned salary and benefits package reflecting experience and contribution.
• Flexible working: Hybrid working arrangements designed to support effective collaboration and sustainable performance.