Senior Director, Senior Counsel - Employment (EMEA) ES - Spain; GB - London, United Kingdom

Scopely; London; On-site; GBP 80,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking a dynamic Senior Director, Senior Counsel for Employment to lead legal and compliance matters across EMEA. This strategic role involves partnering with internal teams to ensure compliance with labor laws while mitigating risks. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in employment law, particularly in the UK, Spain, and Ireland, and will manage a high-performing legal team. This is an exciting opportunity to influence employee relations and workplace policies in a multinational environment, providing expert counsel on complex legal issues while supporting the business's strategic objectives.

Qualifications

• 12-15 years of experience in employment law, especially in EMEA.
• Strong leadership and negotiation skills required.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Employment Legal function for EMEA and manage a team.
• Advise on labor laws and employee relations across multiple countries.

Skills

Employment Law Expertise

Labor Laws Knowledge (EMEA)

Leadership Skills

Negotiation Skills

Risk Management

Communication Skills

Fluency in English

Proficiency in Spanish

Education

Law Degree

Job description

Senior Director, Senior Counsel - Employment (EMEA)

ES - Spain; GB - London, United Kingdom

We are looking for a dynamic and experienced Senior Director, Senior Counsel Employment to lead and manage employment-related legal and compliance matters across the EMEA region. This is a strategic leadership role responsible for partnering with internal stakeholders—including People Team, Legal, and executive leadership—to ensure compliance with labor laws, mitigate risk, and support the business in all aspects of employee relations, workplace investigations, compensation and policy development across a complex and diverse regional landscape.

What you will do:

• Lead the Employment Legal function for EMEA, managing a team of legal professionals and ensuring alignment with global policies and regional nuances.
• Provide expert counsel on labor and employment law matters across the region, with particular familiarity with Spain, UK, Ireland, Israel and Portugal employment laws.
• Serve as a trusted partner to senior People Team and business leaders, guiding decision-making on employee relations, risk mitigation, and complex workplace issues.
• Oversee all aspects of employment litigation and dispute resolution in EMEA, managing outside counsel as needed.
• Ensure the team delivers timely, practical, and business-focused legal guidance across multiple jurisdictions.
• Develop and update region-specific policies, handbooks, contracts, and procedures.
• Advise on strategic workforce planning, organizational design, restructuring, and M&A activity.
• Represent the company or collaborate with local partners in managing interactions with works councils, unions, and employee representatives across EMEA.
• Monitor and communicate regional legal developments and proactively adjust policies and practices to remain compliant.
• Support the ongoing development, mentoring, and performance management of the regional employment legal team.

What you will need:

• Law degree with admission to practice in the UK, Spain and/or Ireland.
• Minimum 12–15 years of progressive experience in employment law, with a strong focus on labor laws in EMEA—particularly in Spain, the UK, Ireland, Israel, and Portugal.
• Prior experience managing and developing a high-performing team of legal or employee relations professionals.
• Proven success advising on complex, cross-border employment issues in a multinational, matrixed environment.
• Experience engaging with works councils, unions, and labor authorities across EMEA.
• Strong leadership, collaboration, and communication skills, with the ability to influence senior stakeholders.
• Strategic thinker with hands-on execution capability and a deep understanding of risk management.
• Excellent negotiation skills and resilience in partnering with the business.
• Fluency in English required; Proficiency in Spanish preferred. Additional languages are a plus.
• Prior in-house and M&A experience preferred.
• Experience in the technology and/or games industry are a plus.