Senior Employment Counsel, US & Cross‑Border

Airwallex; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 180,000 - 280,000; Full time

Job summary

Airwallex is seeking a senior Employment Counsel for the Americas to serve as a strategic partner to People & Talent. You’ll handle US employment law, advise on cross-border matters, and help scale playbooks for a growing team of 3,000+ across 20+ markets.

Based in San Francisco, New York, or Seattle, you’ll shape policies, manage investigations, and coordinate with external counsel to ensure regulatory compliance while enabling fast-paced business growth.

Qualifications

• J.D. degree and active bar admission in at least one US state (CA/WA/NY preferred).
• 7+ years of employment law experience in law firm and/or in-house.
• Experience advising on and coordinating employment law across multiple jurisdictions.
• Experience leading workplace investigations and managing employment disputes, agency charges, or tribunal matters.
• Ability to translate complex legal issues into clear guidance for non-legal audiences.
• High motivation and the ability to operate independently in a fast-paced environment.

Responsibilities

• Advise the People & Talent team and business leaders on the full employee lifecycle, including hiring, contracts, variations, performance management, leaves, wage/hour compliance, and terminations.
• Lead workplace investigations and sensitive employee matters end‑to‑end with cross-functional teams.
• Draft, refresh, and own employment-related policies and templates.
• Manage employment disputes, agency charges, and litigation, guiding external counsel and controlling spend.
• Coordinate multi-jurisdiction employment advice across APAC, EMEA and the Americas.
• Advise on compensation, benefits, and equity matters in a private company context.

Skills

Employment law experience

Coordination across jurisdictions

Workplace investigations

Legal drafting/writing

Independent, fast-paced adaptability

Education

J.D. degree or foreign equivalent

Job description

Airwallex is seeking a senior Employment Counsel for the Americas to serve as a strategic partner to People & Talent. You’ll handle US employment law, advise on cross-border matters, and help scale playbooks for a growing team of 3,000+ across 20+ markets.

Based in San Francisco, New York, or Seattle, you’ll shape policies, manage investigations, and coordinate with external counsel to ensure regulatory compliance while enabling fast-paced business growth.