Senior Legal Counsel, Employment

Role Overview

As the Senior Legal Counsel‑Employment, you will manage all employment‑related matters across the Americas Region, in close collaboration with the VP, Legal. This role aims to strengthen the Americas Legal team as part of the ‘One Legal Team’ within Richemont Corporate Affairs, promoting legal and operational excellence and fostering seamless collaboration with other Group Legal teams and internal and external business stakeholders globally.

It is a fast‑paced role for a dynamic lawyer who can balance multiple projects, prioritize and re‑prioritize in a fluid environment, and demonstrates excellent judgment in balancing legal risks with business needs. The ideal candidate will share our team’s commitment to treating everyone in the Richemont family with kindness and respect, and will be curious about all facets of our business, building relationships across the company based on trust and empathy.

While the Senior Legal Counsel – Employment lawyer will primarily provide day‑to‑day guidance to Human Resources and management on employment law matters for the Americas Region, you should also be comfortable providing general advice and recommendations on legal matters beyond employment law. You will be encouraged to actively contribute to Richemont’s Group Legal vision and mission, delivering an opportunity to grow and design your dream job.

Responsibilities

• Manage sensitive and wide‑ranging employment law matters, including counseling on recruiting and hiring, employee relations, performance management, wage and hour compliance, compensation and benefits, commission plans, workplace health & safety, digital and social media, privacy, leaves and accommodations, terminations, workforce restructuring, and other employment related matters
• Proactively partner with internal clients and business teams to help them understand employment legal matters, identify and mitigate key risks associated with employment issues, and provide quick, concise, and commercially‑focused legal advice with respect to employment matters
• Liaise with HR on employee complaints and investigations
• In partnership with the VP, Legal and external counsel, provide legal guidance and management of litigations, agency complaints, and regulatory audits or related matters (e.g., EEOC, DFEH, DOL) that pertain to employment laws and regulations
• Develop and show a strong understanding of and adherence to the Richemont Group foundations, focusing on the ways of working, i.e. “the How” things are done to live up to these foundations, adding value to all stakeholders
• Draft, review and negotiate employment‑related agreements (e.g., independent contractor, staffing agency, severance, restrictive covenants)
• Counsel and support HR with developing, implementing, and managing employment‑related policies, guidelines, processes, and trainings
• Monitor and advise on changes to federal, state, and local employment laws and regulations
• Interface with and manage outside counsel relationships
• Develop and conduct employment law trainings (live and online)
• Ensure regular use and contribution to Group Legal’s knowledge management and legal tech solutions

Qualifications

• J.D. required from a leading recognized law school; strong academic credentials
• Must be a member of at least one state bar in good standing (NY strongly preferred)
• Minimum 5‑7 years of employment law experience, preferably gained through a combination of law firm and in‑house roles of increasing visibility and responsibility
• Deep experience advising clients on employment laws across the U.S. (including California and New York)
• Preference for international experience in the Americas or a strong willingness to learn international employment law (including Canada, Mexico, and Brazil)
• Experience in retail or consumer products industries preferred
• Ability to think like a businessperson, integrate legal and business issues, and partner with business leaders
• Must be able to manage multiple projects simultaneously, and organize workload to meet organizational timelines in a fast‑paced, very high‑growth environment
• Strong stakeholder management capabilities and excellent analytical, communication, interpersonal, and negotiation skills, with an ability to adapt style as required
• Strong team‑working and project management skills, combined with ability to work as part of a cross‑functional team in a complex matrix environment
• Digitally savvy, with good command of Microsoft Office suite and shared work/project management environments and strong interest in new AI use cases
• With flexible work policies, must be able to regularly work in‑person in New York City corporate office
• Ability to travel domestically and internationally, as needed

Richemont offers a generous compensation and benefits package for eligible employees. Only candidates selected for further consideration will be contacted.

We Offer

We care about our employees’ health and wellbeing and offer a comprehensive benefits program to support you and your loved ones. Our core benefits include medical, dental, and vision programs. Health savings and flexible spending accounts are available to support your financial needs, along with access to the employee assistance program for you and your household members. The company offers income protection solutions including life insurance, disability benefits, and 401(k) with employer match. Understanding the importance of wellness and work‑life‑balance, our package includes a wellness reimbursement benefit and paid time off. We also encourage employees to give back to their local community by using their volunteer time off days to support important initiatives that drive change.

Expected Salary Range

$190,000 – $215,000 plus bonus potential