Senior Employment Counsel

Senior Employment Counsel

DDN is hiring a Senior Employment Counsel to serve as the company's primary in-house expert on employment law across the jurisdictions where DDN operates. This is a hands-on, high-judgment role for an experienced employment lawyer who is equally comfortable advising on U.S. employment matters as they are navigating employment law in the international jurisdictions where DDN does business. You'll be the day-to-day legal partner to the People team and business leaders on the full employee lifecycle, and the escalation point when employment matters carry real risk.

You'll report into DDN's CLO and work closely with People/HR, Finance, and regional business leaders to keep DDN's employment practices compliant, consistent, and well-documented as the company continues to grow internationally.

What You'll Do

• Serve as lead legal advisor to the People team and business leaders on the full range of employment matters, including recruiting and hiring, performance management, leaves of absence and accommodations, terminations, and restrictive covenants, across the U.S. and DDN's international jurisdictions.
• Advise on cross-border employment issues, including local labor law compliance, employee representative requirements, global mobility, and international assignments across DDN's international offices.
• Lead and manage employment-related disputes, agency charges, attorney demand letters, litigation, and regulatory inquiries, and direct outside counsel across multiple countries and legal systems.
• Draft, review, and localize employment policies, employee handbooks, offer letters, separation agreements, and template employment agreements for multiple jurisdictions.
• Partner with People/HR on employee separations globally, ensuring a consistent, well-documented, and locally compliant process.
• Lead or support internal investigations into employee complaints and workplace conduct issues, and provide practical recommendations to leadership.
• Design and deliver training for People/HR and people managers on employment law developments, policy changes, and best practices.
• Monitor legal and regulatory developments across the jurisdictions where DDN operates and proactively flag risk and required changes to policy or practice.
• Support employment-related diligence and integration work on M&A and other strategic transactions as needed.

What We're Looking For

• J.D. and active license to practice law in at least one U.S. jurisdiction (New York admission, or the ability to register as in-house counsel in New York, preferred).
• 8+ years of substantive employment law experience, in a law firm, in-house legal department, or a combination of both.
• Meaningful hands-on experience advising on employment matters outside the U.S. This is a requirement, not a nice-to-have. Candidates should be able to speak concretely to matters handled in EMEA, APAC, or other international jurisdictions.
• Experience managing outside counsel across multiple countries and legal systems.
• Sound judgment balancing legal risk against business needs, with the ability to give clear, practical recommendations rather than purely academic legal analysis.
• Experience handling internal investigations, government/regulatory inquiries, and employment-related litigation or pre-suit disputes.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to explain complex, multi-jurisdictional legal issues to non-lawyers.
• Ability to manage multiple matters and priorities in a fast-moving, high-growth environment.

Nice to Have

• Experience with global mobility, immigration, or international assignment programs.
• Direct experience with European works councils or other employee representative bodies.
• Experience supporting employment matters in an M&A context.

Location

This role is based in DDN's New York City office and requires in-person collaboration a minimum of three days per week. Candidates should be based in or willing to relocate to the New York metropolitan area.