Employment and Compliance Counsel

This is a Full Time Job

Description

Job title: Employment and Compliance Counsel

Responsible to: SVP, Employment & Compliance Counsel

Department: Legal & Business Affairs

Location of work: Hybrid / 4 Pancras Square, Kings Cross

Music is Universal

It's the passionate and dedicated team at Universal Music who help make us the world's leading music company. From A&R to finance, legal to digital, sales to marketing, Universal Music is the place to grow and develop your career within a truly commercial and innovative business that leads in everything it does.

Everyone is welcome to apply for our roles, and we are determined to ensure that no applicant or employee receives less favourable treatment because of gender, race, disability, sexual orientation, religion, belief, age, marital status, background, pregnancy or caring responsibilities. We also recognise the importance of diversity of thought within our teams and are fully committed to embracing the talents of people with autism, dyslexia, ADHD and other forms of neurocognitive variation.

We will always seek to make appropriate adjustments to recruitment, workplaces, and work processes to be fully inclusive to people with different needs and working styles. If you need us to make any reasonable adjustments for you from application onwards, including alternatives to the online form or to disclose a neurocognitive condition, please email [email protected]

The A Side: A Day in The Life

We are currently looking for a junior employment lawyer (1-5 PQE) to support with employment law and compliance issues across our EMEIA operations, reporting to the SVP Compliance & Employment Counsel in London and supporting the global Employment & Compliance function.

The B Side: Skills & Experience

Be Knowledgeable
• Strong UK employment law background and awareness of employment laws in other countries
• Advise on the full range of day to day employment and compliance issues, primarily in the UK but in other territories as needed
• Support with internal/external investigations both in the UK and internationally
• Draft, review and negotiate employment contracts, settlement agreements, internal communications, standard documents and policies
• Managing Employment Tribunal litigation in the UK and overseeing litigation in other territories
• Advising the business on the application of TUPE to different types of transactions

Be Organised
• Balance competing priorities in order to respond to time sensitive queries promptly
• Keep abreast of legal developments in the UK and internationally in order to proactively advise the business
• Assess conflict of interest disclosures, gather the relevant information and draft submissions for the conflicts committee

Be Collaborative
• Develop strong relationships with the People, Inclusion and Culture team, the wider Legal team and management of the key business units in order to become a trusted adviser
• Working knowledge of the GDPR and collaboration with the Chief Privacy Officer's team to resolve data privacy issues in the employment context
• Deliver regular employment law training to the UK PIC team and compliance training to the broader employee population
• Support the Compliance Director with the global rollout of compliance training

Person Specification

Necessary
• Solid drafting and research skills and attention to detail required
• Ability to analyse and provide pragmatic, commercially focussed advice on a wide range of legal issues
• Strong organisational skills and ability to prioritise multiple projects
• Proven track record working at a major law firm
• Strong interpersonal skills - able to communicate with all levels of management
• Confidence to train and present internally
• Self-starter with ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment
• Must demonstrate business sense, good judgment and a strong work ethic but maintain a sense of humour

Desirable
• International employment law experience (particular in EMEIA)
• Prior experience of working in an in-house environment
• Experience liaising with Works Councils
• Compliance experience eg working knowledge of anti-bribery and competition laws
• Experience working within or advising listed companies

Bonus Tracks: Your Benefits
• Group Personal Pension Scheme (between 3% and 9%)
• Private Medical Insurance
• 25 paid days of annual leave
• Interest Free Season Ticket Loan
• Holiday Purchase scheme
• Dental and Travel Insurance options
• Cycle to Work Scheme
• Salary Sacrifice Cars
• Subsidised Gym Membership
• Employee Discounts (Reward Gateway)

Just So You Know…

The company presents this job description as a guide to the major areas and duties for which the jobholder is accountable. However, the business operates in an environment that demands change and the jobholder's specific responsibilities and activities will vary and develop. Therefore, the job description should be seen as indicative and not as a permanent, definitive and exhaustive statement.