Senior Counsel, Employment

The role

This person will provide strategic legal guidance on employment matters across the employee lifecycle for a distributed, multi-jurisdictional workforce. They will advise leaders on employment laws, manage legal risks, and build scalable policies.

What you will do

• Advise People, managers, business leaders, and executives on employment matters.
• Provide guidance on federal, state, provincial, local, international and other applicable employment laws and regulations.
• Draft, review, and update employment-related agreements, policies, procedures, training materials, and communications.
• Partner with People, Recruiting, and business stakeholders to develop compliant approaches to workforce matters.
• Manage and oversee employment-related claims, agency charges, audits, investigations, and litigation.
• Monitor legal and regulatory developments and recommend updates to policies and business practices.
• Support workforce programs, organizational changes, and other cross-functional legal projects.
• Manage outside counsel effectively.

Required qualifications

• J.D. and active license to practice law in at least one U.S. state.
• 10+ years of relevant employment-law experience in a law firm and in-house legal department.
• Deep knowledge of employment law and experience advising on employee relations, contingent workers, restrictive covenants, workplace investigations, wage and hour matters, leaves, accommodations, and
• Experience supporting a distributed or multi-jurisdictional workforce across multiple U.S. states as well as international jurisdictions.
• Strong business judgment and ability to provide clear, practical, and risk-calibrated advice.
• Strong technical drafting skills for preparing employment-related agreements.
• Experience advising on equity incentive plans and equity matters across a distributed workforce.
• Ability to manage complex matters independently while collaborating with stakeholders and external counsel.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to prioritize competing demands in a fast-paced environment.
• Self-motivated with a solutions-oriented, low-ego approach.
• AI-first perspective, with interest in building and leveraging AI-driven tools.

Nice to have

• Experience supporting a distributed or multi-jurisdictional workforce preferably in a technology or high-growth company.

Benefits

• Health, pharmacy, optical and dental care benefits
• Paid time off
• Sick time off
• Short term and long term disability coverage
• Life insurance
• 401k contribution
• Restricted stock units

Before you apply

• Applicant must be authorized to receive and access those commodities and technologies controlled under U.S. Export Administration Regulations.
• Depending on role and location, candidates may be required to execute a non-compete covenant.

About the company

Motive empowers the people who run physical operations with tools to make their work safer, more productive, and more profitable. Motive serves nearly 100,000 customers across a wide range of industries.