Employment Counsel, EMEA

PlayStation isn’t just the Best Place to Play — it’s also the Best Place to Work. Today, we’re recognized as a global leader in entertainment producing The PlayStation family of products and services including PlayStation5, PlayStation4, PlayStationVR, PlayStationPlus, acclaimed PlayStation software titles from PlayStation Studios, and more.

PlayStation also strives to create an inclusive environment that empowers employees and embraces diversity. We welcome and encourage everyone who has a passion and curiosity for innovation, technology, and play to explore our open positions and join our growing global team.

The PlayStation brand falls under Sony Interactive Entertainment, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sony Group Corporation.

Role Overview:

We are seeking an experienced legal counsel to join our EMEA Employment legal team. The ideal candidate will have a minimum of 5 years of post-qualification experience in UK law, experience in at least one or more other EMEA jurisdiction, and a proven track record of supporting EMEA and working on cross-jurisdictional EMEA projects. You will report into the Senior Corporate Counsel, Employment EMEA.

The legal team at PlayStation is a lively and dynamic environment, where creativity and collaboration are key. We value personalities that bring energy and enthusiasm to the table, making our workplace anything but stuffy.

What you’ll be doing:

• Advise and provide legal counsel to Employee Relations, HR Business Partners and business leaders across EMEA and within our PlayStation Studios on a wide range of employment-related matters, including change management projects, compliance with local labour laws across EMEA, outsourcings, harmonisation exercises and reorganisations.
• Manage litigation and pre-litigation matters directly with outside counsel, including attending and representing PlayStation at employment tribunals as needed. Engage with the business to manage pre-litigation matters, settlement negotiations, and similar activities.
• Partner with HRBPs and Employee Relations on day-to-day matters and offer expert advice on various aspects of employment law, such as workplace investigations, employee compensation, employee mobility, and performance management/terminations.
• Create cross-functional resources to educate stakeholders and expand the employment legal team documentation.
• Identify opportunities for new or improved systems and playbooks, and drive change.
• Support the review and development of employment legal-type training, including anti-harassment training and manager training.
• Update internal policies, practices, training, and documents to comply with regulatory requirements and PlayStation practices.

Qualifications:

• LLB or equivalent with a minimum of 5 years post-qualification experience in employment law in a top tier law firm and/or in-house legal department of a company supporting business needs across EMEA.
• Qualified lawyer in the UK with experience in at least one other or more EMEA jurisdictions.

What we are looking for:

• Employment experience in Europe particularly in Netherlands, Germany, France, and other parts of Europe.
• Proven business partnering and relationship-building capabilities.
• Good sense of humour because we believe that work should be fun, and a great personality makes all the difference.
• Ability to work independently without regular oversight and enjoys working on challenging issues and owning those issues.
• Experience handling high-priority, sensitive matters with executive-level stakeholders, requiring utmost discretion.
• Demonstrated ability to develop strategy and manage the execution of tasks.
• Experience in collaborating with cross-functional stakeholders whilst delivering a project.
• Ability to swiftly navigate and make decisions in an environment characterised by uncertainty and constant change.
• Comfortable making decisions quickly in an environment of ambiguity and frequent change.
• Willingness to learn about employment law in new jurisdictions within EMEA.
• Legal and business judgment, with the ability to evaluate and communicate risks to stakeholders in a clear and actionable manner.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to explain legal concepts in a simple and easy way for the business to understand.