Zendesk · 1 day ago
Counsel, Employment (Americas)
Austin, TX
Full-time
Hybrid
Senior Level
$170K/yr - $254K/yr
7+ years expZendesk is seeking a strategic legal partner to join their Global Employment Legal team as Counsel, Employment for the Americas. This role involves proactively identifying and solving complex employment/labor law challenges across the US, Canada, Mexico, and Brazil, while collaborating with stakeholders to ensure legally compliant workplaces.
Customer ServiceData ManagementEnterprise SoftwareSoftwareTechnical Support
Responsibilities
Provide subject matter expertise on employment/labor-related matters throughout the Americas region where Zendesk has employees, and, where appropriate, training to HR and other stakeholders on a broad range of employment issues and best practices
Proactively identify, assess, and balance employment law risk, and offer practical, business-oriented and creative solutions in partnership with the HR and business teams, presenting nuanced employment law concepts in a clear, compelling manner with the goal of ensuring understanding and alignment
Collaborate with the Global Employment Legal team to stay abreast of, and advise Zendesk on, meaningful employment-related legal developments across the US, Canada, Mexico and Brazil. When necessary, provide relevant in-depth competitive and market analysis to shape employment strategies that anticipate employment law risks, mitigate potential issues, and proactively implement solutions that align with Zendesk’s business goals
Collaborate with the Global Employment Legal team on global projects and issues, bringing in HR and other stakeholders as appropriate to design and implement local and/or global progressive workplace policies and initiatives. Help build efficient and scalable internal processes, tools and systems to assist internal stakeholders, including leveraging technology and AI
Support HR/ER partners on investigations into allegations of misconduct and other employee relations issues, including discrimination and harassment, and advise on performance management, reorganizations, and terminations. When necessary, collaborate with Zendesk’s litigation lead on America’s-based employment-related litigation; and
Select, manage and use outside counsel effectively
Qualification
Required
You are a qualified lawyer in good standing in the US state where you are based
You have a deep knowledge of employment laws across the region, with at least 7 years of experience advising on employment law matters in the US, Canada and either Mexico or Brazil within a multinational company and/or top-tier law firm
You are a proactive and dynamic self-starter with a results-driven mindset and keen attention to detail, with an open mind and the ability to adjust and pivot quickly as business needs change
You possess the ability to anticipate and apply a reality-based assessment of risks, think strategically, keep a cool head in high-stress situations and don't agonize over decisions
You are able to provide innovative solutions and align legal advice with business objectives while translating legal complexities into practical, actionable guidance for non-legal stakeholders
You are experienced with advising on regionally based employment-related disputes, investigations, and in holding sensitive conversations
You work effectively and collaboratively with stakeholders across different functions and levels, and one of your superpowers is building trust and influence across organizations
You thrive in a dynamic setting where priorities shift and quick, informed decision-making is critical
You are committed to Zendesk's core values, including being customer focused, innovative, and committed to fostering an inclusive and equitable workplace
You act at all times with integrity, courage and empathy, without losing your sense of humor
Preferred
Experience in the technology or SaaS industry
Experience working in multicultural environments
Benefits
May also be eligible for bonus, benefits, or related incentives
Company
Zendesk
Zendesk develops a customizable customer service platform for organizations.
5001-10000 employees
H1B Sponsorship
Zendesk has a track record of offering H1B sponsorships. Please note that this does not
guarantee sponsorship for this specific role. Below presents additional info for your
reference. (Data Powered by US Department of Labor)
Distribution of Different Job Fields Receiving Sponsorship
Represents job field similar to this job
Trends of Total Sponsorships
2025 (50)
2024 (69)
2023 (37)
2022 (92)
2021 (93)
2020 (44)
Funding
Current Stage
Public CompanyTotal Funding
$85.5MKey Investors
RedpointMatrixBenchmark
2022-11-22Private Equity
2022-06-24Acquired
2019-09-18Grant
Leadership Team
Mikkel Asger Svane
CEO and Co-Founder
Adrian McDermott
Chief Technology Officer
Recent News
Index Ventures
2026-01-06
Small Business Trends
2026-01-04
Small Business Trends
2025-12-25
Company data provided by crunchbase