Employment Counsel

Biogen•Cambridge, MA

1d•$226,000 - $310,750

About The Position

As a highly experienced Employment Counsel on the Legal & Compliance team, you will serve as a trusted senior legal advisor to Biogen's Global Human Resources organization, providing strategic counsel and practical guidance on a broad range of employment, people relations, compliance, and workforce management matters affecting more than 8,000 employees globally. Reporting to the Chief Employment Counsel, you will partner closely with HR, Legal & Compliance, Finance, and key business leaders to navigate complex workplace challenges globally, manage legal and regulatory risk, and support key business initiatives. You will play a critical role in shaping employment practices, driving risk mitigation and governance efforts, overseeing investigations and disputes, and helping ensure that Biogen's workforce strategies remain aligned with evolving global legal requirements and business objectives. This role requires exceptional legal judgment, strong leadership presence, and the ability to translate complex legal issues into clear, practical, actionable advice that enables effective business decisions in a dynamic life sciences environment.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree and Juris Doctor (J.D.).
Minimum of 12 years of progressively responsible employment law experience, including law firm and in-house experience.
Deep expertise in U.S. employment law, employee relations, and HR compliance.
Experience with international employment law and HR governance.
Proven experience managing investigations, employment disputes, and outside counsel relationships.
Demonstrated ability to advise and influence senior HR leaders and business executives on complex, high-risk workforce matters.
Licensed to practice law in Massachusetts or eligible for admission.

Nice To Haves

In-house experience supporting manufacturing, life sciences, medical device, healthcare, and/or global commercial organizations.
Public company experience.
Experience with global works councils.
Strong analytical and decision-making skills.
Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.
Experience supporting multinational organizations and global employment law issues, including reorganizations, restructuritions, M&A integrations, cross-border workforce mobility, or other significant business transformations.
Demonstrated ability to influence stakeholders and build trusted partnerships across a complex, matrixed global organization.

Responsibilities

Serve as a legal advisor to Global Human Resources on employment law and people relations matters across the employee lifecycle, including recruitment, performance management, accommodations, leave administration, compensation, benefits, disciplinary actions, workforce restructuring, and separations.
Partner with HR and business leaders to develop practical, risk-informed solutions.
Provide strategic advice on sensitive employment matters.
Support business leaders in navigating complex workplace issues while maintaining compliance with applicable legal and regulatory requirements.
Advise on sensitive workplace investigations involving allegations of discrimination, harassment, retaliation, misconduct, and other significant employee relations concerns.
Manage employment disputes, including demand letters, agency investigations, and litigation matters.
Oversee outside counsel and legal budgets related to employment matters.
Partner with external counsel and Biogen colleagues in markets around the world to deliver practical, globally informed solutions.
Identify employment-related risks and recommend mitigation strategies.
Oversee key elements of Biogen's global HR governance program.
Advise on global employment law issues and cross-border personnel movement.
Support development and enhancement of employment policies, procedures, and governance frameworks.
Conduct employment-related audits and compliance assessments.
Collaborate with HR, Legal & Compliance, Finance, and other business functions.
Monitor employment law developments and regulatory trends.
Translate legal developments into practical guidance.
Develop and deliver training and policy updates.

Benefits

Medical, Dental, Vision, & Life insurances
Fitness & Wellness programs including a fitness reimbursement
Short- and Long-Term Disability insurance
A minimum of 15 days of paid vacation and an additional end-of-year shutdown time off (Dec 26-Dec 31)
Up to 12 company paid holidays + 3 paid days off for Personal Significance
80 hours of sick time per calendar year
Paid Maternity and Parental Leave benefit
401(k) program participation with company matched contributions
Employee stock purchase plan
Tuition reimbursement of up to $10,000 per calendar year
Employee Resource Groups participation