Lead Counsel, Employment, Benefits & Executive Compensation

McKesson•Richmond, VA

5d•Hybrid

About The Position

The MMS Legal Department is seeking a Lead Counsel, Employment to join its Technology, Risk & People (TRP) pillar. This role is critical to MMS’s transition to a standalone company. The TRP team provides practical, business-oriented legal support across human resources, employee benefits, executive compensation, technology, compliance, and risk-related matters, helping the business achieve its objectives while appropriately managing legal and regulatory risk. The role reports to the Managing Principal Counsel, Technology, Risk & People. This position serves as a trusted legal partner providing day-to-day advice on employment, workforce, benefits, and people-related matters. The successful candidate will work closely with cross-functional stakeholders to identify and address legal risks, support key business and workforce initiatives, and help develop practical, scalable solutions that balance legal requirements with business needs. The role requires sound judgment, strong collaboration skills, a proactive mindset, and the ability to operate effectively in a dynamic environment with evolving priorities and occasional ambiguity. The Lead Counsel is expected to serve as a strategic thought partner to senior Human Resources, Finance, Compensation, and business leaders. This individual will assess complex legal and business risks, guide high-impact workforce decisions, develop governance and compliance frameworks, and help shape long-term people-related strategies while balancing legal, regulatory, operational, and business considerations. This position offers the opportunity to help build foundational processes and legal frameworks that support organizational growth, workforce innovation, and compliance in a newly independent healthcare company.

Requirements

JD and active U.S. bar membership
10-15 years of relevant legal experience at a law firm and/or in-house legal department (preferred)
Experience with: Employment law counseling
HR policy development
Demonstrated ability to independently lead complex legal matters and influence executive-level decision-making.
Strong executive presence with the ability to advise and challenge senior leaders while maintaining trusted relationships.
Proven ability to lead cross-functional initiatives across HR, Finance, Compliance, Internal Audit, Regulatory Affairs, and business operations.
Working knowledge of 50 state labor and employment laws
Strong drafting, negotiation, and issue-spotting skills
Strong research skills
Ability to provide clear, practical legal guidance
Proven ability to adapt to evolving business needs and operate effectively in ambiguous situations
Strong collaboration and communication skills

Nice To Haves

Benefit plan design and administration legal counseling (a plus)
Executive compensation legal counseling (a plus)
Working knowledge of benefits and executive compensation laws (a plus)
Experience in the healthcare, life sciences, pharmaceutical, medical device, healthcare technology, or healthcare distribution industries.

Responsibilities

Serve as the company's lead legal advisor on labor, employment, employee benefits, and executive compensation matters, providing strategic, risk-based counsel on complex and high-profile workforce issues, organizational changes, executive matters, and enterprise initiatives.
Lead legal support for enterprise-wide workforce, benefits, and executive compensation initiatives.
Design and implement scalable legal, compliance, and governance frameworks that support organizational growth, workforce transformation, and public-company readiness.
Partner across legal functions to develop coordinated enterprise risk management strategies.
Draft or comment on various HR, employment and benefits related agreements, policies and guidelines.
Partner with HR, business leaders and cross functional leaders to proactively identify and manage labor, employment, benefits, and executive compensation risks, and implement practical, preventative solutions.
Effectively manage outside counsel, including budgeting, scope management, and review of work product.
Partnering with Senior Litigation Counsel as appropriate.
Manage competing priorities, adjust to changing business needs, and operate effectively with limited structure in certain areas.
Anticipate emerging legal and regulatory developments affecting employment, benefits, executive compensation, and workforce strategy.
Assess enterprise impact and lead implementation of proactive compliance and risk mitigation initiatives.