Associate Director, Employment Law, Apac Region

**Associate Director, Employment Law**

**ABOUT US**

**LEADING AT COGNIZANT**

This is a Leadership role at Cognizant. We believe how you lead is as important as what you deliver. Cognizant leaders at every level**:Drive our business strategy**and inspire teams around our future. **Live the leadership behaviors**, leading themselves, others and the business. **Uphold our Values**, role modeling them**in every action and decision. **Nurture our people and culture**, creating a workplace where all can thrive.

At Cognizant, leadership transcends titles and is embodied in actions and behaviors. We empower our leaders at every level to drive business strategy, inspire teams, uphold our values, and foster an inclusive culture.

**The Role**

Cognizant helps companies modernize technology, reimagine processes and transform experiences so they stay ahead in a fast-changing world, and every choice we make aligns to our vision: to become the pre-eminent technology services partner to the world’s top companies. Our **in-house legal team**is looking for an **Associate**Director, Employment Law**to join us on that journey.

Our experienced legal team works closely with our business, sales, human resources, marketing, and other internal client groups throughout the world as they deliver digital and information technology solutions for our customers around the globe. We’re looking for a leader who will serve as the primary point of contact on employment law issues for senior HR leaders in the APAC region, as well as business leaders and other lawyers in the Legal Department. In this role, you’ll identify and assess legal risks and opportunities, manage appropriate use outside counsel, ensure compliance with applicable law, and manage and resolve employment-related disputes. Cognizant has thousands of employees in the region, spread out across multiple countries and jurisdictions, so we’ll be looking for a knowledgeable, resourceful, experienced, pragmatic, business-minded lawyer to guide us as we make key decisions making related to our most important asset - our people.

The position reports to the Global Head of Employment Law and will regularly interact with senior stakeholders, especially, senior HR leadership. This is a highly visible position within the Cognizant Legal Department and offers the opportunity to work on cutting-edge, high-profile legal issues, including initiatives relating to return-to-office, pay equity, and more, in addition to the day-to-day ER challenges that arise across more than 15 countries. To be successful, you’ll need to have knowledge and experience to quickly understand and assess complex employment law issues as well as the consultative spirit to drive and support the right outcomes, always doing the right thing the right way. If that sounds like you, we invite you to reach out to learn more.

At Cognizant, we are a high-performing team with heart. Our solutions are in demand and we’re passionate about making a difference. If you have experience in the APAC region, care about delivering excellent work product, and are committed to helping your team drive incredible outcomes; if you want to grow your career with a team that wants to build something great together, we want to hear from you.

**Responsibilities**
- Serve as the point of contact for all Employment Law issues in the APJ Region, including complex forward-looking strategic issues, specific advice, and day-to-day employee relations
- Advise HR leadership regarding the above; providing or identifying legal counsel for multiple countries including Australia, Philippines, Malaysia, and more, and possess a deep and nuanced understanding of the complexities of those geos therefore being able to approach how to advise on the diverse set of legal issues
- Proactively address employment law issues and policies; stay up to date on the law and advise the company accordingly; help to guide sound decision making and up to date policies and best practices
- Manage employment litigation; Respond to DOL investigations and administrative complaints
- Manage ad hoc employment law projects advising HR and management as appropriate.
- Manage and oversee outside counsel relationships with law firms including managing the budget.
- May supervise other junior employment or commercial lawyers in other APAC countries.
- Act as legal advisor on employment issues to executives including other members of the legal team.
- Make recommendations and escalate material employment law issues when appropriate.
- Provide operational and strategic support to our in-house commercial lawyers HR teams and business teams on deals.
- Advise on and assist with the employment law aspects of any acquisitions including post-acquisition integration.
- Advise on and assist in relation to any collective employment law rights and obligations.
- Handle reactive queries and proactive advice related to recruiting, compensation, employee benefits, and employee mobility, performa