[Hiring] Lead Employment Counsel @Greenhouse

Role Description

Greenhouse is looking for a Lead Employment Counsel to join our team! Reporting to the Chief Legal Officer, you'll be Greenhouse's dedicated employment lawyer and the go-to legal partner for our People team and business leaders. You'll advise across the full employee lifecycle in the US and our international footprint, including:

• Employer of record and contractor arrangements
• Employment policies and agreements
• Managing outside counsel on litigation and specialized matters

This is a hands-on, high-ownership role. In a single day you might:

• Walk an HR business partner through an accommodation request
• Mark up a sales commission plan
• Prepare for a mediation

You'll also build the training, templates, and self-service guidance that let a busy People team handle routine questions with confidence and escalate the right ones. Because Greenhouse builds hiring software, you'll have a real voice in how AI is reshaping employment law, both for us and for our customers.

Qualifications

• JD from an accredited law school and active membership in good standing in at least one US state bar
• 7+ years of labor and employment law experience at a law firm and/or in-house
• Deep knowledge of US federal and multi-state employment law, especially wage and hour
• Experience advising on employment matters outside the US and working with employer of record providers and local counsel
• A track record of managing employment litigation with outside counsel, including settlement strategy
• Experience with workforce planning and management
• Experience owning employment policies, agreements, and compensation plan terms, and conducting or overseeing workplace investigations
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Experience using AI tools effectively while verifying output, protecting privileged and employee data
• In-house experience, strongly preferred
• Familiarity with the HR tech industry, a plus

Requirements

• Serve as the primary legal advisor to the People team on employee relations, performance management, terminations, reductions in force, leaves of absence, and accommodations
• Lead wage and hour compliance, including FLSA and state exemption classification, timekeeping and overtime practices, payroll issues, and periodic classification audits
• Review and advise on compensation programs, including sales commission and bonus plans, overpayment recoupment, privileged pay equity analyses, and pay transparency requirements
• Draft, negotiate, and maintain employment documents and policies
• Conduct or oversee workplace investigations, and manage employment litigation matters with outside counsel
• Advise on employment law outside the US
• Build and deliver training for managers, HR, and recruiters
• Partner with Product, Privacy, and HR technology stakeholders on the use of AI in hiring and employment decisions
• Support M&A diligence and integration, benefits and EEO/affirmative action compliance
• Manage outside counsel relationships and budgets
• Represent Greenhouse externally as an employment law subject matter expert
• Additional projects and responsibilities as business needs require

Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• Basic life insurance
• Mental health resources
• Financial wellness benefits
• Fully paid parental leave program
• Short-term and long-term disability coverage
• 401(k) plan and company match
• Up to 14 scheduled paid holidays per calendar year
• Up to 80 hours of paid sick leave
• Non-exempt employees accrue up to 20-25 days of paid vacation time annually
• Exempt employees have flexible paid time off (PTO)