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Xero is seeking a VP, Legal - Global Employment to lead employment law strategy and support across a global technology business. This is a functional leadership role with no direct reports, suited to someone who leads through expertise, influence, and delivery.
You will be the senior strategic legal partner to Xero's People Experience (PX) organization and a trusted adviser to executive leadership on workforce strategy, organizational change, and complex employment matters. You will set the direction for global employment legal support, work closely with regional Legal teams and other Risk, Ethics, Advocacy and Legal (REAL) specialists, and personally handle matters requiring deep experience and judgment.
Key responsibilities include:
- Partner with PX leadership and senior business leaders on workforce strategy, organizational design, restructures, reward, senior employee matters, and cross-border initiatives
- Provide clear, practical advice on global employment and labor law, including investigations, performance management, discrimination and harassment, contracts, policies, disputes, and regulatory matters
- Set and own Xero's global employment legal strategy, risk framework, standards, escalation paths, playbooks, and self-service resources
- Partner with regional Legal GMs on routine employment matters and ensure consistent, coordinated advice across jurisdictions
- Lead complex employment disputes, claims, regulatory inquiries, and sensitive investigations
- Support employment aspects of M&A, integrations, and major business change
- Manage external employment counsel and drive proportionate, cost-effective use of external advice
- Build training, tools, and AI-enabled resources that help PX and leaders manage routine matters confidently
- Work collaboratively with other REAL team members on global workforce matters
Success means PX and senior leaders view you as a trusted strategic partner; Xero has clear, scalable, practical global employment frameworks; complex employment risks are identified early and managed consistently; legal support is technology-enabled; and external counsel is used strategically with stronger internal capability and better cost control.
REQUIREMENTS:
Essential:
- Substantial international employment experience and proven experience supporting labor and employment in a global organization, advising across multiple jurisdictions and operating effectively across regions and time zones
- Experience in New Zealand, Australia, the United States, and the United Kingdom is highly desirable
- Deep expertise in global employment and labor law, including complex investigations, disputes, restructures, and workforce strategy
- Experience directing others' work without direct reports and influencing without formal authority
- Track record of advising senior PX/HR leaders and business executives as a strategic partner
- Strong judgment, commercial awareness, and ability to explain complex issues in plain language
- Experience managing external employment counsel and building scalable legal processes and resources
- Ability to influence without formal authority and to roll up your sleeves and do the work personally
Strongly Preferred:
- Breadth beyond employment law, such as litigation, transactional work, or corporate governance; T-shaped generalist able to step into work outside core area
- Experience in a mid-market technology company of similar size to Xero or another fast-moving global business
- Interest in using data, technology, and AI to improve legal support
