Employment Counsel

Job description

Company Description Organizations everywhere struggle under the crushing costs and complexities of “solutions” that promise to simplify their lives. To create a better experience for their customers and employees. To help them grow. Software is a choice that can make or break a business. Create better or worse experiences. Propel or throttle growth. Business software has become a blocker instead of ways to get work done. There’s another option. Freshworks. With a fresh vision for how the world works. Freshworks Inc. builds uncomplicated service software that delivers exceptional employee and customer experiences. Our people-first approach to AI eliminates friction, helping businesses reduce complexity, lower cost-to-serve, and deliver faster, more human support through enterprise-grade yet easy-to-use CX and IT solutions. Nearly 75,000 companies, including Bridgestone, New Balance, Nucor, S&P Global, and Sony Music, trust Freshworks to power their Employee Experience (EX) and Customer Experience (CX) operations. Fresh vision. Real impact. Come build it with us. Job Description Key Responsibilities - Employment Serve as the lead legal advisor for complex and high‑risk employment matters across India and APMEA, including sensitive investigations, restructurings, workforce transitions, and executive separations, providing clear, strategic recommendations to HR and senior leadership. Set the regional employment law strategy: monitor and interpret legislative and regulatory developments (including India’s new labour codes and key APMEA changes), assess business impact, and drive structured implementation plans for policy, process, and system changes. Oversee the design, governance, and continuous improvement of employment documents and frameworks (employment agreements, playbooks, investigation protocols, templates, SOPs) to ensure consistency and compliance across multiple jurisdictions. Provide second‑line escalation and supervision on personnel‑related investigations and disputes, including POSH, whistleblower, retaliation, and other conduct matters; guide Internal Committees and HRBPs on investigation strategy, documentation, and remediation. Act as the employment law and culture champion: partner with HR leadership to shape people programs (performance, ER, engagement, restructurings), ensuring practices are aligned with Freshworks’ values, risk appetite, and global standards. Lead or co‑lead cross‑functional initiatives on employment compliance, workplace conduct, and data privacy, collaborating with Security, Privacy, and Compliance teams on risk assessments, audits, and controls. Manage external counsel relationships on significant or multi‑jurisdictional matters, including scoping, oversight of work product, and budget management, while building internal capability to reduce dependency over time. Coach and mentor professionals supporting employment work, helping prioritise matters, reviewing outputs where needed, and developing best‑practice guidance and knowledge resources for the broader Legal and HR teams. Key Responsibilities – Corporate Act as a key governance advisor to the Board of Directors and senior leadership, overseeing and monitoring Board activities to ensure robust compliance with the Companies Act and all applicable corporate governance and securities requirements. Own the legal and governance framework for Board, committee, and shareholder meetings, ensuring timely convening and lawful conduct of the AGM and other statutory meetings in line with prescribed timelines, secretarial standards, and regulatory expectations. Oversee accurate and timely filing of all statutory returns and regulatory submissions (including to the MCA and other applicable regulators), establishing controls and calendars to rigorously monitor deadlines and mitigate compliance and enforcement risks. Lead the end‑to‑end governance process for Board and committee meetings, including annual calendars, notice and agenda setting, review of papers, drafting of resolutions, finalisation of minutes, and secure maintenance of records, while facilitating access for internal and statutory auditors or regulators as required. Partner with executive leadership, finance, and company secretarial functions to continuously strengthen corporate governance practices, board reporting, and subsidiary governance, ensuring alignment with global best practices for high‑growth, tech/SaaS companies. Qualifications Law degree (LL.B.) from a recognised university; LL.M., company secretary, or additional governance qualification preferred. Approximately 12–16 years of post‑qualification experience, with substantial time spent on employment law and corporate governance in a top law firm and/or in‑house at multinational or listed companies, ideally in tech or SaaS. Deep, hands‑on expertise in Indian company, employment and labour laws, combined with meaningful experience advising on or coordinating multiple employment matters across APMEA jurisdictions. Proven track record handling high‑stakes matters (senior exits, restructures, collective issues, sensitive investigations, regulatory complaints or inspections) with minimal supervision. Demonstrated experience influencing and counselling senior stakeholders (Board, HR leadership, CXOs, business heads), including pushing back where required while maintaining trusted‑advisor status. Strong familiarity with POSH regimes, whistleblower/ethics frameworks, and privacy requirements impacting employees (GDPR/CCPA/DPDP), including ownership of related policies and training. Experience leading cross‑functional projects, building or scaling compliance programs, and developing playbooks, templates, and training for global teams. Core Competencies Strategic Employment & Governance Counsel – Operates as a subject‑matter expert and thought partner to HR, Finance and leadership on complex, cross‑border governance & employment issues, connecting legal risk to business and people strategy. Leadership and Influence – Demonstrates executive presence, frames options and trade‑offs clearly, and can drive decisions in rooms with senior stakeholders and multiple jurisdictions represented. Program and Framework Ownership – Designs and owns region‑wide frameworks (governance process, investigations, ER playbooks, templates, training), ensuring consistency and scalability rather than only case‑by‑case advice. Complex Risk Judgement – Comfortable making calls in ambiguous situations, prioritising among competing risks (legal, reputation, employee relations, operational) and documenting rationale. People Development and Collaboration – Coaches junior team members and upskills HR/people managers through training and day‑to‑day partnering, building a strong “first line” before legal escalation. Change Agility – Navigates fast‑changing regulatory, business, and technology environments, quickly integrating new laws (e.g., labour codes, AI in HR) into policies and practice. Additional Information At Freshworks, we have fostered an environment that enables everyone to find their true potential, purpose, and passion, welcoming colleagues of all backgrounds, genders, sexual orientations, religions, and ethnicities. We are committed to providing equal opportunity and believe that diversity in the workplace creates a more vibrant, richer environment that boosts the goals of our employees, communities, and business. Fresh vision. Real impact. Come build it with us.