About this role
BlackRock is seeking an accomplished leader to head its Employment Legal function across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA), where we have a diverse, innovative and growing business with an expanding footprint and workforce. This role oversees a team of four experienced attorneys and acts as a principal legal adviser to Human Resources (HR), regional leadership, and all business groups, shaping and executing people-related strategies across 23 jurisdictions and more than 7,500 employees.
The Head of EMEA Employment Legal will set and drive the strategic direction for Employment Legal across the region, ensuring alignment with global priorities while navigating local regulatory environments. This role requires a blend of technical excellence, keen commercial judgement, and stakeholder management skills to deliver practical, business-focused solutions that both protect and advance the firm’s interests.
Key Responsibilities:
- Set and execute the regional Employment Legal strategy, ensuring integration with global objectives and business priorities.
- Lead, mentor, and develop a high-performing team, fostering collaboration, professional growth, and technical excellence while maintaining a hands-on approach to day-to-day legal matters.
- Provide clear, pragmatic counsel to senior executives and HR leaders on the full spectrum of employment-related and adjacent matters, including executive compensation, employee relations, performance management, restructurings, and dispute resolution.
- Partner with HR to design and implement processes that enhance operational efficiency and employee experience across multiple jurisdictions, including using rapidly evolving technology solutions like AI.
- Oversee employee-related investigations, litigation, and regulatory interactions with a focus on appropriate risk mitigation and reputational protection.
- Advise on employment aspects of M&A and strategic transactions, including due diligence, negotiations, and post‑close integrations.
- Support HR in continuously improving policies, programs, and trainings that meet, for example, health and safety, pay transparency, privacy and data protection, and other evolving laws and industry standards, positioning BlackRock as an employer of choice.
- Represent BlackRock in interactions with industry bodies, maintaining a strong external network.
Key Skills/Experience:
- UK‑qualified lawyer with 15+ years of employment law experience and deep familiarity across EMEA jurisdictions; financial services or technology industry background preferred.
- Demonstrated ability to operate at a senior level, building trusted relationships, influencing decisions, and shaping strategy in a complex, global organisation.
- Outstanding communication skills—able to translate complex legal concepts into clear, actionable advice for different audiences.
- Strong track record of advising senior executives and managing high-profile matters.
- Exceptional people management skills, with proven experience building and motivating high‑performing teams.
- Skilled at scaling legal and/or HR-related processes and driving operational improvements.
- Strong judgement combined with technical excellence, attention to detail, and an ability to balance legal risk, regulatory expectations, and commercial objectives in a fast-paced, regulated environment.
Our benefits
To help you stay energized, engaged and inspired, we offer a wide range of employee benefits including: retirement investment and tools designed to help you in building a sound financial future; access to education reimbursement; comprehensive resources to support your physical health and emotional well-being; family support programs; and Flexible Time Off (FTO) so you can relax, recharge and be there for the people you care about.
Our hybrid work model
BlackRock’s hybrid work model is designed to enable a culture of collaboration and apprenticeship that enriches the experience of our employees, while supporting flexibility for all. Employees are currently required to work at least 4 days in the office per week, with the flexibility to work from home 1 day a week. Some business groups may require more time in the office due to their roles and responsibilities. We remain focused on increasing the impactful moments that arise when we work together in person – aligned with our commitment to performance and innovation. As a new joiner, you can count on this hybrid model to accelerate your learning and onboarding experience here at BlackRock.
About BlackRock
At BlackRock, we are all connected by one mission: to help more and more people experience financial well-being. Our clients, and the people they serve, are saving for retirement, paying for their children’s educations, buying homes and starting businesses. Their investments also help to strengthen the global economy: support businesses small and large; finance infrastructure projects that connect and power cities; and facilitate innovations that drive progress.
This mission would not be possible without our smartest investment – the one we make in our employees. It’s why we’re dedicated to creating an environment where our colleagues feel welcomed, valued and supported with networks, benefits and development opportunities to help them thrive.
For additional information on BlackRock, please visit @blackrock | Twitter: @blackrock | LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/blackrock
BlackRock is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to age, disability, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation and other protected characteristics at law.
BlackRock Compensation & Benefits Highlights
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Healthcare Strength — Healthcare coverage is described as comprehensive, including medical, dental, and vision plans with HSA/FSA options and telemedicine. Mental-health resources such as counseling/EAP, wellness incentives, and Calm access are also featured.
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Retirement Support — Retirement programs include savings plans, employer-supported contributions described as competitive in summaries, and financial education resources. An Employee Stock Purchase Plan is also noted in certain locations.
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Parental & Family Support — Parental leave is gender-neutral with up to 16 weeks for primary caregivers and 4 weeks for non-primary caregivers. Additional supports include adoption assistance, fertility benefits in some locations, childcare/elder-care resources, and nursing-mother programs.
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What We Do
As the world’s largest asset manager, BlackRock partners with investors around the globe to help them (and those on whose behalf they invest) plan for life’s most important goals – like retirement, home ownership and their children’s education. Our clients range from governments, foundations and other large institutions to those investing on behalf of individuals, including firefighters, nurses, teachers and factory workers. BlackRock was founded with the idea of creating a better asset management firm — one that was purpose-driven, focused on clients and risk management, and propelled by data and technology. Our breakthrough Aladdin® platform is BlackRock’s technological backbone, helping investors see and manage their whole portfolios in one place – from constructing investments to monitoring risk and executing trades. Used by hundreds of external institutions around the world, Aladdin combines powerful analytics and a common language to help investment teams make faster, more informed decisions across public and private markets. It’s a key part of our business and one of the reasons we’re trusted to manage more assets than any other investment manager today. At BlackRock, we challenge conventions and raise the bar for what’s possible. We harness technology to unlock new solutions, simplify complexity, and deliver investment strategies that meet people where they are. Whether it’s retirement planning, wealth building or navigating market shifts, we’re here to help clients invest more easily, more affordably and with more choice as we chart a path toward financial well-being together. Learn more: Careers.BlackRock.com
Why Work With Us
Without our people, technology is irrelevant. When we combine the power of people with the power of technology, we amplify our ability to create better outcomes for our employees, clients, shareholders and society alike.
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Employees engage in a combination of remote and on-site work.
BlackRock has 25,000 employees across more than 100 offices in over 40 countries around the world.
