Lead Legal Counsel, Employment (EMEA)

GitLab is the intelligent orchestration platform for DevSecOps. GitLab enables organizations to increase developer productivity, improve operational efficiency, reduce security and compliance risk, and accelerate digital transformation. More than 50 million registered users and more than 50% of the Fortune 100* trust GitLab to ship better, more secure software faster. The same principles built into our products are reflected in how our team works: we embrace AI as a core productivity multiplier, with all team members expected to incorporate AI into their daily workflows to drive efficiency, innovation, and impact. GitLab is where careers accelerate, innovation flourishes, and every voice is valued. Our high-performance culture is driven by our values and continuous knowledge exchange, enabling our team members to reach their full potential while collaborating with industry leaders to solve complex problems. Co-create the future with us as we build technology that transforms how the world develops software. * Fortune 500® is a registered trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, used under license. Claim based on GitLab data. Fortune 100 refers to the top 20% ranked companies in the 2025 Fortune 500 list, published in June 2025. Fortune and Fortune Media IP Limited are not affiliated with, and do not endorse products or services of GitLab. An overview of this role This position is remote and ideally based in the United Kingdom or Ireland. As Lead Legal Counsel, Employment, you’ll serve as a senior legal advisor to GitLab on matters spanning the full employment relationship, from recruiting and onboarding through compensation, performance, leave management, separation, and, when necessary, litigation. You’ll provide practical, business-focused guidance that helps GitLab manage legal risk and meet business needs across a globally distributed, all-remote organization. You’ll independently lead complex employment-law matters, serve as a trusted advisor to senior stakeholders, and help strengthen how GitLab manages employment risk across jurisdictions. You’ll also contribute to scalable legal processes, share subject-matter expertise, and mentor legal colleagues and cross-functional partners. What you’ll do • Provide senior, practical employment-law advice to team members and stakeholders across GitLab, balancing legal risk, business objectives, and GitLab’s values. • Advise on matters across the employment lifecycle, including recruiting and onboarding, compensation, performance management, leave management, employee relations, works council processes, organizational changes, separation, and post-employment issues. • Counsel People Business Partners, Team Member Relations partners, and business leaders on complex and sensitive team-member relations concerns. • Advise on, draft, maintain, and review employment agreements, separation agreements, policies, templates, and related documentation across multiple jurisdictions. • Review, draft, and negotiate employment-related agreements, including separation agreements and other documents supporting employee lifecycle decisions. • Advise on employment compliance requirements across EMEA, identify when advice from local counsel is needed, and incorporate that advice into strategies that match the business. • Monitor and analyze changes in employment, privacy, and related laws; identify legal risks; and translate developments into practical recommendations and implementable guidance. • Advise on the employment-law and privacy implications of team-member data, including familiarity with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and other local privacy requirements. • Support employment litigation, appeals tribunals, agency investigations, employment disputes, and other contentious matters, including strategy, fact development, and coordination with internal stakeholders. • Manage and oversee outside counsel matters, including selecting or coordinating local counsel,…