Associate Counsel Italy (Fixed-term)

Overview

Fixed-term Associate Counsel role on the EMEA Employment Legal team, with primary responsibility for Italy and support for nearby European jurisdictions, advising business leaders and HR on labor and employment matters and providing commercial contracting and corporate legal support.

What you'll do

• Serve as a trusted legal advisor to Human Resources and business leaders throughout Italy and designated EMEA jurisdictions.
• Provide day-to-day legal advice on employment law, employee relations, performance management, disciplinary actions, accommodations, leaves of absence, workplace conduct concerns, and separations.
• Advise on workforce restructurings, reorganizations, reductions in force, outsourcing initiatives, and business transformation projects.
• Support labor relations matters, including employee representative bodies, works councils, collective consultation requirements, and union-related issues where applicable.
• Draft, review, and update employment-related agreements, policies, handbooks, procedures, templates, and guidance materials.
• Monitor and advise on developments in employment legislation and regulatory requirements throughout assigned jurisdictions.
• Prepare and deliver employment law training sessions and materials for Human Resources, managers, and business stakeholders.
• Manage employment litigation, administrative proceedings, employee claims, labor disputes, agency charges, and pre-litigation matters.
• Conduct legal risk assessments and recommend practical dispute resolution strategies that balance business objectives and company risk.
• Coordinate and manage external counsel in accordance with outside counsel guidelines, budget expectations, and legal management direction.
• Support internal investigations involving employee misconduct, discrimination, harassment, retaliation, ethics concerns, and other workplace matters.
• Assist with responses to government agencies, labor authorities, regulators, and other third-party inquiries.
• Provide regular reporting and strategic updates regarding legal matters, litigation trends, and risk areas.
• Draft, review, negotiate, and advise on commercial agreements, including vendor agreements, professional services agreements, consulting agreements, confidentiality agreements, procurement-related contracts, and other operational agreements supporting EMEA business needs.
• Partner with Procurement, Finance, Compliance, Privacy, HR, Business Technology, Quality, and operational stakeholders to ensure agreements are consistent with legal requirements, corporate policies, and business objectives.
• Provide pragmatic day-to-day and strategic advice to minimize legal risks while advancing business goals and initiatives.
• Guide the business on the management of contract, vendor, customer, and operational risks and disputes.
• Support the development and improvement of standard forms, contracting processes, policies, playbooks, and legal workflows.
• Support corporate due diligence, integration activities, and cross-functional legal projects as assigned.
• Support corporate compliance initiatives and governance activities throughout the region.
• Collaborate with Legal, Compliance, Privacy, Human Resources, and business teams to identify and mitigate legal and regulatory risk.
• Assist in the development, implementation, and maintenance of legal policies, procedures, and best practices.
• Work collaboratively across the Legal department, including with regional attorneys and global subject-matter experts, to build consensus and drive process improvements.
• Support the Syneos Health Mission, Vision, and Values.
• Perform other work-related duties as assigned.

What you'll need

• Qualified attorney admitted to practice law in Italy and in good standing with the applicable Italian bar association.
• Significant experience practicing labor and employment law in Italy, including advising on employee relations, separations, restructurings, litigation risk, and workplace investigations.
• Experience managing employment disputes, litigation, administrative proceedings, employee claims, and pre-litigation matters.
• Experience drafting, reviewing, and negotiating commercial agreements.
• Strong understanding of Italian labor and employment law and familiarity with European employment law principles applicable to multinational organizations.
• Ability to communicate clearly, concisely, and professionally with all levels of management regarding complex employment and commercial legal issues.
• Fluent written and spoken Italian and English.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment, manage multiple priorities, and partner effectively with stakeholders across regions and functions.
• Ability to collaborate with colleagues and take a business-oriented approach while identifying and balancing risks and providing succinct, accurate, and pragmatic advice.

Nice to have

• Experience supporting multiple European jurisdictions, particularly countries neighboring Italy.
• In-house legal experience within a multinational company.
• Experience in the healthcare, life sciences, pharmaceutical, CRO, or professional services industries.
• Familiarity with European labor relations, works councils, collective consultation requirements, benefits, immigration, and employment regulatory frameworks.
• Additional European language capabilities.

Details

• Location: Italy (listed as ITA-Remote).
• Fixed-term position.
• Occasional travel within Europe and internationally may be required based on business needs.
• Employment governed by the CCNL Commercio, including Article 213 in its version in force from time to time.
• Potential annual gross salary range of 40,000 EUR to 47,000 EUR, excluding additional benefits and allowances.