Saks Fifth Avenue Senior Labor & Employment Counsel
- Employment
- Full-Time
- Seniority
- Senior
- Department
- Legal & Compliance
- Posted
- Jun 25, 2026
About Saks Fifth Avenue
Saks Fifth Avenue is a premier luxury department store and a cornerstone of the Saks Global portfolio. Renowned for a carefully curated assortment of designer fashion and high-touch client service, the brand blends immersive in-store experiences with an elevated digital offering across its North American locations.
Saks Global seeks Senior Labor & Employment Counsel in New York to advise on employment law, compliance, and workforce strategy for the world's largest luxury retailer.
Role & Responsibilities
- Provide timely legal advice to internal business partners on all aspects of employment law, including hiring, performance management, compensation, benefits, accommodations, investigations, and terminations
- Partner with the People team to proactively manage employment-related risk, draft and implement policies, and advise on workforce strategy and employee relations
- Design, develop, and implement employment policies, trainings, and compliance frameworks aligned with local laws and company values
- Advise on internal investigations related to employee misconduct, discrimination, harassment, and whistleblower complaints, ensuring consistent, lawful, and brand-aligned outcomes
- Provide strategic counsel on workforce restructuring, performance management, wage and hour issues, and employee transitions
- Manage and partner with external counsel on litigation, administrative claims, and audits, maintaining alignment with company priorities and reputation
- Collaborate on labor relations strategy and union matters with a focus on positive employee engagement
- Monitor legal developments and emerging risks in employment law, advising business partners on practical implications and proactive measures
- Support cross-functional projects related to data retention, data privacy, and supply chain ethics
- Manage multiple priorities and projects independently while staying aligned with business objectives and evolving legal requirements
Qualifications
- J.D. or equivalent law degree
- Licensed and in good standing in New York or qualified to register as in-house counsel in New York
- 8–12+ years of labor and employment law experience, including in-house experience with a multinational company or top-tier law firm
- Strong knowledge of U.S. employment laws (Title VII, FMLA, ADA, FLSA, etc.); familiarity with global legal frameworks
- Demonstrated ability to advise executives, HR leaders, and business stakeholders with clear, pragmatic, and business-savvy counsel
- Proven track record of managing complex investigations, disputes, and employment-related risk
- Experience with California employment matters is highly desirable
Skills
Experience
8–12+ years of labor and employment law experience, including in-house experience with a multinational company or top-tier law firm. Experience managing complex employment matters, conducting internal investigations, and advising C-suite and HR leadership on workforce strategy.
Education
J.D. or equivalent law degree; must be licensed and in good standing in New York or qualified to register as in-house counsel in New York.
Workplace
This position is based in New York, New York, USA.
Benefits
Medical insurance, dental insurance, vision insurance, 401(k) retirement plan, basic life insurance, supplemental life insurance, disability insurance, additional voluntary benefits (critical illness, hospital and accident insurance), employee discount
Culture
Saks Fifth Avenue emphasizes a high‑standard, client‑centric retail culture that fuses creative visual storytelling with commercial rigor. The environment rewards initiative and offers cross‑functional career mobility across retail, digital and corporate disciplines within the Saks Global portfolio.
About Cerulean
Cerulean is the definitive career portal for the global luxury industry. We match exceptional professionals with exclusive opportunities at the world's most prestigious brands. From haute couture and fine watchmaking to prestige beauty, hospitality, and boutique retail, Cerulean centralises luxury employment to help you find the career for which you were destined.
Frequently Asked Questions
The luxury industry is characterised by a diverse and nuanced nomenclature. Esteemed houses frequently employ proprietary terminology, and even within a single organisation like Saks Fifth Avenue, titles may vary across global markets to reflect local conventions. To ensure absolute clarity, Cerulean assigns a standardised, industry-coherent canonical title to every listing. However, it is worth noting that this role is functionally synonymous with «Senior Employment Law Advisor», «Employment Law Counsel», «Head of Labor Relations & Compliance», «Senior Legal Advisor – People Operations», and other variations. Our sophisticated search architecture anticipates these variations, ensuring that inquiries using related terms will seamlessly yield the exact roles you desire.