Who we are:

Optiver is a proprietary trading firm and leading global market maker. As one of the oldest market making institutions, we are a trusted partner of 50+ exchanges across the globe. Our mission is to constantly improve the market by injecting liquidity, providing accurate pricing, increasing transparency and acting as a stabilizing force no matter the market conditions. With a focus on continuous improvement, we participate in the safeguarding of healthy and efficient markets for everyone who participates.

What we are looking for:

Optiver’s legal team is looking for an Employment Counsel to work closely with our Assistant General Counsel, management team, and business teams (in particular, our Human Resources and Recruiting teams). The Employment Counsel will be an integral part of our legal team advising business stakeholders to help drive new business initiatives in a fast-paced, high-stakes environment. They’ll be Optiver’s subject matter expert providing legal advice and thoughtful solutions in areas such as employment and labor law, compensation and benefits, restrictive covenants, policy development and implementation, and dispute management.

What you’ll do:

• Provide employment legal advice in a broad range of employment-related matters and projects both in the U.S. and globally, including day-to-day counseling in such areas as restrictive covenants, hirings, employee relations, performance management, employee privacy, contingent workers, leaves of absence and accommodations, wage and hour issues, harassment and discrimination, dispute resolution, internal investigations, reputational risk and compensation and benefits.
• Partner with and provide legal guidance to colleagues in Human Resources and Recruiting as well as other key business stakeholders regarding all substantive employment law areas.
• Monitor developments to legislation, regulation, case law, and government enforcement activities relating to employment issues and provide proactive, strategic advice to relevant stakeholders.
• Provide advice regarding employment-related matters in new markets/jurisdictions.
• Draft and provide advice on employment-related documents, including employment and conduct agreements, offer letters, employee handbooks and internal policies.
• Develop, implement and support employment and other workforce related policies.
• Develop and lead training programs empowering teams to use best practices regarding employment law matters.
• Negotiate, prepare, and review commercial agreements and advise business teams on the same.
• Assist with ad hoc projects as directed.
• Interface with outside counsel and other third parties.
• Provide ethical leadership and sound judgment.

 What you’ll need:

• A Juris Doctorate from an accredited law school and admittance in good standing in Illinois.  Experience with New York and/or Texas labor and employment law is a plus.
• 6+ years of combined experience working at a credible law firm and/or in-house employment counseling.
• A client-first and outcome/solutions focused philosophy for providing legal services.
• Experience representing clients in the financial services industry, particularly with respect to restrictive covenants and discretionary bonuses/variable pay. Proprietary trading industry is a plus.
• Experience collaborating with Human Resources, Recruiting and business executives on significant employment matters.
• Strong research and writing skills, and a demonstrated ability to communicate effectively with a non-legal audience including business stakeholders.
• Strong project management skills and ability to drive business initiatives forward.  Detail orientation and ability to juggle competing priorities.
• The desire to learn new practice areas quickly, and confidently advise the business.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office, Outlook, Adobe, LexisNexis (and similar legal research products) required. Proficiency with Confluence/JIRA is a plus.

What you’ll get:

• Work alongside best-in-class professionals from over 40 different countries.
• Performance based bonus structure that is unmatched anywhere in the industry. We combine our profits across desks, teams and offices into a global profit pool fostering a truly collaborative environment to work in.
• Ownership over initiatives that directly solve business problems.

Alongside this you will get great other benefits such as 25 paid vacation days and market holidays, fully paid commuting expenses and health insurance, daily breakfast and lunch, training opportunities, 401(k) match up to 50% and charitable match opportunities, regular social events and clubs, and many more.