Legal Counsel - Employment (APAC)

About Payoneer Founded in 2005, Payoneer is the global financial platform that removes friction from doing business across borders, with a mission to connect the world’s underserved businesses to a rising global economy. We’re a community with over 2,500 colleagues all over the world, working to serve customers, and partners in over 190 countries and territories. By taking the complexity out of the financial workflows–including everything from global payments and compliance to multi-currency and workforce management, to providing working capital and business intelligence–we give businesses the tools they need to work efficiently worldwide and grow with confidence. About the Skuad Acquisition Back in August 2024, Payoneer acquired Skuad. Skuad's expertise helps businesses in over 160 countries navigate complex challenges such as international payroll, remote onboarding, and regulatory compliance. This acquisition reinforces Payoneer's mission and solidifies Skuad's role as a trusted partner for global workforce management (WFM). This role will be part of our WFM business unit. Role Summary To achieve our mission to enable remote employment globally, we need to build a world-class product experience backed by our core Payments platform that is seamless, convenient, and reliable for our customers. We face new and exciting challenges every day and need your help to solve them. We are seeking a Legal Counsel – Employment to provide comprehensive legal guidance and support on various matters related to employee management. The Legal Counsel - Employment (APAC) will be reporting to the Senior Legal Counsel – Employment (APAC & MEA) and would be a critical role in leading the labour & employment laws charter for Payoneer and WFM entities in the APAC regions. Prior Philippines employment law experience is mandatory. Exposure to other APAC jurisdictions is a strong advantage. Location – Philippines Work from office Hybrid What you’ll do - Provide high‑quality, practical employment law advice across the full employee lifecycle in the Philippines, with the ability to support broader APAC matters where relevant. Lead and support employee relations matters, including terminations, separations, disciplinary processes, and performance‑related actions, ensuring risk‑aligned outcomes. Represent the company and clients before the DoLE and NLRC in the Philippines, including in‑person appearances and written submissions. Advise on labour contracting and subcontracting compliance, ensuring ongoing adherence to Philippine regulatory requirements. Draft, review, and refine employment documentation, including employment agreements, separation and mutual termination letters, transfer/relocation documents, full and final settlement letters, and statutory HR policies. Contribute to the development and implementation of employment, HR, compensation, and workforce-structuring policies that align with local laws and business needs. Ensure compliance with statutory obligations, including mandatory contributions and benefits administration under the Philippines Labour Code. Stay ahead of legal and regulatory changes across national and local employment laws, and translate updates into actionable guidance for internal stakeholders and clients. Collaborate closely with HR Ops, Payroll, Sales, GTM, Finance, and other internal teams to deliver coordinated, commercially aligned legal solutions. Support compensation and benefits reviews, ensuring alignment with statutory standards and market practices. Conduct legal research and prepare clear, business‑friendly analysis on employment and labour law issues. Deliver training and guidance to internal teams and clients on employment law compliance, risk mitigation, and best practices. Support individual and large‑scale workforce transitions, reorganisations, and restructuring, ensuring compliance with all legal requirements and documentation standards Who you are – You hold a Bachelor’s degree in Law; a Master’s or LLM is an added advantage. You bring 4–5 years of hands‑on experience in Philippines employment and labour law. Experience supporting other APAC jurisdictions is a strong plus. You have deep knowledge of Philippines labour laws, regulations, case trends, and practical market practices. You understand the legal nuances of hiring, employee lifecycle management, workforce transitions, and separations. You have strong drafting skills and are experienced in preparing and reviewing employment agreements, HR policies, separation documentation, and related employment artefacts. You possess excellent analytical, research, and problem‑solving abilities, with the ability to translate legal requirements into practical, business‑aligned guidance. You communicate legal concepts clearly and confidently, partnering effectively with HR, business teams, and leadership. You can work independently, manage multiple matters simultaneously, and operate with sound judgment in fast‑moving environments. You have strong attention to detail, reliability, and a commitment to accuracy and compliance. You are proactive, adaptable, and comfortable navigating evolving laws, regulations, and business needs. Have a sense of humour. #LI-SH1 The Payoneer Ways of Working Act as our customer’s partner on the inside Learning what they need and creating what will help them go further. Do it. Own it. Being fearlessly accountable in everything we do. Continuously improve Always striving for a higher standard than our last. Build each other up Helping each other grow, as professionals and people. If this sounds like a business, a community, and a mission you want to be part of, apply today. We are committed to providing a diverse and inclusive workplace. Payoneer is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment no matter your race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. If you require reasonable accommodation at any stage of the hiring process, please speak to the recruiter managing the role for any adjustments. Decisions about requests for reasonable accommodation are made on a case-by-case basis.