Employment Legal Counsel at Barclays, Pune (Permanent, AVP Grade)

Barclays is a British universal bank operating in 39 countries with around 100,000 employees worldwide. Its Legal function exists to protect Barclays, its employees and its brands while keeping the bank globally competitive and compliant with legal standards, covering risk mitigation, strategic transactions and oversight of business contracts.

The Pune campus, where this role sits, is Barclays' largest site outside its London global headquarters and is home to around 9,000 colleagues across Operations, Technology and Functions.

Barclays is hiring an Employment Legal Counsel to support and safeguard the bank's employment law and employee relations agenda across jurisdictions. The role involves providing strategic legal advice, managing employment-related disputes and litigation, and partnering with HR, Rewards, Employee Relations and business stakeholders to mitigate legal and reputational risk.

The requisition sits within the bank's Employment, Incentives and Pensions (EIP) legal practice, whose purpose is to ensure the bank's EIP activities comply with applicable laws and regulations and to help the bank manage the legal risks attached to them.

Barclays states that candidates may be assessed on the key critical skills relevant to success in the role, including employment and labour laws, employee relations, litigation management, workplace investigations, regulatory compliance, stakeholder engagement and complex problem-solving, alongside job-specific skillsets.

• Develop and implement best-practice legal strategies for risk management and compliance.
• Advise Human Resources and the businesses across the full range of EIP issues, including recruitment, policy questions, diversity matters, change programmes, investigations and disputes, compensation and benefits, and pension matters.
• Represent the bank in legal proceedings connected with EIP matters, including litigation, arbitration and regulatory investigations.
• Draft and review employee contracts and policies, severance agreements, incentive plans and pension documentation.
• Carry out legal research and analysis to stay current on changes in laws and regulations affecting the bank's EIP activities.
• Design and deliver training programmes on the legal and regulatory requirements relating to employment, incentives and pensions.
• Proactively identify and advise on applicable laws, rules and regulations, and ensure they are allocated to and reflected within the relevant policies, standards and controls.

• Bachelor's Degree in Law (LL.B. or equivalent) from a recognised university in India, and qualification to practise law in India.
• Solid experience advising on employment and labour law matters, including disciplinary actions, grievances, workplace investigations, employee relations issues and employment lifecycle matters.
• Experience managing employment litigation and disputes before courts, tribunals, labour authorities and regulatory bodies, including engaging and overseeing external counsel.

• Qualification as a Company Secretary (CS) or other additional legal or professional qualifications.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with a pragmatic, solution-oriented approach to legal and business risk.
• Excellent written and verbal communication, stakeholder management, and the ability to influence and collaborate across business teams.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment with sound judgment and attention to detail.
• Experience in a multinational or matrixed organisation, supporting cross-border employment law matters.

The requisition is posted at Assistant Vice President level. Barclays expects the holder to advise and influence decision-making, contribute to policy development and take responsibility for operational effectiveness, working closely with other functions and business divisions.

Where the position carries leadership responsibility, the bank expects its four LEAD behaviours: Listen and be authentic, Energise and inspire, Align across the enterprise, and Develop others. An individual contributor in the role is expected to lead collaborative assignments, guide team members through structured work, and bring in other areas of specialisation where needed.

Location: Pune, India. The posting states that the role will be based out of Pune, at the bank's Gera Commerzone SEZ site on Eon IT Park Road (411014).

Contract: Permanent. The requisition went live on 29 July 2026 under reference code JR-0000119260 and Barclays does not publish a closing date for it.

Work mode: Barclays states that it runs a structured approach to hybrid working, under which colleagues work at an onsite location on fixed 'anchor' days set by the business area, and asks applicants to discuss the working pattern requirements for the role with the hiring manager. Flexible working arrangements can also be raised with the hiring manager and are reviewed in line with the requirements of the role and the needs of the team.

Compensation: Barclays does not disclose salary or CTC on this posting, so pay is not specified. There is no application fee.

How to apply: Apply through the 'Apply for job' button on the Barclays careers portal, which opens the bank's own Workday application site for requisition JR-0000119260. Barclays' stated process is: submit your application with CV and cover letter, complete an assessment covering behaviours and ability at work, attend an interview exploring past experience and skills, and then provide additional information for the screening process.

Barclays is required by law to confirm your legal right to work in any role you apply for, and asks candidates to declare any visa sponsorship position as part of the application. The role may also be subject to enhanced governance arrangements, which can require disclosure of personal trading activity and external interests or affiliations. Barclays also carries a standing notice on its careers site asking candidates to protect themselves from recruitment scams.