Employment Counsel, Whatnot
€173-251k
+ Equity
Live stream platform & marketplace
Posted today
Live stream platform & marketplace
1001+ employees
Posted today
€173-251k
+ Equity
1001+ employees
Company mission
To enable anyone to turn their passion into a business and bring people together through commerce.
Role
Who you are
- The ideal candidate has deep expertise in Irish and UK employment law, meaningful experience across international jurisdictions, and good judgment. You're comfortable operating in ambiguity, decisive under pressure, and know how to make complex legal issues understandable and actionable
- People who do well at Whatnot tend to be comfortable figuring things out as they go, biased toward action, and genuinely curious about what they're building. They care more about outcomes than credit and stay close to the product and the people using it
- Qualified to practice law in Ireland and/or the UK, with 8+ years of experience directly advising on employment-related issues (in-house experience preferred)
- Deep expertise in Irish and UK employment law, with experience advising on employment matters across additional jurisdictions; experience supporting Germany, Japan, or Australia is a strong plus
- Experience advising on cross-border employment matters, including works councils, collective consultation obligations, investigations, global mobility, restructurings, and international HR compliance
- Experience with GDPR compliance and advising on global candidate and employee privacy matters
- Comfortable operating as the primary international employment lawyer, exercising sound judgment with limited supervision while partnering effectively with stakeholders across multiple time zones
- Experience building or scaling employment legal processes in a high-growth or multinational company is a plus
- Excellent interpersonal skills, strong judgment, strong written and oral communication, and ability to give practical, commercial advice under time pressure
- The ability to work independently in a fast-paced environment, making sound decisions and delivering practical advice in ambiguous situations
What the job involves
- We are looking for an exceptional Employment Counsel to join Whatnot's Legal team and lead employment legal support across Ireland, the UK, Germany, Japan, Australia, and future international markets
- You'll partner closely with our People team and business leaders, advising on the full range of employment matters that come with a fast-moving global business, including hiring, performance management, workplace investigations, restructurings, works council obligations, cross-border compliance, and expansion into new markets
- This role is a great fit for someone who has advised across multiple international jurisdictions and knows how to prioritize risk, navigate ambiguity, and deliver practical, business-focused legal advice
- Beyond the day-to-day, you'll help build the employment programs, policies, and compliance frameworks that enable Whatnot to grow and scale internationally
- Act as a trusted advisor to the People team and managers on a wide range of international employment legal matters, including recruiting, compensation, performance management, restructurings, separations, internal investigations and disciplinary processes, leaves of absence, discrimination, harassment, diversity and inclusion, working time and pay compliance, restrictive covenants, reasonable accommodations, employee benefits, and works council, trade union, and collective employment obligations
- Develop, implement, and scale compliant employment programs, policies, and practices; help shape our employment legal strategy to create a culture of high performance and alignment to Whatnot’s values and People philosophy
- Draft and review employment-related documents, including employment agreements, equity and compensation documentation, settlement agreements, restrictive covenant agreements, and separation documentation
- Advise on GDPR and employment-related privacy matters, including candidate and employee data processing
- Proactively identify employment-related legal risks and develop practical, scalable solutions that enable the business to move quickly while remaining compliant
- Work with the People team on the development, implementation, and interpretation of employment policies, employee handbooks, and training programs
- Stay current on relevant labor and employment law updates, including case law and legislation, and translate legal developments into practical guidance for the People team, managers, and other stakeholders
- Supervise outside counsel on employment, immigration, and litigation matters across multiple jurisdictions
- Manage employment disputes and pre-litigation matters, including lawyer’s letters, administrative complaints, and litigation strategy in partnership with outside counsel
- Support Whatnot’s international expansion by advising on new-country hiring, entity launches, and the development of compliant employment frameworks across jurisdictions
Our take
Live shopping is changing the way people engage with eCommerce and Whatnot is one of the key platforms driving this shift. The company operates across the US, UK, and Europe, where millions of people connect each day to buy, sell, and build communities around shared interests.
Founded in 2019, Whatnot allows real-time auctions where buyers can watch sellers showcase products and share their expertise, creating a more interactive and personal shopper experience. Sellers include individual creators and small businesses who use live shows to reach audiences and grow their online presence.
As of 2025, the company reports over $6B in sales, with sellers earning significantly more on average than other major marketplaces. And with a range of investor support, Whatnot is committed to developing new ways to make online shopping more social and community-driven.
Steph
Company Specialist at Welcome to the Jungle
Meet the team
Jon Malkemus, VP Product Design
Insights
54% employee growth in 12 months
Company
Funding (last 2 of 8 rounds)
Oct 2025
$225m
SERIES F
Jan 2025
$265m
SERIES E
Total funding: $974.2m
Company benefits
- Wellness: Health, dental, vision, and life insurance plans. We also cover some of the cost for your dependents as well.
- Compensation: Generous compensation, including a competitive base salary and equity. Whatnot offers monthly reimbursement for internet and phone costs, along with a one-time home office set-up allowance. Whatnot offers a pension plan and matches employee contributions of up to 4% of the employee’s base salary.
- Recharge: Whatnot gives you the freedom to take time off as you see fit. And, we take company-wide Winter and Summer breaks so we can recharge. Whatnot provides a monthly allowance for wellness expenses. We know that to take care of our customers, we have to take care of ourselves. Supplemental health and life insurance coverage comes standard at Whatnot. 16 weeks of paid parental leave, and an additional one-month gradual return-to-work period.* Plus an additional childcare allowance, and a lifetime allowance for family planning, including adoption and fertility expenses. *The leave allowances provided by Whatnot may be dictated / informed by your country’s legal requirements,
- Flexibility: As a remote co-located team, we’re inspired by innovation and anchored in our values. With hubs in the US, UK, Germany, Ireland, and Poland, we’re building the future of online marketplaces –together.
Company values
- Always listen to customers
- Move uncomfortably fast
- Prioritize impact ruthlessly
- Own everything and nothing
- Set crazy goals
- Provide extreme transparency
- Optimize for the upside
- Team over ego
- Figure it out
- Deeply understand why
- Have fun & be kind
Company HQ
Venice, Los Angeles, CA
Articles
Leadership
Grant LaFontaine
(Co-Founder & CEO)Former Product Marketing Manager at Google, Project Manager at Facebook. Also co-founded Kit.
Logan Head
(Co-Founder & CTO)Experience in Engineering, including at Maker's Row, Factr, and Flight Club. Former Senior Product Manager at GOAT.
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