Europe Legal & IT, Data Protection Counsel
Forvia · Nanterre
Your mission, roles and responsibilities
Interiors Business Group is looking for its Europe Legal Councel to be based in Nanterre Headquarters.
The Senior Legal Counsel is the senior legal and compliance partner for Europe, providing strategic legal and compliance leadership across all European business operations. As a trusted business partner, the role delivers pragmatic legal advice across a broad range of commercial, operational and compliance matters, helping to manage legal risk while supporting business objectives, innovation and sustainable growth.
As the company transitions to an independent automotive interiors supplier, the role will play a key part in supporting the day-to-day legal needs of the business across Europe. In addition to its broad legal support responsibilities, the position will serve as the legal focal point for Information Technology, Digital Transformation, Data Protection and Digital Compliance matters, fostering a culture of integrity and ensuring compliance with applicable laws, regulations and internal policies.
KEY MISSIONS — COMMERCIAL LEGAL & BUSINESS PARTNERING
- Develop strong knowledge of the automotive industry and of the company’s people, activities, products, and key risks, to become an effective partner to the business areas served.
- Manage the legal affairs of the business, advising clients on day-to-day issues across a wide variety of areas.
- Draft and review a wide range of commercial contracts (with customers, suppliers, and service providers) and legal documents, with a special focus on preventing legal risk and litigation.
- Advise business teams on proposed business strategies, identifying risks and how to mitigate them.
- Partner closely with business, purchasing, engineering, IT, HR, to manage legal risk while enabling innovation and growth.
- Provide legal support to the carve-out and the transition to a standalone company.
- Select, instruct, control, and monitor external counsel where needed, managing quality and cost.
- Act as a full member of the global legal team, maintaining close interaction with specialist lawyers and colleagues across business areas, and promote a culture of integrity, ethics, and compliance.
KEY MISSIONS — IT, DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION & DATA PROTECTION (WORLDWIDE)
- Serve as the legal reference, worldwide, for Information Technology, Digital Transformation, and Data Protection matters.
- Draft and negotiate IT and technology contracts — software licensing, SaaS and cloud services, hosting, integration, and managed services.
- Advise on data protection and privacy compliance (GDPR and applicable local laws), including data-processing agreements, international transfers, and records of processing.
- Support cybersecurity, incident-response, and data-breach matters from a legal standpoint.
- Advise on the legal aspects of digital transformation, data, and AI initiatives, including governance and responsible use.
- Protect the company’s intellectual property and confidential information in digital and technology contexts.
- Partner with IT, the Data Protection function (DPO), and Security on policies, standards, and risk mitigation.
Your profile and competencies to succeed
EXPERIENCE
Minimum of 8 years of relevant experience, with a strong focus on contractual and transactional matters, ideally in the manufacturing industry and / or in an international law firm, where a strong capability as a generalist lawyer has been developed. Experience with IT, technology, and data-protection matters is a strong advantage.
EDUCATION
Master’s degree in Law. A bar admission is a plus, and knowledge of common law is appreciated.
KEY COMPETENCIES
- Strong contractual and transactional legal expertise, with a generalist, business-oriented approach.
- Solid knowledge of IT, technology, and data-protection law (including GDPR).
- Strong oral and written communication skills in English.
- Good editorial skills, synthesis, and rigor.
- Flexible and creative approach to solving legal problems, with strong risk-management and negotiation skills.
- Business orientation, dynamism, and responsiveness.
- Curiosity combined with a solution orientation and pragmatism.