Job Description
UK Legal Counsel & Northern Europe Compliance
Location: Hybrid - Stokenchurch, Buckinghamshire (2 days per week in office) UK & North / Central Europe RemitSalary: £85,000 per annum + Car Allowance + Excellent Benefits!Contract: Full-Time, PermanentBenefits: 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays, Holiday buy and sell scheme, Private health insurance, Pension contribution, Employee referral scheme, Electric vehicle salary sacrifice scheme, Eye test vouchers and Employee Assistance Programme (EAP).
Lead Legal Excellence Across the UK & Northern Europe
We are seeking an experienced UK-qualified Solicitor to join DEKRA UK as Legal Counsel, taking ownership of UK legal matters while overseeing compliance and data protection topics across our North & Central Europe (NCE) region.
This is a highly visible, commercially focused role with both UK operational responsibility and regional compliance oversight. You will act as a trusted adviser to senior stakeholders, balancing business growth with robust legal and ethical standards.
The role reports solid-line to the Lead Counsel, North & Central Europe (also UK Main Board Director of Compliance), with a dotted line into Global Compliance and Privacy leadership.
The Opportunity
You will provide pragmatic, business-aligned legal advice across multiple jurisdictions, ensuring legal risk is effectively managed and regulatory obligations are consistently met.
This is an ideal opportunity for a commercially minded lawyer seeking broader regional exposure within an international organisation.
Key Responsibilities
UK Legal Leadership
* Provide comprehensive legal support across all UK entities, including:
* Drafting, reviewing and negotiating commercial agreements (customer, supplier, partnership and service contracts)
* Corporate and company secretarial matters
* Risk management and dispute resolution suppor
* Coordinating and managing external legal advisers (cost and quality control)
* Monitoring legislative developments and assessing business impact
Compliance & Data Protection - North & Central Europe
* Lead and coordinate regional compliance topics across NCE
* Support implementation of corporate compliance programmes and policies
* Advise on UK GDPR and EU GDPR matters
* Support regulatory compliance initiatives, audits and risk assessments
* Act as escalation point for compliance investigations
* Guide regional training needs on compliance and legal best practice
Stakeholder & Business Partnership
* Act as trusted adviser to senior leadership and commercial teams
* Translate legal risk into clear, commercially practical advice
* Support cross-functional and international projects
* Build strong working relationships across jurisdictions
About You
You will be:
* A UK-qualified Solicitor (5+ years PQE preferred)
* Experienced in commercial law, compliance and data protection
* Confident advising on UK GDPR and EU GDPR frameworks
* Experienced managing multi-jurisdictional or cross-border matters
* Commercially pragmatic with strong business acumen
* Comfortable operating autonomously in a fast-paced environment
* In-house experience within a regulated or international environment would be advantageous.
What Makes This Role Distinctive
* Regional oversight beyond a traditional UK Legal Counsel role
* Exposure to Board-level stakeholders
* Strong integration with global compliance leadership
* Opportunity to shape compliance culture across multiple jurisdictions
* Hybrid working model (2 days per week in Stokenchurch office)
* Occasional travel across North & Central Europe may be required.
Our Values
At DEKRA, we operate through clear principles:
* Responsibility for Safety
* Entrepreneurship
* Customer Orientation
* Integrity
* Team Spirit
We expect our Legal Counsel to embody these values while delivering independent, ethical and commercially sound advice.
If you are looking for a role that combines UK legal leadership with regional compliance influence while operating within a global, values-driven organisation we would welcome your application!
Click on APPLY today!
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