Senior Counsel, Data Privacy & AI

This position is listed on behalf of a partner company, who manages all applications and next steps. Our partner is looking for a Senior Counsel, Data Privacy & AI based in Germany. This is an opportunity to shape how data privacy, governance, and responsible artificial intelligence are embedded into a global employment technology platform. As Senior Counsel, you will provide strategic legal guidance across privacy, data protection, and AI governance, helping teams innovate while maintaining customer trust and regulatory compliance. You will work closely with Product, Engineering, Security, IT, and business stakeholders to integrate privacy-by-design principles and responsible AI practices throughout the product lifecycle. The role combines sophisticated legal analysis, commercial negotiations, and practical risk management in a fast-growing, internationally distributed business. You will translate evolving global regulations into clear policies, scalable frameworks, and actionable guidance that enables teams to make confident decisions. Your expertise will support products and services spanning global employment, payroll, contractor management, and workforce mobility, where sensitive personal data requires careful handling. This is an ideal opportunity for a commercially minded legal professional who thrives at the intersection of technology, emerging AI regulation, and international data protection.

Global privacy and AI legal leadership: Serve as the primary legal advisor on data privacy, data protection, and AI matters affecting the platform, internal operations, product development, and commercial initiatives across multiple jurisdictions. Privacy-by-design and product counseling: Partner with Product and Engineering teams from initial ideation through launch to embed privacy-by-design principles, responsible AI practices, and proportionate risk controls into product features and operational workflows. Regulatory interpretation and practical guidance: Translate complex legal and regulatory requirements into clear product guidance, internal policies, review frameworks, checklists, and decision-making standards that enable teams to operate confidently and consistently. AI governance and responsible innovation: Support enterprise-wide AI governance, including use-case assessments, risk classification, documentation, transparency, human oversight, model and data governance, incident response, and the development of appropriate policies and controls. Privacy assessments and operational compliance: Lead or support Data Protection Impact Assessments (DPIAs), Privacy Impact Assessments (PIAs), Transfer Impact Assessments (TIAs), data mapping, retention reviews, vendor assessments, international transfer evaluations, and other core privacy operations. Commercial contracting and negotiations: Draft, review, and negotiate privacy- and AI-related contractual provisions, including Data Processing Agreements (DPAs), Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs), data-use terms, product agreements, vendor provisions, and customer commitments. Workforce data protection: Advise on privacy and data protection issues across global employment, employer-of-record (EOR), payroll, contractor, professional employer organization (PEO), and workforce mobility services, considering the complexities of cross-border employee and contractor data processing. Security incidents and breach response: Collaborate with Security, IT, and relevant business teams to assess privacy incidents, determine notification obligations, support regulatory reporting, coordinate remediation, and incorporate lessons learned into future controls. Customer and audit support: Prepare and review customer-facing and auditor-facing materials, including privacy questionnaires, AI governance statements, compliance documentation, trust materials, and internal operational playbooks. Regulatory monitoring and strategic advice: Track developments in global privacy legislation and emerging AI regulation, translating new requirements into actionable business positions, risk assessments, and implementation priorities. Scalable compliance processes: Develop reusable templates, training materials, legal operations workflows, and governance processes that strengthen organizational privacy and AI maturity as the business expands. Cross-functional partnership: Build trusted relationships across legal, technical, commercial, and operational teams, balancing regulatory obligations with customer expectations, business priorities, and the pace of product innovation. Requirements Strong privacy law expertise: Extensive knowledge of core data protection frameworks, particularly the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), international data transfers, controller and processor assessments, vendor governance, data subject rights, retention requirements, and incident response. AI legal and governance experience: Meaningful experience advising on AI-powered products, AI governance frameworks, or emerging AI regulations, with the ability to navigate legal uncertainty and develop practical, risk-based operating guidance. Legal qualifications and experience: A recognized legal qualification and substantial experience in privacy, data protection, technology law, or a closely related field, with the ability to advise independently on complex legal and commercial matters. Commercial and product-oriented judgment: A commercially pragmatic approach to legal counseling, with the ability to balance regulatory risk, customer trust, operational realities, and business growth without unnecessarily slowing innovation. Technology and regulated-industry experience: Experience in HR technology, payroll, EOR, PEO, workforce management, fintech, or another highly regulated B2B SaaS environment is strongly valued. Workforce data expertise: Familiarity with employee and contractor data protection across onboarding, payroll, benefits administration, international mobility, offboarding, and cross-border employment operations. Contract drafting and negotiation: Strong drafting and negotiation skills across data protection agreements, technology contracts, privacy provisions, AI-related terms, and international data transfer arrangements. AI risk assessment and governance: Ability to evaluate AI use cases, assess risks, establish appropriate oversight mechanisms, and advise on transparency, documentation, data governance, and accountability. Privacy operations and legal technology: Experience with privacy management tools, data discovery solutions, contract lifecycle management platforms, or structured legal operations and compliance workflows. Communication and stakeholder management: Excellent written and verbal communication skills, particularly the ability to explain complex legal concepts clearly to non-lawyers and influence decisions across multidisciplinary teams. Autonomy and prioritization: Demonstrated ability to work independently, manage competing priorities, exercise sound judgment, and deliver practical recommendations in a fast-paced international organization. Professional certifications: Privacy or AI credentials such as CIPP/E, CIPM, CIPT, or AIGP are advantageous. Adaptability and continuous learning: A proactive approach to monitoring regulatory developments, improving compliance processes, and helping teams adapt to evolving technology and legal requirements. Inclusive collaboration: The ability to work effectively with colleagues from diverse professional, cultural, and geographic backgrounds while fostering an open, collaborative environment. Benefits Remote working flexibility: Work remotely from Europe within an internationally distributed organization. Strategic legal ownership: Take a leading role in shaping privacy, data governance, and responsible AI practices across a global technology platform. Cross-functional collaboration: Partner with Product, Engineering, Security, IT, and commercial teams to influence decisions throughout the product lifecycle. Emerging technology exposure: Work at the intersection of data protection, AI governance, global employment technology, and evolving regulatory frameworks. Meaningful business impact: Help build trustworthy products and services that support international employment, payroll, and workforce management. Professional development: Expand your expertise in global privacy regulation, emerging AI requirements, technology contracting, and scalable compliance operations. Process-building opportunities: Establish frameworks, tools, and policies that strengthen legal and compliance capabilities as the business grows. International working environment: Collaborate with diverse teams and stakeholders across multiple jurisdictions and business functions. Inclusive workplace culture: Join an organization committed to equal opportunity, diversity, and creating an environment where different perspectives are valued.