For our customer, a multinational industry group active in the fields of high-tech/IT and headquartered in the Lucerne area, we are seeking immediately or by arrangement the General Counsel. The draft job description reads as follows:

Responsibilities:

• Further build up, and manage, the group’s Legal & Compliance function, and provide professional, pro-active advice and support to the Board of Directors, senior management and staff at the group’s headoffice and all its affiliates on a wide range of commercial and strategic legal issues
• Support the business strategy and operations, while acting as trusted professional and value adding business partner
• Reporting to the CEO and managing a small team of legal counsels
• Ensure that the group’s financing and operations comply at all times with applicable laws and regulations, incl. data protection & privacy law, competition law and financial compliance
• Provide cross-functional Legal & Compliance support, all in compliance with statutory laws and regulations, company policies and industry standards
• Counsel the group’s affiliates especially when dealing with customers, suppliers, financial institutions and consultants, and the legal aspects of the group’s products and business matters and strategies
• Advise on capital market and M&A transactions, joint-ventures and other major contracts and projects
• Prepare, review and negotiate all types of contracts and other legally relevant documents, incl. relevant standards, templates and policies
• Support the Board and senior management regarding risk topics; risk assessment of contracts and projects
• Responsible for, and provide end-to-end advice on, corporate governance, corporate housekeeping and contract management, incl. corporate secretary with respect to assigned legal entities
• Coordination and in charge of Legal & Compliance matters of departments such as, e.g., Finance, Tax, and Intellectual Property
• Represent the group towards external authorities, industry associations and other organizations
• Manage external claims, litigations and arbitrations, with a strategic approach to the underlying dispute
• Select, instruct and monitor external lawyers and other consultants
• Manage and support Legal & Compliance audits
• Provide ad hoc legal advice to the Board and senior management at the headoffice and local affiliates
• Monitor legislation and jurisdiction that could affect the group’s operations, and propose and implement relevant action and policies to ensure compliance therewith
• Respect and uphold the group’s values and commitment

Requirements:

• Law degree (Master) from a continental European university; bar exam, LL.M., MBA and/or a similar degree would be a plus
• Fluency in English; any additional European language(s) would be a plus
• At least 10 years’ experience in Legal & Compliance roles, gained in-house (ideally at a multinational high-tech/IT group), or at a renowned, international law firm, other consulting firm or investment bank advising multinational high-tech/IT clients; at least 5 years of this experience must have been gained in Switzerland
• Experience in the field of establishing, financing and operating start-up companies, e.g. in the context of a private equity firm or family office, would be a strong asset
• Leadership experience would be a plus
• Strong interpersonal skills
• Excellent communication, presentation and negotiation skills
• Ability to analyse business requirements from a Legal & Compliance perspective and transform into actions and guidelines
• Experience in managing a hard workload with conflicting priorities
• Efficient and pragmatic working style, proactive, goal-oriented and solution-driven (can do attitude), entrepreneurial approach
• Ability to work in an international setting; strong awareness of cultural differences
• Down-to-earth character, self-driven, self-motivated, persistent and pragmatic; assertive with a diplomatic flair
• Ethical foundation; ability to apply high ethical standards and protect the higher interests of the organization
• Ability to travel (up to 20%)
• Ambitious for success

Place of work: Lucerne area