Senior Legal Counsel - Benelux, Nordics and Baltics

Key ResponsibilitiesWhat you do

This is an important role within the Netherlands Business Unit and will include the wider management of the Benelux legal management and external lawyers operating in other countries within the European region, all while delivering legal services that support the corporate strategy and sustainable business growth.

Key Responsibilities

• Operational Leadership: Lead the local legal function, managing the legal team (1p) and external providers;
• Legal Advisory: Offer legal advice across the insurance and service value chain, supporting key internal stakeholders and negotiations with partners;
• Strategic Governance: Provide strategic legal and governance guidance to Allianz Partners regional and local Executives, ensuring accurate public documentation in trade registers;
• Team Development: Mentor and empower your legal team, fostering a collaborative, environment;
• Cost Management: Steer external law firms to control legal expenses;
• Contract management, drafting and negotiations in close cooperation with the business;
• Legal watch: remain up to date regarding the latest changes in regulations and legislations
• Global Legal Leadership: Contribute to global legal leadership initiatives alongside the Regional Head of EU Markets;
• Support Initiatives: Collaborate on Global Allianz Partners and Allianz SE initiatives;
• Relationship Building: Forge relationships with peers across the Allianz Group;
• Project Participation: Engage in local and regional Allianz Partners projects;
• Clear Legal Advice: Deliver professional written and oral legal counsel supporting strategic objectives;
• Efficiency Initiatives: Develop standard legal documentation and enhance efficiency within the legal function;
• Budget Management: Manage the Benelux legal team budget.

Key Requirements/What you bring.

• You have a Dutch Masters’ degree in law and 5-7 years PQE;
• In-house corporate experience in commercial business contracting (terms and conditions, sales agreements, power of attorney, distribution agreements) is a must;          
• Experience with insurance companies is a pre;
• Knowledge of the Financial Supervision Act (Wet op het financieel toezicht, Wft) and related legislation (e.g. BGfo (Decree on Conduct of Business financial organizations), Vrijstellingsregeling Wft (Exemption Regulations pursuant to the Financial Supervision Act)) are a strong pre;
• Experience in litigation (Courts/Ombudsman), data processing law, corporate governance/housekeeping, company law/M&A would be also a pre;
• Senior working level experience, preferably experience as sole legal counsel, which enables you to work autonomously;
• A great sense of responsibility, and you take ownership of your work;
• Comfortable with working in a matrix set-up and complex cross-border environment in which you are able to influence with authority;
• Fluent in Dutch and in English;
• A great communicator who is able to confidently provide advice to the business;
• Entrepreneurial, self-starter and able to find out how things are done on your own;
• Understanding of business being regulated by supervisory authorities;
• Willing to learn and play a proactive, guiding roll with a hands-on approach and team spirit.

Key benefits/What we offer

Our employees play an integral part in our success as a business. We appreciate that each of our employees are unique and have unique needs, ambitions and we enjoy being a part of their journey. We are there to empower and encourage you with your personal and professional development ensuring that you take control by offering a large variety of courses and targeted development programs. All that in a global environment where international mobility and career progression are encouraged. Caring for your health and wellbeing is key priority for us. This is why we build Work Well programs to providing you with peace of mind and give the flexibility in planning and arranging for a better work-life balance.