Senior Legal Counsel at KOSTAL Group

KOSTAL Group is a global, family-owned German company that develops market-leading solutions for the solar and automotive industries. The company was established in 1912 and employs about 20 000 people at 47 locations in 22 countries. In Hungary, KOSTAL is about to build its first business service centre to provide business support in IT, finance, procurement, master data, sales and HR fields. This will be a global centre with high value-added and complex processes which you can help to build. 

Position Overview:

We are seeking an experienced and highly skilled Senior Legal Counsel with a minimum of 10 years of experience in an international law firm or manufacturing company. The ideal candidate will possess a practical mindset and a can-do attitude, adept at navigating complex legal issues while providing strategic guidance and solutions. This role excludes tax, employment, labour law, and banking.

Key Responsibilities:

• Legal Advisory: Provide expert legal advice and support to various business units, ensuring compliance with local and international laws and regulations.
• Contract Management: Draft, review, and negotiate a wide range of commercial contracts, including supplier, customer, and partnership agreements, ensuring they align with KOSTAL Group's interests and mitigate potential risks.
• Regulatory Compliance: Monitor and ensure compliance with relevant industry regulations and standards, advising on potential legal implications and necessary actions.
• Risk Management: Identify and assess legal risks associated with business operations and propose effective strategies to mitigate these risks.
• Corporate Governance: Support corporate governance activities, including the management of company policies, procedures, and corporate documentation.
• Dispute Resolution: Manage and resolve complex legal disputes and litigation, working closely with external legal counsel as required.
• Mergers & Acquisitions: Provide legal support for mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures, and other strategic transactions, conducting due diligence and managing transactional documentation.
• Training & Development: Develop and deliver training programs to educate employees on legal and compliance matters relevant to their roles.
• Legal Research: Stay updated on legal trends and changes in legislation that may impact the business, providing proactive advice to senior management.
• Collaboration: Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including finance, controlling, operations, purchasing, R&D and sales, to provide holistic legal support aligned with business objectives.
• Instruct law firms and monitor their performance including legal spend management.

• Education: Juris Doctor (JD) or equivalent law degree, in particular German State Examinations.
• Experience: Minimum of 10 years of experience in an international law firm or in-house legal department within a manufacturing company.
• Specialization: Expertise in contract law, commercial law, corporate law, mergers & acquisitions, regulatory compliance, and dispute resolution.
• Skills:
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent negotiation and communication abilities.

Proven ability to manage multiple tasks and priorities in a fast-paced environment.

• High degree of professional ethics and integrity.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• Fluency in English AND German; additional language skills are a plus.

Personal Attributes:

• Practical Mindset: Ability to apply legal knowledge in a practical and business-oriented manner.
• Can-Do Attitude: Proactive, solution-oriented approach to legal challenges.
• Attention to Detail: Meticulous attention to detail in legal drafting and review processes.
• Leadership: Strong leadership and mentoring capabilities to guide junior legal staff.

Hands-on experience working on real-world sustainability projects.

Mentorship and guidance from experienced professionals in the field.

Opportunity to network with industry professionals and gain insights into career paths in sustainability.

Potential for future career opportunities within the organization.

Modern, newly renovated, sustainable office with parking space and bicycle storage area in the heart of Budapest

Supportive, diverse and highly skilled community

Ability to really make a difference and build new processes from scratch, you can participate in the formation and shape of the BSC processes

KOSTAL is a dynamically developing company (10-20% yearly growth in the automotive and solar industry), an independent, family-run business which provides much flexibility

You can enjoy our value-oriented work culture: we are down-to-earth, appreciative, inspiring and innovative.