Global School Legal Counsel & Governance Lead

Vienna International School; Wien; On-site; EUR 52,000 - 77,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

30 days annual leave

4 school holidays (all-staff)

5% company pension contribution

Professional development opportunities

Modern campus facilities

Job summary

Vienna International School is seeking an experienced In-House Legal Counsel & Governance Officer. This senior full-time role reports directly to the Board of Governors, Director, and Business Manager.

Shape the legal and governance landscape of a leading international school by providing strategic advisory, contract management, data protection oversight, and Austrian association law guidance. You will safeguard institutional integrity, manage complex HR, works council issues, and draft

Qualifications

• Completed Austrian law degree (Mag. iur., LL.B., LL.M. or equivalent) with strong practical command of Austrian civil, contract, administrative, and association law.
• Minimum of 4 years of relevant professional legal experience (law firm, in-house function, public authority, or NGO/non-profit).
• Full professional proficiency in German and English; ability to draft legal documents in both languages.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic legal advisory to Senior Leadership Team and Board on institutional decisions and compliance.
• Autonomously draft, review, and negotiate material contracts, vendor agreements, and procurement frameworks.
• Oversee GDPR and data protection frameworks, consent management, and governance for AI-enabled technologies.
• Manage the Board Policy Manual, advise on Austrian association law (Vereinsrecht), and draft statutory amendments for the Board.
• Provide senior internal legal reviews on employment law and HR matters in collaboration with HR.

Skills

Legal advisory

Contract management

Governance

German-English

Education

Austrian law degree

Job description

Vienna International School is seeking an experienced In-House Legal Counsel & Governance Officer. This senior full-time role reports directly to the Board of Governors, Director, and Business Manager.

Shape the legal and governance landscape of a leading international school by providing strategic advisory, contract management, data protection oversight, and Austrian association law guidance. You will safeguard institutional integrity, manage complex HR, works council issues, and draft