International Corporate Counsel

Witan Search; Barcelona; Hybrid; EUR 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Witan Search is recruiting a mid-level international lawyer for a global manufacturer based in Spain. The role sits in the International Legal function, supporting commercial, corporate, compliance and employment matters across EMEA, LATAM and APAC.

You will draft, review and negotiate contracts, oversee corporate governance, advise on data privacy and anti-corruption, and coordinate with external counsel to close matters on time. Fluency in English and Spanish is required.

Qualifications

• Law degree from an accredited institution.
• 4 to 6 years of post-qualification experience in law firm and/or in-house.
• Proven experience in international commercial contracts and corporate matters.
• English to full working proficiency, written and spoken.
• Fluent Spanish, for a Spain-based team.
• Ownership and accountability: drives matters from inception to resolution.

Responsibilities

• Drafting, reviewing and negotiating a broad range of commercial contracts across jurisdictions.
• Advising on corporate governance and entity management for international subsidiaries.
• Supporting employment and labour law matters across the international footprint.
• Advising on data protection matters (GDPR and privacy regimes) and enforcing policies.
• Supporting anti-corruption, sanctions and trade compliance within a US-listed framework.
• Coordinating internal investigations and escalations with the Chief Legal and Compliance Officer.
• Managing the IP portfolio with external agents, including filings and renewals.
• Instructing and coordinating external counsel across jurisdictions to stay on budget and timelines.

Skills

International contracts

Corporate matters

English proficiency

Spanish proficiency

Ownership accountability

Attention to detail

Education

Law degree

Job description

Commercial Laundry Equipment | Global Manufacturing

Our client is a global manufacturer of commercial laundry equipment, supplying commercial, industrial and on-premise laundry operators across more than 100 countries. Listed in the United States and operating an international footprint that spans EMEA, LATAM and APAC, the business combines the scale and governance discipline of a public multinational with the pace and pragmatism of a manufacturing organisation that is close to its customers.

The International Legal function is a lean, well-run team supporting the group's operations outside the US. It handles a substantial and steady volume of matters across multiple jurisdictions, underpinned by established internal systems and processes. Reporting into the Deputy General Counsel – International, this newly scoped role is an opportunity for a mid-level lawyer to consolidate an in-house career on a genuinely global stage.

The Role

Acting as a trusted legal partner to the business across commercial, corporate, compliance and employment matters, in a fast-paced, high-volume international in-house environment. The role suits a lawyer who thrives on ownership, values follow-through, and enjoys operating with autonomy inside a structured, disciplined team.

This is a genuinely hands-on position, combining substantive legal advisory work with structured contract review, matter administration and follow-through documentation. Discipline, attention to detail and comfort with meaningful transactional volume matter as much as substantive legal knowledge – the ability to close matters properly and on time is what defines success here.

Key Responsibilities

Drafting, reviewing and negotiating a broad range of commercial contracts – distribution, service, NDAs, licensing and procurement – with business stakeholders across multiple jurisdictions.

Advising on corporate governance and entity management for international subsidiaries, including board resolutions, powers of attorney and corporate records.

Supporting employment and labour law matters across the international footprint, in coordination with HR and local counsel.

Advising on data protection matters (GDPR and other applicable privacy regimes) and supporting enforcement of the group’s data protection policies.

Supporting the anti-corruption, sanctions and trade compliance programme (FCPA, UK Bribery Act, EU/OFAC sanctions) within a US-listed public company framework.

Supporting internal investigations and compliance escalations, in coordination with the Chief Legal and Compliance Officer.

Managing the intellectual property portfolio in coordination with external agents, ensuring timely filings and renewals.

Instructing and coordinating external counsel across jurisdictions, keeping matters on track and within budget.

Identifying, assessing and mitigating legal risk proactively.

Must-Haves

Law degree from an accredited institution.

4 to 6 years of post-qualification experience gained in a law firm and/or in-house at a multinational corporation.

Proven experience in international commercial contracts and corporate matters.

English to full working proficiency, written and spoken – all internal work product, headquarters communication and cross-border matters are handled in English.

Fluent Spanish, for a Spain-based team.

Ownership and accountability: takes matters from inception to resolution, manages workload proactively and honours commitments.

Rigorous and detail-oriented, performing reliably under pressure with consistent execution and closure.

Autonomous yet collaborative, with a strong sense of when to elevate and a habit of arriving at alignment meetings with a clear assessment and a proposed path forward.

Nice-to-Haves

Exposure to compliance, data privacy or employment law.

Experience within a US-listed public company governance and compliance framework.

Prior work supporting EMEA, LATAM and APAC jurisdictions.

Experience managing an international IP portfolio through external agents.

• Additional European languages.

What’s in it for you?

• A genuinely international remit – EMEA, LATAM and APAC, from a Spain base, with the choice of Madrid or Barcelona.
• Direct reporting line to the Deputy General Counsel – International, with visibility to the Chief Legal and Compliance Officer.

The breadth of a lean in-house team: commercial, corporate, employment, data privacy, compliance and IP, rather than a single narrow specialism.

A platform to consolidate an in-house career within a US-listed multinational, supported by established systems and processes.

Real autonomy and ownership, within a structured and disciplined legal function.