Legal Counsel

ADP; Barcelona; Presencial; EUR 90.000 - 120.000; Jornada completa

Descripción de la vacante

A leading global payroll solutions provider is seeking a Legal Director to support business operations in Spain and Portugal. This role involves negotiating and drafting contracts, providing expert legal advice, and managing compliance initiatives. The ideal candidate holds a Juris Doctorate, has at least 7 years' experience as in-house counsel or at a law firm, and possesses strong communication and negotiation skills. This position offers significant opportunities for professional growth within the company.

Formación

• Minimum of 7 years’ experience in corporate law or in-house counsel with focus on contracts.
• Admitted to the Spanish Bar as a lawyer.
• Expertise in Spanish corporate law and GDPR compliance.

Responsabilidades

• Provide legal advice on ADP's operations in Spain and Portugal.
• Negotiate, draft, and finalize various agreements.
• Support the Sales team during contract negotiations.

Conocimientos

Strong teamwork and collaboration skills

Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English and Spanish

Strong negotiation skills

Analytical abilities

Educación

Juris Doctorate or equivalent law degree

Descripción del empleo

ADP is a leading global provider of payroll and human capital management solutions, delivering innovative technology-enabled services across multiple countries. Our International business offers scalable technology solutions specifically designed to meet the needs of multinational companies, helping clients simplify global payroll, enhance compliance, and generate valuable HR insights for better decision‑making.

We are seeking a skilled Legal Director to mainly support ADP’s business in Spain and Portugal. This person will be responsible for negotiating, drafting, and finalizing a broad range of contracts, including client, vendor, and business partner agreements. The successful candidate will provide expert legal advice on day‑to‑day matters impacting ADP’s operations in Spain and Portugal, ensuring all agreements align with ADP’s policies, business practices, and guardrails.

This position also involves coordinating corporate matters with external counsel and managing corporate secretarial responsibilities for Spain and Portugal. Additionally, the role will lead compliance initiatives related to product compliance and new legislation affecting ADP’s business in these countries.

The successful candidate will become an integral part of the Southern Europe and South Africa team, a dynamic and collaborative group operating across multiple jurisdictions to ensure legal consistency and strategic support throughout the region. This role requires close cooperation with team members, sharing many legal activities and initiatives on a regional level. This collaborative approach not only addresses the specific challenges of the Iberian market but also enables contribution to projects and developments impacting the entire Southern Europe + South Africa area.

Furthermore, the position offers significant opportunities for professional growth and career development, with the potential to take on responsibilities and roles beyond the Iberian Peninsula, thereby broadening experience and influence within the ADP group.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Provide timely legal advice and support on all matters affecting ADP’s operations in Spain and Portugal, working closely with operational teams.
• Draft, review, and negotiate a variety of agreements, including service and licensing contracts.
• Support the Sales team in contract negotiations and the development of legal guardrails.
• Provide advice to the operational teams (implementation and service departments) with any legal question or escalation.
• Identify and deliver legal training sessions to enhance the operational teams’ understanding of relevant legal issues.
• Collaborate with other European business units to ensure alignment and consistency.
• Lead the development and implementation of compliance policies in partnership with the Compliance Department. Assist in designing procedures to execute compliance projects in Spain and Portugal.

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE

• Juris Doctorate or equivalent law degree from an accredited European law school.
• Minimum of 7 years’ experience in a corporate law firm or as in‑house counsel within a publicly traded company, with a strong focus on contract negotiation, drafting, and interpretation.
• Admitted to the Spanish Bar as a lawyer is required.
• Proven expertise in Spanish corporate law.
• Experience with GDPR compliance is essential; familiarity with the EU AI Act and CSRD is a plus.
• Knowledge of software licensing and technology‑related contracts is a plus.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills in both English and Spanish. Portuguese and Italian are a plus.
• Strong negotiation skills combined with solid business acumen.
• Exceptional analytical abilities.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, with the ability to work autonomously and effectively engage with stakeholders at all levels, both internally and externally.

SKILLS

• Strong teamwork and collaboration skills: Ability to work effectively within a diverse, cross‑border team, fostering open communication and mutual support across Southern Europe + South Africa regions.
• Curiosity and continuous learning mindset: Proactive in seeking new knowledge, staying updated on legal and business trends, and applying innovative solutions to complex challenges.
• Flexibility and adaptability: Willingness to take on stretch assignments and responsibilities beyond the Iberian market, demonstrating agility in managing diverse legal matters across different countries.
• Business partnership orientation: Proven ability to act as a trusted legal advisor and partner to the business units, understanding their strategic goals and aligning legal advice to support business growth and compliance.
• Proactive problem‑solving: Anticipates potential legal and business issues, providing timely and practical solutions that enable smooth operations and decision‑making.