Senior Legal Counsel

Valcon; Utrecht; Hybrid; EUR 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bonuses & expense allowance

Sabbatical / more holidays

Sports membership

Remote work abroad 10 days

Professional & social events

Job summary

Valcon is a fast-growing consulting and technology company delivering sustainable change through strategy, technology and data. We seek a commercially minded Senior Legal Counsel who will partner with the business across the commercial lifecycle, with a strong focus on contracting, AI and GDPR, and practical compliance.

You will support bids, negotiations, contract execution and ongoing compliance, collaborating with Business, Finance, HR and IT & Security.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in law (preferably Dutch).
• 4–5 years of relevant experience in an in-house legal team, a law firm or both.
• Strong experience drafting, reviewing and negotiating commercial agreements, preferably in consulting, technology, IT or professional services.
• Knowledge of data protection and technology-related regulation is particularly relevant.
• Excellent communication and negotiation skills, with fluency in English and Dutch.

Responsibilities

• Draft, review and negotiate a broad range of commercial agreements, including client agreements, statements of work, framework agreements, NDAs, supplier contracts, partnership agreements and subcontracting arrangements.
• Advise business stakeholders on contractual risks, liability, intellectual-property rights, confidentiality, data protection, termination rights and other key commercial issues.
• Support tenders, RFPs and complex client negotiations, balancing commercial opportunities with appropriate legal protection.
• Act as a practical sparring partner for colleagues, explaining legal issues clearly and proposing workable alternatives.
• Monitor relevant legal and regulatory developments and translate into actionable guidance for the organisation.
• Support compliance with applicable legislation and internal policies, especially data protection, AI, competition law, anti-bribery and other business conduct requirements.
• Help develop, maintain and improve legal templates, playbooks, guidance materials and contracting processes.
• Identify recurring legal and compliance risks and contribute to scalable solutions, training and awareness initiatives.
• Manage external counsel where specialist advice is needed, while retaining ownership of internal advice and outcomes.
• Depending on seniority, take the lead on complex or cross-border matters and develop junior colleagues.

Skills

Contract drafting

Contract negotiation

Regulatory compliance

Data protection (GDPR)

English & Dutch proficiency

Commercial mindset

Stakeholder communication

Education

Master’s degree in law

Job description

Help us enable growth while keeping legal, commercial and compliance risks under control. As our (Senior) Legal Counsel, you will be a trusted business partner to colleagues across Valcon, with a primary focus on commercial contracting, AI and GDPR, and practical compliance with applicable legislation.

Valcon is a fast-growing consulting and technology company that helps organisations realise sustainable change through the combination of strategy, technology and data. Our work is varied, international (NL, UK, Denmark, Sweden, Croatia, Serbia), commercially driven, and hands-on, and so is the legal support behind it.

We are looking for a commercially minded and pragmatic legal professional who enjoys working close to the business and has a genuine interest in technology and AI. You will take ownership of a broad range of commercial legal matters, translate legal requirements into workable solutions, and help strengthen our contracting and compliance framework as the organisation continues to grow.

What will you do?

In this role, you will support the business throughout the commercial lifecycle: from bids and negotiations to contract execution, delivery and ongoing compliance. You will work closely with the Business, Finance, HR, and IT & Security.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Drafting, reviewing and negotiating a broad range of commercial agreements, including client agreements, statements of work, framework agreements, NDAs, supplier contracts, partnership agreements and subcontracting arrangements.
• Advising business stakeholders on contractual risks, liability, intellectual-property rights, confidentiality, data protection, termination rights and other key commercial issues.
• Supporting tenders, RFPs and complex client negotiations, helping the business balance commercial opportunities with appropriate legal protection.
• Acting as a practical sparring partner for colleagues: explaining legal issues clearly, proposing alternatives and helping stakeholders reach workable outcomes.
• Monitoring relevant legal and regulatory developments and translating these into clear, proportionate and actionable guidance for the organisation.
• Supporting compliance with applicable legislation and internal policies, with particular relevance to areas such as data protection, AI, competition law, anti-bribery and other business conduct requirements.
• Helping to develop, maintain and improve legal templates, playbooks, guidance materials and contracting processes.
• Identifying recurring legal and compliance risks and contributing to scalable solutions, training and awareness initiatives.
• Managing external counsel where specialist advice is needed, while retaining ownership of the internal business advice and outcome.
• Depending on your seniority and experience, taking the lead on more complex, strategic or cross-border matters and helping develop junior colleagues or legal ways of working.

The role offers genuine scope to make an impact: not only by advising on individual matters, but also by improving how we manage contracts, legal risk and compliance across the business.

What do we offer you?

Personal development: a tailor‑made growth path with training, courses, certification and mentoring by experienced colleagues.

An innovative work environment: collaborate with a team of experts pushing boundaries in data, technology, and consulting.

Immediate impact and responsibility: you’ll make a difference for our clients from day one and are entrusted with responsibilities that challenge you to bring the best out of yourself.

Inspiring work culture: a supportive, flexible, and no‑nonsense environment that fosters your growth and fully allows you to be yourself.

Additionally, we offer:

• Competitive employment benefits, including bonuses and expense allowance.
• A workplace that prioritises and respects your work‑life balance (for example by offering you the option of taking a sabbatical or expand the amount of holidays per year).
• An affordable sports membership that allows you to participate in 50 different sports offered by over 10,000 partners.
• The opportunity to work remotely from abroad for 10 days per year.
• A vibrant community that organizes both professional and social events.

What do you bring to the table?

• A master’s degree in law (preferably Dutch)
• At least 4 to 5 years of relevant experience in an in‑house legal team, a law firm or a combination of both.
• Strong experience drafting, reviewing and negotiating commercial agreements, preferably in consulting, technology, IT or professional services.
• A commercial mindset: you understand business priorities, assess risks proportionately and propose workable solutions rather than simply identifying legal obstacles.
• Experience translating legislation and regulatory requirements into practical advice, policies and processes. Knowledge of data protection and technology‑related regulation is particularly relevant.
• A genuine enthusiasm for technology and AI, and curiosity about how they can improve our services, our clients’ businesses and the way we work as a legal team.
• Excellent communication and negotiation skills, with the ability to explain complex legal issues clearly and build productive relationships with colleagues, clients and suppliers.
• The confidence to take ownership, manage competing priorities and know when to involve colleagues or external specialists.
• Excellent written and spoken English and Dutch, including the ability to draft and negotiate legal documents in both languages.