Assistant General Counsel

Citizens; Johnston (RI); On-site; USD 176,000 - 230,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Comprehensive medical, dental and eye

Retirement benefits

Maternity/paternity leave

Flexible work arrangements

Education reimbursement

Wellness programs

Job summary

Citizens Bank seeks an Assistant General Counsel to shape and safeguard the bank’s privacy and cybersecurity posture.

You will provide strategic legal counsel on data protection, incident response, and regulatory compliance, influencing enterprise-wide initiatives and risk mitigation across business units.

Qualifications

• J.D. from an accredited law school and active bar membership in good standing.

Responsibilities

• Advise senior leadership and business units on privacy, cybersecurity, and data governance matters, including incident response, regulatory compliance, and emerging risks.
• Interpret and apply laws such as GLBA, CCPA/CPRA, GDPR, DPDA and other global and U.S. privacy and cybersecurity regulations.
• Draft, review, and negotiate complex agreements, including data processing agreements, vendor contracts, and technology transactions.
• Identify legal risks and develop practical solutions to mitigate them while supporting innovation and business growth.
• Partner with IT, InfoSec, Compliance, Risk, and Product teams to ensure legal alignment with operational practices and strategic initiatives.
• Manage and advise on privacy and cybersecurity-related disputes, investigations, and enforcement actions.
• Contribute to the development and implementation of internal policies, training, and best practices related to data privacy and cybersecurity.

Education

J.D. from an accredited law school

Job description

Job Description

As Assistant General Counsel at Citizens Bank, you will play a critical role in shaping and safeguarding the bank’s privacy and cybersecurity posture. You’ll provide strategic legal counsel on cutting‑edge issues at the intersection of law, technology, and data protection. This is a high‑impact role where your expertise will directly influence enterprise‑wide initiatives, regulatory compliance, and risk mitigation strategies.

Key Responsibilities

• Strategic Legal Counsel: Advise senior leadership and business units on privacy, cybersecurity, and data governance matters, including incident response, regulatory compliance, and emerging risks.
• Regulatory Guidance: Interpret and apply laws such as GLBA, CCPA/CPRA, GDPR, DPDA and other global and U.S. privacy and cybersecurity regulations.
• Contract Negotiation: Draft, review, and negotiate complex agreements, including data processing agreements, vendor contracts, and technology transactions.
• Risk Management: Identify legal risks and develop practical solutions to mitigate them while supporting innovation and business growth.
• Cross‑Functional Collaboration: Partner with IT, InfoSec, Compliance, Risk, and Product teams to ensure legal alignment with operational practices and strategic initiatives.
• Litigation & Dispute Resolution: Manage and advise on privacy and cybersecurity‑related disputes, investigations, and enforcement actions.
• Policy Development: Contribute to the development and implementation of internal policies, training, and best practices related to data privacy and cybersecurity.

What You Bring

• J.D. from an accredited law school and active bar membership in good standing.
• 5+ years of legal experience, with a strong focus on privacy, cybersecurity, and technology law.
• Deep knowledge of U.S. and international privacy laws and cybersecurity frameworks.
• Experience advising financial institutions or highly regulated industries preferred.
• Exceptional judgment, communication, and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to thrive in a fast‑paced, collaborative, and evolving environment.

Hours & Work Schedule

• Hours per Week: 40
• Work Schedule: Monday to Friday (M‑F)

Pay Transparency

The salary range for this position is $176,000 – $230,000 per year, plus an opportunity to earn an annual discretionary bonus. Actual pay is based on various factors including but not limited to the budget, work location, and relevant skills and experience. We offer competitive pay, comprehensive medical, dental and vision coverage, retirement benefits, maternity/paternity leave, flexible work arrangements, education reimbursement, wellness programs and more.

Note, Citizens’ paid time off policy exceeds the mandatory paid sick or paid time‑away policy of every local and state jurisdiction in the United States. For an overview of our benefits, visit https://jobs.citizensbank.com/benefits.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Citizens, its parent, subsidiaries, and related companies (Citizens) provide equal employment and advancement opportunities to all colleagues and applicants for employment without regard to age, ancestry, color, citizenship, physical or mental disability, perceived disability or history or record of a disability, ethnicity, gender, gender identity or expression, genetic information, genetic characteristic, marital or domestic partner status, victim of domestic violence, family status/parenthood, medical condition, military or veteran status, national origin, pregnancy/childbirth/lactation, colleague’s or a dependent’s reproductive health decision making, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or any other category protected by federal, state and/or local laws. At Citizens, we are committed to fostering an inclusive culture that enables all colleagues to bring their best selves to work every day and everyone is expected to be treated with respect and professionalism. Employment decisions are based solely on merit, qualifications, performance and capability.

Why Work for Us

At Citizens, you'll find a customer‑centric culture built around helping our customers and giving back to our local communities. When you join our team, you are part of a supportive and collaborative workforce, with access to training and tools to accelerate your potential and maximize your career growth.