Job Description

Join the movement and find new inspiration.

We have an exciting opportunity for you as:

Legal Counsel (all genders welcome) within our Legal Department at the Kia Europe Headquarters in Frankfurt/Main, Germany.

Job mission:

As a Manager Legal Counsel, you will manage and deliver projects, providing expert advice to meet set short-term objectives. You will determine the how and when, with a forward-looking perspective of 6 to 12 months. Where leading a team, you will coordinate and coach a (project) team, providing direction and support to others in the same professional field. In doing so, you will match people and other resources to the work that needs to be done, taking capability into consideration.

Main responsibilities:

As a Counsel Legal, you will provide legal support to the European Headquarters of Kia – Kia Europe GmbH - on a wide range of matters arising out of business needs of an automotive OEM. This can include proactive risk management, risk mitigation advice, compliance with industry-specific laws, compliance with internal policies, overseeing commercial matters, and managing contractual matters.

Together with other members of the legal team, you will collaborate with various departments within Kia Europe GmbH, with its European subsidiaries and with our Headquarter in Korea.

• Compliance: Ensuring Kia Europe GmbH adheres to local, regional and international laws and regulations concerning automotive distribution and sales.
• Contract Drafting and Review: Creating, reviewing, and negotiating contracts with suppliers and other business partners, including but not limited to IT suppliers, creative agencies, providers of mobility solutions, market research services providers.
• Pan-European Templates Creation: Creating pan-European templates of legal documents such as consumer-facing documents (e.g., T&Cs, Data Protection Notices) and contracts (e.g., distributorship contract) that can be adjusted by subsidiaries of Kia Europe GmbH according to local applicable laws.
• Risk Management: Identifying legal risks in business operations and providing strategies to mitigate them.
• Legal Policy Development: Assisting in creating internal legal policies and guidelines that align with legal requirements and industry best practices.
• International Operations: Dealing with legal complexities arising from international business operations and cross-border transactions.
• Overseeing the activities of subsidiaries of Kia Europe GmbH: Liaising closely with local legal counsels to facilitate implementation pan-European business-related and legal-related projects in the subsidiaries of Kia Europe GmbH.
• Internal Legal trainings: Educating and training employees of Kia Europe GmbH on different areas of law to empower them to operate with the required legal knowledge for their areas.
• Legal Tech Administration: Administrating Kia Europe GmbH’s contract management system, incl. dealing with general questions from the business regarding the usage of the system, providing training on the system to users and liaising with the system provider to request support.
• Outside Counsels Management: Coordinating and supervising the work undertaken by outside counsels.
• Legal Operation & Administration: Support the Legal Department's internal operations, processes, and organizational matters, contributing to the efficient functioning of the department.

Your talents:

• Fluent in English (written and spoken), suitable languages advantageous
• International background and mindset fitting to diverse management roles in a global company, ideally internationally mobile.
• German Qualified Lawyer (first and second Staatsexam)
• Minimum 5+ years of post-qualification experience at a law firm, or a legal or compliance department of a multinational company, preferably with a focus on automotive.
• Good understanding of risk assessment, internal control and compliance concepts
• Strong commercial acumen and the ability to translate legal requirements into pragmatic business solutions.
• Strong analytical skills, in particular regarding effectiveness and deficiencies of internal controls and compliance measures.
• Professional ethics and teamwork, multi-tasking, communication and professional presentation skills.
• Experience supporting local subsidiaries and coordination with global HQs is a plus.

Who are we?

At Kia, we are a global mobility brand with more than 75 years of experience. Since our founding in 1944, we have grown from manufacturing bicycles, motorcycles and cars to becoming a provider of mobility solutions, always guided by the changing needs of our customers.

Today, we continue to expand our portfolio of electrified and battery electric vehicles while developing new mobility services. Guided by our brand slogan, Movement that Inspires, we are exploring new ways to make mobility more convenient and relevant for people’s everyday lives. Through continuous innovation and a customer-centric approach, we aim to create products and services that inspire new possibilities and meaningful connections.

As the European sales and manufacturing arm of Kia Corporation, we support 39 markets across Europe and the Caucasus from our headquarters in Frankfurt, Germany. Together, we are more than 5,500 colleagues, including around 3,500 team members at our manufacturing facility in Žilina, Slovakia.

At our European headquarters, more than 50 nationalities work side by side, bringing different perspectives, experiences and ideas. This diversity is one of our strengths and contributes to the way we work, learn, and grow together. Every day brings opportunities to collaborate, develop new skills, and contribute to our shared success.

If you are looking for an environment where curiosity, collaboration, and continuous learning are valued, we would love to hear from you. Join us and be part of the movement that inspires.

Should you still have doubts, we also offer:

• A vibrant international atmosphere where our workforce represents 50+ nations.
• Playing a pivotal role in shaping Kia's culture in Europe, actively contributing to its development.
• Exploring new solutions, where your creative input matters significantly.
• Enjoying a competitive compensation package, including a Job ticket, consistent on-the-job training, a complimentary staff restaurant, and engaging company events.

If you’re interested to become part of our Kia team, please apply via our online portal. We are looking forward to getting to know you.