Job Description

At Nijhuis Saur Industries, part of the Saur Group, you help shape the future of water. As a global leader in sustainable solutions, we transform, reuse, protect water and give it the value it deserves.

Shape the Legal Backbone of International Water Projects

We are seeking a pragmatic and experienced Senior Legal Counsel to support our European operations

In this role, you will be based in Milan at Unidro office, a key engineering entity within Nijhuis Saur Industries. Reporting directly to the Director Legal & Compliance at the headquarter in the Netherlands. Y ou will be part of the global Legal & Compliance team and act as a trusted business partner to local management and regional leadership.

You will provide hands-on legal support across multiple jurisdictions (primarily Italy, UK, Finland, Poland and potentially France), with a strong focus on project-based business, commercial contracting and operational support. You will be closely involved throughout the full lifecycle of projects, from bid phase to execution.

Key responsibilities

Commercial & Projects

• Provide practical, business-oriented legal advice to local management and operational teams

• Support project teams during pre-bid and bidding phases, including:

  • Reviewing and negotiating NDAs, teaming and cooperation agreements

  • Analysing tender documentation and identifying legal risks

• Draft, review and negotiate a broad range of contracts, including:

  • EPC (e.g. FIDIC or NEC), construction, O&M and services agreements

  • Supply and partnership agreements

• Support project execution by:

  • Advising on contract performance and amendments

  • Managing claims and contract-related disputes

Disputes & Risk Management

• Manage pre-contractual and contractual claims and disputes

• Coordinate and instruct external counsel where needed

• Ensure proactive legal risk identification and mitigation across jurisdictions

Compliance & Governance

• Ensure compliance with applicable laws, regulations and internal policies

• Support and monitor implementation of group ethics and compliance procedures

• Promote a strong culture of integrity and ethical business conduct

Corporate, M&A & Strategic Support

• Support M&A transactions and partnerships from a legal perspective (as relevant)

• Provide assistance on integration of acquired entities and post-closing matters

• Support corporate governance processes, including intercompany arrangements

Legal Operations & Collaboration

• Contribute to the development and implementation of legal templates, tools and best practices

• Support knowledge sharing within the Legal & Compliance team

• Act as an interface between headquarter and local business teams

Key Requirements

• Qualified lawyer with approximately 5–7 years of relevant experience (law firm and/or in-house)

• Strong experience in international commercial contracts and project-based environments (e.g. EPC, infrastructure, industrial projects)

• Experience in multi-jurisdictional environments and decentralized organizations

• Exposure to claims management, compliance and ideally M&A or corporate matters

• Pragmatic, solution-oriented and hands-on mindset

• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to act as a trusted business partner

• Able to manage multiple priorities and work independently

• Language proficiency in English and Italian, additional European languages (e.g. French, Spanish) are a plus

Why Join Us?

• Broad, end-to-end involvement in international projects

• High exposure to business and decision-making

• Combination of commercial, project, compliance and strategic work

• Truly international scope within a growing organization

Compensation & Contract

Salary range: €80,000 – €95,000 gross per year + performance bonus and comprehensive benefits, offered on a permanent contract.

Additional Information

This job description represents only the primary areas of responsibility; specific position assignments will vary depending on the needs of the department. Performs other duties of similar nature and level assigned.

To perform the job successfully, an individual must be able to execute each essential duty satisfactorily. Reasonable adjustments may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Are you a recruiter?

Please refrain from calling or emailing us unless we have contacted you first. We intend to find our new colleagues ourselves, therefore agency support is not required. Any Profiles and resumes sent unsolicited by agencies, even if sent directly to a hiring manager, will be treated as direct applications from the candidate.

Join our #missionwater