(Senior) Legal Counsel Data Protection & Artificial Intelligence (m/w/d)

(Senior) Legal Counsel Data Protection & Artificial Intelligence (m/w/d)

Welcome to No. 1. With around 700 GEERS stores and approximately 2,500 employees, GEERS is the largest provider in Germany’s hearing care industry and, as part of Sonova based in Switzerland, part of the world’s largest hearing care network. We pursue the vision of enabling everyone to enjoy the pleasure of hearing and, with it, a life without limitations. As (Senior) Legal Counsel Data Privacy & Artificial Intelligence / In-house Counsel (m/f/d), you will actively shape data privacy and artificial intelligence and embed both in the company in a practical way.

• You advise specialist and staff functions at GEERS and other Sonova Group companies across EMEA on complex data protection and artificial intelligence matters and work with stakeholders to develop legally compliant and practical solutions.
• You support new processes, projects, IT systems, products and digital applications from the initial data protection and AI assessment through implementation, ensuring that relevant regulatory requirements are considered at an early stage.
• You independently review and negotiate data processing agreements and other data protection agreements and advise on national and international data processing activities across EMEA.
• You lead relevant data protection, impact and risk assessments, assess incidents and notification obligations and define appropriate remedial measures together with the relevant stakeholders.
• You continuously develop our data protection and AI management framework, including relevant documentation, policies, work instructions, and deletion and retention concepts.
• You plan and support data protection audits and controls and continuously develop appropriate governance, documentation, control and reporting structures.
• Working closely with the Data Protection Officer, Group Privacy and other national and international stakeholders, you monitor regulatory and internal group requirements and translate them into practical solutions for GEERS and other Sonova Group companies across EMEA.
• You provide legal support for digital applications, automation and AI use cases from a data protection and artificial intelligence perspective. You assess and classify relevant use cases under the EU AI Act, review AI-specific vendor terms and support the implementation of required controls as well as target-group-specific training, awareness and AI literacy measures.
• You are a fully qualified lawyer and have several years of relevant professional experience in data protection law in a corporate environment.
• You have sound and up-to-date knowledge of the GDPR, the German Federal Data Protection Act and employee data protection, as well as extensive practical experience with data protection impact assessments, data processing agreements, records of processing activities and technical and organisational measures.
• You have sound knowledge of the EU AI Act and its interaction with the GDPR, understand how AI technologies work and their key risks, and have practical experience in assessing AI use cases, including risk classification and controls such as human oversight and transparency.
• You bring relevant data protection expertise from healthcare, pharmaceuticals/MedTech, retail/e-commerce or critical infrastructure and are experienced in handling large volumes of personal and particularly sensitive data as well as a correspondingly high volume of privacy-related requests and matters.
• You have a proven track record of advising business functions on complex data protection matters and work confidently with Data Protection Officers, external service providers and, where required, supervisory authorities.
• You are familiar with audit, control, reporting and governance structures in data protection and know how to translate regulatory requirements into practical and implementable solutions.
• You have a strong understanding of IT systems, access and authorisation concepts and data flows and can assess legal matters relating to digitalisation, automation and AI in a structured manner.
• You combine strong advisory and negotiation skills with an independent and solution-oriented approach and communicate complex legal risks clearly to different stakeholder groups. Fluent German and English enable you to collaborate confidently across the EMEA region.
• We offer you a flexible working hours model with time tracking, allowing you to work when it suits you best, of course in coordination with your team.
• In addition, we offer you the option to work from home for part of your working time.
• With JobRad, you can travel sustainably and at attractive rates.
• Benefit from Corporate Benefits with attractive discounts, health and development offers, as well as exciting leisure activities.
• Well protected at GEERS: We contribute 20% towards your company pension plan.
• At GEERS, you receive 30 days of vacation based on a five-day working week.
• Seminars and workshops at our GEERS Academy and via LinkedIn Learning, all designed to support your personal development.
• Your company smartphone and laptop are state of the art, allowing you to focus efficiently on what really matters, including when working from home.
• With your Edenred City Card, you can shop with ease. We provide you with €50 of tax-free credit every month.
• To give you a great start with us, you will receive a comprehensive onboarding plan.
• At GEERS, we are all on a first-name basis. This makes it easy and relaxed to talk to anyone, whether they are part of the management team, a hearing care professional or an apprentice.
• Our headquarters in Dortmund are in a great location: good transport connections, free parking and charging stations for electric cars, as well as easy access to public transport.
• In our Convini fridge, you will find tasty snacks, drinks and lunch options. We provide you with a daily subsidy that can be used for all products in the fridge.