| Title | Privacy Counsel |
|---|---|
| Department | Legal |
| Reports to | [Chief Privacy Officer / General Counsel / Assistant General Counsel] |
| Location | [Remote / Hybrid / On-site and location] |
| Employment type | Full-time |
| Salary | [Good-faith salary range, incentive and material benefits] |
Position overview
[Company] is hiring Privacy Counsel to advise on the collection, use, sharing, retention and protection of personal information across [products, regions and business units]. The attorney will provide practical legal guidance on [privacy, cybersecurity, consumer protection, marketing, employment data, AI and sector-specific regulation].
Working with Product, Engineering, Security, Data, Marketing, HR, Procurement and Privacy Operations, you will help the organization make informed decisions, structure appropriate safeguards and respond effectively when risk materializes.
Key responsibilities
- Interpret privacy and related laws applicable to [Company].
- Advise product and business teams on new features, data uses and AI systems.
- Draft and negotiate data-processing, data-sharing and transfer terms.
- Provide legal advice for privacy assessments and high-risk processing.
- Advise on incidents, notification obligations and regulatory strategy.
- Respond to regulator inquiries, complaints, investigations and disputes.
- Monitor legal change and translate it into prioritized business actions.
- Develop policies, notices, contract language and internal guidance.
- Coordinate with outside counsel and local counsel where needed.
- Support training for legal, privacy and business teams.
Required qualifications
- JD or equivalent legal qualification.
- Active admission and good standing in [specified jurisdiction], or eligibility for applicable in-house registration.
- [Three to seven] years of relevant legal experience in privacy, technology transactions, cybersecurity, consumer law, product counseling, regulatory work or a related field.
- Strong legal analysis, drafting, negotiation and communication skills.
- Ability to give clear, risk-based advice using incomplete or evolving facts.
Preferred certifications
CIPP/[US, E or other relevant concentration]. CIPM, CIPT or AIGP where relevant to the portfolio.
Preferred experience
- Dedicated privacy counseling experience in [industry or region].
- Experience with incidents, regulatory inquiries, ad technology, biometrics, children's data or AI.
- In-house experience working directly with product and engineering teams.
Technical knowledge
GDPR, CCPA / CPRA, HIPAA, EU AI Act, privacy impact assessments, data mapping, records of processing.
Essential competencies
Analysis, documentation, judgment, cross-functional collaboration, and clear communication of privacy risk.
Success in the first year
- Business partners receive timely, clear and actionable legal advice.
- High-risk launches and contracts reflect documented privacy decisions.
- Regulatory changes are translated into owned implementation plans.
- Incident and inquiry response is coordinated, defensible and well documented.
- Legal guidance supports innovation while identifying unacceptable risk.
About [Company]
[Two or three sentences about your organization, the maturity of your program, and what the first year looks like. Candidates in this field respond to honesty about whether they are joining a build or an established function.]
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Frequently asked questions
What does Privacy Counsel do?
Privacy Counsel interprets privacy and related laws for the organization, advises product and business teams on new features and data uses, drafts and negotiates data-processing and data-sharing terms, advises on assessments, incidents and notification duties, and handles regulator inquiries and disputes.
Does Privacy Counsel need to be admitted to the bar?
Yes, in most cases. The role gives legal advice, so the template asks for a JD or equivalent legal qualification and active admission in a specified jurisdiction, or eligibility for in-house registration where that applies.
How is Privacy Counsel different from a Privacy Program Manager?
Privacy Counsel gives legal advice and can provide privileged advice. A Privacy Program Manager runs the privacy program's operations. The two work closely: counsel interprets the law, and the program manager turns that interpretation into controls and processes.
Which certifications help?
The IAPP's CIPP, in the concentration that matches the work (for example US or Europe), is the most common. CIPM, CIPT or AIGP help where the portfolio covers program management, technology or AI.