Senior Legal Counsel - Cybersecurity & Data Privacy

About the role

Our client, a leading Aviation company, is seeking a Senior Counsel, Cybersecurity & Data Privacy to join their legal team. This individual will be primarily responsible for cybersecurity, data privacy, data protection, and regulatory compliance, partnering closely with the C-suite, information technology, cybersecurity, information security, compliance, HR, and other members of the legal team on strategic objectives. The right candidate will be excited by growth, as there is a set growth path up into senior leadership. The ideal candidate will have direct expertise in cybersecurity incident experience, experience advising on international privacy requirements (including GDPR and cross-border data transfers), familiarity with NIST, ISO 27001, and certifications such as CIPP/US, CIPP/E, or CIPM. This role reports to the General Counsel.

Responsibilities

• Act as the organization's chief legal resource for matters involving information security, privacy compliance, and data governance.
• Counsel internal stakeholders on domestic and global privacy requirements, including GDPR, CCPA/CPRA, and other applicable data protection regulations.
• Provide legal support relating to cyber governance programs, security risk assessments, compliance obligations, and enterprise security controls.
• Work closely with technology and cybersecurity teams during security events, advising on investigations, response efforts, notification requirements, and interactions with regulators.
• Direct legal review and management of privacy incidents and cybersecurity breaches, coordinating with business partners and outside advisors when necessary.
• Prepare, review, and negotiate contractual terms addressing privacy, cybersecurity, information security, and data handling, including vendor, technology, and data processing agreements.
• Advise business units regarding third-party information security risks, international data transfers, vendor oversight requirements, and obligations involving confidential or regulated data.
• Counsel stakeholders on privacy-by-design concepts, records management, data lifecycle considerations, governance frameworks, and emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence.
• Track and evaluate legislative, regulatory, and industry developments related to privacy and cybersecurity to determine organizational impact and required actions.
• Assist in designing and strengthening company-wide privacy programs, policies, awareness initiatives, compliance processes, and employee training efforts.
• Partner with business and technology leaders to evaluate legal risks associated with new systems, services, products, and strategic initiatives.
• Oversee relationships with external legal advisors and other outside resources as required.
• Deliver practical and commercially focused legal recommendations to executives and cross-functional teams.
• Contribute to broader corporate legal initiatives and perform additional assignments as needed.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of experience, ideally including both in-house and law firm experience.
• Expertise in cybersecurity and data privacy.
• Experience in a highly regulated industry.
• Excellent judgement, ability to handle sensitive information, balance legal and business day-to-day activities, and independently manage complex legal matters.
• Ability to translate complex legal and regulatory information into actionable guidance for internal stakeholders.

Schedule

Fully on-site, 5 days per week in-office in Columbus, Ohio.

Pay

$225,000 base salary, plus bonus.