Senior Director, Legal

About the role

This senior leadership position is based in Portugal and will shape the legal strategy of a fast‑scaling, technology‑enabled hospitality business. Reporting directly to the CEO, you will act as a trusted advisor to the executive team, translating complex legal frameworks into actionable business guidance.

Key responsibilities

• Lead the company’s overall legal strategy, advising the CEO and executive leadership on legal, regulatory and risk matters.
• Oversee commercial contracting, including drafting, negotiating and standardising agreements with vendors, partners and enterprise clients.
• Manage litigation and dispute‑resolution strategy, selecting external counsel and making settlement decisions.
• Design and supervise enterprise risk‑management and insurance programmes.
• Provide employment‑law guidance across multiple jurisdictions and support HR in building compliant workforce practices.
• Lead corporate governance, entity management and support financing, fundraising and strategic transactions.
• Oversee intellectual‑property, privacy and data‑protection compliance.
• Build and lead the internal legal and regulatory function while managing external counsel relationships.

Required profile

• 8+ years of legal experience, including significant in‑house counsel work in fast‑paced environments.
• Qualified lawyer with a JD (or equivalent) and active bar membership in Canada or a relevant jurisdiction.
• Proven experience managing litigation, regulatory matters and external counsel.
• Deep understanding of employment law, corporate governance and transactional work.
• Familiarity with privacy, data‑protection and intellectual‑property frameworks.

Required skills

• Commercial law expertise
• Contract negotiation
• Enterprise risk management
• Litigation management
• Regulatory compliance
• Employment law knowledge
• Corporate governance
• Privacy and data‑protection awareness