Description:
The Position:- Lead legal support in all US and Canadian-related issues of technical Product Compliance, in particular for the Quality-relevant departments, as well as the respective operational units
- Lead interface with US authorities (including but not limited to NHTSA and FCC) and Canadian authorities (including but not limited to Transport Canada)
- Support product recalls and product integrity issues in the US and Canada
- Independently handle all regulatory authority (e.g., NHTSA and Transport Canada) inquiries, including but not limited to investigations and technical support
- Independent and continuous analysis, monitoring, and evaluation of relevant legal regulations in the US and Canada, including current developments at legislative levels
- Independent legal evaluation of actual and potential risks and liabilities, as well as the development of methods, processes, procedures, and systems to ensure compliance for all Group Sectors (e.g., overall risk management system)
- Independent preparation of general legal and business guidelines and legal expert opinions, taking into account current legal developments and legislative developments (actual and anticipated)
- Support the constant evolution of an appropriate risk management system
- Independent legal evaluation and interpretation of technical and environmental regulations, rules, and guidelines impacting daily operations, including real property transactions and management
- Support regional commercial attorneys to review, negotiate and/or draft various terms and conditions related to product and regulatory compliance in commercial contracts with customers, suppliers, and professional associations
- Provide pragmatic day-to-day advice, together with strategic advice to minimize legal risks and liabilities while advancing business goals and initiatives
- Counsel and train employees on relevant regulatory compliance issues, best practices, and corporate strategies
- Develop and organize training courses to ensure legal and product compliance, best practices, and corporate strategies
- Closely collaborate with and exchange appropriate information among all lawyers within the Technical Regulatory team (and, where applicable, the regional commercial team in the US)
- Create trust, confidence, and respect with key stakeholders internally (e.g., general managers, BA heads, and other central functions such as Compliance, IP, Finance, and Tax) and externally (suppliers, customers, external counsel, professional associations)
- Provide expert and strategic legal advice to management in complex matters with significant risk potential
- Anticipate product compliance issues and opportunities; assess risks, evaluate, and weigh multiple business and regulatory inputs and impacts of possible decisions or outcomes to propose appropriate mitigating and/or facilitating courses of action
- Identify solutions to minimize risks as well as develop proposals for efficient and effective internal decision making
- Independent selection, monitoring, billing, and evaluation of US and Canadian external attorneys in the above-mentioned areas
- Represent Continental in professional associations in the area of legal product compliance as well as provide legal advice for internal clients related to professional associations' work, they are participating.
Your profile
Basic Qualifications:- Bachelor's degree
- Juris Doctorate Degree with a license to practice law in the United States.
- Minimum 7 years of professional working experience
- Minimum 4 years of experience with product compliance interfacing with NHTSA, FDA, and/or FCC.
- Ability to travel estimated 15% - 30% internationally.
- Proficient in English; German language skills are a plus.
- Must have the ability to explain complex regulations and/or challenging issues in a clear manner to all levels of the organization, including the Executive Board and Senior Management
- Must have the ability to work with international clients and colleagues as well as travel both within the US and internationally on a regular basis
- Exceptional verbal and written communication skills
- Must have a flexible work schedule, accepting calls and/or meeting invitations outside of regular working hours
- In-depth understanding of and interest in technical subjects
- High level of interdisciplinary teamwork skills