Interim Head of Legal and Data Protection (Mat Leave Cover)

Interim Head of Legal & Data Protection (Maternity Cover)

Role Purpose

To provide senior interim leadership across the firm's Legal and Data Protection functions The role holds responsibility for continuity of live litigation and complaints, oversight of the Data Protection team and senior stakeholder engagement across the wider Risk function.

Key Responsibilities

Litigation & Complaints

• Own and progress all live litigation matters and firm complaints, including settlement strategy.

• Manage engagement with professional bodies and regulatory correspondence.

• Instruct and manage external litigation panel firms as required.

• Provide judgment-based advice to the Head of Risk on high-stakes disputes.

Data Protection & Governance 

• Provide day-to-day leadership and direction to the Data Protection team.

• Oversee DPIAs, transfer assessments, and integration-related DP workstreams.

• Continue the firm's EU AI Act readiness programme and AI literacy training oversight.

• Represent the DP function at senior leadership and Risk forums.

Team Leadership & Development

• Lead, support, and develop the Legal and Data Protection team members. 

• Maintain team cohesion, workload balance, and wellbeing.

• Provide coaching and technical guidance to junior team members, particularly within DP.

Senior Stakeholder Engagement & Cross-Risk Coordination

• Act as trusted advisor to the Head of Risk and senior firm leadership.

• Coordinate cross-team projects to maintain progress and collaboration across the Risk function.

• Manage relationships with external counsel, regulators, and professional bodies.

Essential Criteria

• Senior qualified solicitor (10+ PQE), Irish-qualified.

• Strong litigation and complaints experience within a regulated professional services environment.

• Significant Data Protection experience essential. 

• Commercial contracts literacy to backstop the contracts team.

• Proven people leadership experience across multidisciplinary teams, including junior lawyers.

• Senior stakeholder gravitas.

• Sound judgment and ability to make binding decisions on litigation, regulatory, and escalation matters independently.

Desirable Criteria

• Prior in-house experience in a Big 4 or top-tier professional services firm.

• Familiarity with professional body regulation (CAI, ACCA, ICAEW).

• Significant Data Protection experience 

• Exposure to cross-jurisdictional matters (IE, UK/NI, IoM, Bermuda, Gibraltar, US).

• Experience of firm integrations or global platform transitions.

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