Japanese speaking Legal Director / General Counsel

Japanese speaking Legal Director / General Counsel

Sector: Legal/Consultancy

Type: Full-time, Permanent

Location: South East England (Oxford)

Salary: Negotiable / up to £150k depending on experience

Work type: hybrid; Visa support: Yes; Start: ASAP (flexible)

Ref: KM47060

A financial company is currently recruiting a Legal Director / General Counsel to work in their Oxford office. In this role, you will be responsible for leading the legal and compliance function in the UK and beyond, acting as the primary legal advisor to senior management and overseeing legal matters across multiple jurisdictions. The ideal candidate should have a strong legal background, communication skills, and experience in cross-border legal matters.

Main Responsibilities

• Act as the primary legal advisor to senior management and leadership teams
• Oversee legal matters across UK, EU and Japan, ensuring regulatory compliance in multiple jurisdictions
• Provide guidance on corporate governance, data protection, AI regulation, and digital compliance
• Draft, review, and negotiate a wide range of commercial contracts and strategic partnership agreements
• Lead risk management related to AI systems, data usage, and emerging technologies
• Develop, implement and maintain internal compliance frameworks and governance policies
• Manage cross-border legal issues and coordinate with external counsel and international legal teams
• Support business growth by aligning legal strategy with commercial objectives

Ideal Candidate

• Qualified lawyer in UK, Japan or an EU jurisdiction
• Excellent communication skills in English and/or Japanese
• Post-qualification experience in corporate law, regulatory law, and/or technology law
• Strong understanding of data privacy laws and digital / AI-related regulatory frameworks
• Proven experience handling cross-border legal matters
• Experience within technology, AI, SaaS, or digital-focused organisations would be advantageous
• Prior exposure to international or multinational corporate environments
• Strategic mindset with strong problem-solving and decision-making skills