Legal Counsel IT/Data law (fluent in Dutch)

Job Summary

As Legal Counsel, you will provide strategic and operational legal support to ensure our activities in the Netherlands and their interactions with the wider European energy market are fully compliant, well‑structured, and aligned with our business objectives.

You will closely collaborate with internal teams across Contract Management, IT, Regulatory Affairs, Strategy, Market Surveillance, Product Development, Projects, Operations, and Senior Management. You will bring specialized expertise on Dutch law, support the interpretation and implementation of EU rules, and proactively identify emerging regulatory opportunities or risks.

This is a 1-year contract.

Key Responsibilities

Dutch IT/data law

• Provide legal advice on Dutch IP/IT/data, cybersecurity, and contract law.
• Prepare legal analyses, executive briefings, and risk assessments for internal stakeholders.
• Monitor legal and regulatory developments in the Netherlands and the EU, and assess their impact on our operations, products, and strategy.

Contract drafting, negotiation and management

• Draft, review, and negotiate a variety of agreements, including:
• NDAs
• Cooperation agreements
• Service agreements
• Market rules and general terms & conditions
• Ensure timely review and approval of contracts in line with company processes and NL/EU legal requirements.
• Manage and secure contract lifecycle monitoring, renewals, amendments, governance, and tooling.

Risk management and litigation

• Identify and assess legal and compliance risks related to our Dutch and European activities.
• Handle pre-litigation matters, including drafting and negotiating settlements.
• Support dispute resolution, regulatory queries, and interactions with Dutch authorities (e.g., ACM, energy networks, market operators).

Support to operational teams

• Advise internal teams on a range of issues, including:
• IT/IP/Data matters
• Energy regulation in relation to IT and cybersecurity standards
• Corporate and commercial law
• Perform legal monitoring, manage case files, and support internal governance processes.

Key Requirements

Hard Skills

• Strong IT contract law capabilities: drafting, reviewing, and negotiating commercial, IT, and cooperation agreements.
• Good knowledge of IT and data law in a digital/energy market environment.
• Knowledge of corporate, commercial, and competition law.
• Experience with regulatory analysis: preparing legal briefs, interpreting legislation, advising on compliance.
• Risk assessment and management across commercial activities, market operations, and regulatory obligations.
• Pre‑litigation handling, including settlement drafting and negotiation.
• Legal research and monitoring, including keeping up with Dutch and EU legislative developments impacting the business.
• Expertise in Dutch and EU energy regulation, REMIT, CACM, EU electricity market rules is a plus.

Soft Skills

• Analytical thinking: ability to simplify complex regulatory or contractual issues into clear, actionable guidance.
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal.
• Autonomy and organisation: able to manage multiple priorities with a structured, reliable approach.
• Collaborative mindset: comfortable working with cross‑functional teams and diverse stakeholders.
• Stakeholder management: strong interpersonal skills to engage with internal teams, regulators or authorities, system operators, and external partners.
• Problem‑solving orientation, with a pragmatic approach to balancing legal constraints and business needs.

Education and Experience

• Master’s degree (or equivalent) in IT Contract law, business law, or EU Energy law
• Minimum 3 years of experience in a law firm, energy or IT/data‑driven company, or similar environment.
• Experience with IT contracts or digital platforms

Language Skills

• Fluent in Dutch and English

Benefits of working with us

• Hybrid Working Conditions: We offer you the flexibility of working from home or other EPEX locations for the best possible work‑life balance. You can work up to 40 days per year from select countries in Europe.
• Training Opportunities: We invest in your continuous development with a dedicated annual training budget to enhance your skills through various upskilling programs and initiatives.
• Career Path: We support your career aspirations with clear pathways for advancement within the company and the EEX Group.
• Internal Mobility: We offer and support the possibility to explore new roles within the company to expand your skills and experience.
• Leadership Journey: We promote a culture of recognition and reward with the EPEX SPOT leadership journey that encourages everyone’s progression and development.