This page covers the Senior Manager job in Frankfurt am Main: what the role involves, what the employer is looking for and how to apply.

Head of Legal & Regulatory – Senior Manager, Kia Europe GmbH, Frankfurt am Main, Germany

About This Senior Manager Job in Frankfurt Am Main

Kia Europe GmbH is recruiting a Head of Legal & Regulatory at Senior Manager level for its European headquarters in Frankfurt am Main. The position is full-time, senior, and advertised as open to applicants of all genders.

The successful candidate leads the European Legal & Regulatory department and acts as principal legal adviser to the General Counsel and to regional leadership. The brief spans EU competition law, vehicle and type-approval regulation, ESG regulatory compliance and third-party due diligence frameworks.

This is a leadership appointment rather than a purely advisory one: it involves building a team, setting governance standards, and representing the organisation before supervisory authorities, regulators, external counsel and industry bodies. EUJOBHUB summarises the vacancy for jobseekers; Kia Europe GmbH is the employer.

About the Role

The role sits within Kia Europe’s Legal Department and heads the Legal & Regulatory function for the European organisation. Kia describes the work as demanding a fully qualified lawyer with strong leadership ability and sound judgement, capable of handling complex cross-border legal and regulatory questions while still giving business teams practical support.

At Senior Manager level, Kia expects the post-holder to lead and influence through specialist advisory or commercial work and through oversight of substantial programmes made up of several projects. That includes developing the medium-term plan with resourcing and KPIs, defining the team’s place in it on a horizon of up to twelve months, and coaching team members with an approach adapted to each individual.

Job Summary

Job Title	Head of Legal & Regulatory – Senior Manager (all genders welcome)
Company	Kia Europe GmbH
Location	Frankfurt am Main
Country	Germany
Employment Type	Full Time
Job Category	Legal & Regulatory Affairs
Experience Level	Senior (10+ years post-qualification)
Education	Fully qualified lawyer — German Volljurist, Syndikusrechtsanwalt, Solicitor, Avocat or equivalent EU qualification
Salary	Not publicly specified by the employer.
Job Reference	Not specified by the employer
Source	Kia Europe GmbH careers portal (HireHive)
Application Status	Open at the time of publication

Key Responsibilities

Departmental leadership and strategic advice

• Set the strategic direction of the Legal & Regulatory function so that legal priorities track business objectives and Kia’s longer-term European strategy.
• Advise the General Counsel at senior level, contributing to strategic decisions, risk anticipation and business planning.
• Build and develop a high-performing Legal & Regulatory team, growing capability, engagement, accountability and a collaborative culture.
• Establish and maintain governance standards, legal frameworks, policies and processes that keep decision-making consistent.
• Shape the department’s roadmap, operating model and resource planning.
• Manage external counsel strategically — selection, oversight, cost effectiveness and quality.
• Deepen collaboration with Compliance, ESG, Finance, People & Organization, IT/Security and Safety.

Strategic legal risk management

• Identify and assess emerging legal and regulatory risks and convert them into practical strategies.
• Guide the business on complex, cross-functional commercial, corporate, compliance and regulatory questions.
• Maintain a strong risk posture through internal controls, documentation and audit readiness.
• Represent the function in strategic forums, leadership committees and critical business initiatives.

External engagement and regulatory navigation

• Define and oversee how the organisation engages with regulators, authorities and external stakeholders.
• Provide senior-level guidance on regulatory change across competition law, vehicle regulatory frameworks, ESG and due-diligence legislation.
• Support advocacy positions in industry forums and EU consultations.

Candidate Requirements

Education

• Fully qualified lawyer. The employer gives German Volljurist, Syndikusrechtsanwalt, Solicitor and Avocat as examples, or an equivalent EU qualification.

Professional Experience

• At least ten years of post-qualification experience in an international corporate environment and/or a leading law firm.
• Substantial background in commercial and corporate law, governance, and advising senior leadership.
• Track record of managing teams, stakeholders and cross-functional initiatives.

Technical Skills

• Deep knowledge of antitrust and competition law, type approval and vehicle regulatory frameworks, ESG, and due-diligence legislation.
• Familiarity with EU competition law, regulatory topics, ESG developments and compliance frameworks.

Language Skills

• Excellent English is required; further languages are considered an asset.

Other Qualifications

• Strong leadership capability and sound judgement in cross-border matters.
• Ability to give business teams pragmatic support alongside formal legal advice.

Salary

Not publicly specified by the employer.

International Candidates

Candidates should independently verify work authorization, visa, and relocation requirements with the employer.

How to Apply

Applications are made through Kia Europe’s online recruitment portal, with a LinkedIn route also offered. The employer invites interested candidates to apply online. The original vacancy page is here: Head of Legal & Regulatory – Senior Manager, Kia Europe GmbH.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who does this role report to?

The listing describes the post-holder as the primary legal adviser to the General Counsel and to regional leadership.

Which legal areas does the role cover?

EU competition law, vehicle and type-approval regulatory affairs, ESG regulatory compliance and third-party due diligence frameworks, alongside general commercial and corporate matters.

Does a German qualification specifically apply?

Not exclusively. The employer accepts a German Volljurist or Syndikusrechtsanwalt, a Solicitor, an Avocat, or an equivalent EU qualification.

Is German required?

The stated language requirement is excellent English, with additional languages treated as an asset.

Is this a people-management role?

Yes. It involves leading and developing the Legal & Regulatory team, planning resources and managing external counsel.

Is a salary published?

No salary figure is given in the employer’s advertisement.

EUJOBHUB Disclaimer

EUJOBHUB is an independent jobs website. We are not a recruitment agency and we are not affiliated with, nor do we represent, Kia Europe GmbH. This article is an original editorial summary of a vacancy published by Kia Europe GmbH on its own careers portal. Applications, selection and candidate communication are handled solely by the employer, and the listing may be amended or withdrawn at any time. Please verify the details on the official posting before applying.