Legal Counsel Regulatory & Compliance

About the RoleWe are a fast-growing international telecommunications business operating across multiple markets. As the business continues to expand its geographic footprint, we are looking for an experienced Legal Counsel – Regulatory & Compliance to support our international operations.The role will have particular responsibility for telecommunications regulation, licensing, regulatory compliance and governance across multiple jurisdictions.Working closely with senior management, Legal, Compliance, Commercial, Technology and local market teams, the Legal Counsel will provide practical legal and regulatory advice while managing relationships with external counsel and telecommunications regulators.This is a hands-on role requiring someone comfortable operating in a fast-paced, commercially driven and highly regulated international telecom environment.Key ResponsibilitiesTelecom Regulatory & LicensingProvide legal and regulatory advice across the company's international telecommunications operations.Support and manage MNO, MVNO and telecommunications licensing requirements across multiple jurisdictions.Advise on licence applications, renewals, amendments and ongoing licence obligations.Interpret telecommunications legislation, regulatory frameworks and licence conditions and translate these into practical requirements for the business.Monitor regulatory developments across existing and prospective markets and assess their impact on the company's operations.Support regulatory requirements relating to areas such as SIM registration, number allocation/portability, roaming, interconnection, spectrum where applicable, consumer protection and telecommunications services.Regulatory Authority EngagementSupport relationships with telecommunications regulators, government authorities and other relevant regulatory bodies.Coordinate responses to regulatory enquiries, investigations, audits and information requests.Prepare and review regulatory submissions, correspondence and licence documentation.Work with local counsel and market teams to ensure regulatory obligations are met consistently across jurisdictions.ComplianceSupport the development and implementation of the company's international compliance framework.Advise the business on regulatory and compliance risks associated with new products, services and market launches.Support compliance programmes covering areas including:Anti-bribery and corruptionAML/KYC where applicableSanctions and trade restrictionsData protection and privacyConsumer protectionCompetition lawThird-party and distributor complianceMarketing and advertising regulationsConduct and support compliance risk assessments and internal reviews.Assist with investigations into potential regulatory or compliance breaches.Develop policies, procedures and controls to mitigate identified risks.Data Privacy & Digital RegulationAdvise on international data protection, privacy and telecommunications data requirements.Support compliance with GDPR and equivalent privacy regimes across international markets.Advise on customer data, marketing consent, data retention, cross-border data transfers and regulatory disclosure requirements.Work closely with Technology, Information Security and Digital teams on privacy and regulatory considerations affecting telecom and digital products.New Market EntryProvide regulatory input into the company's international expansion and new-country launches.Assess telecommunications licensing and regulatory requirements for prospective markets.Coordinate regulatory due diligence and external legal advice.Identify regulatory barriers, compliance risks and licensing timelines.Support establishment of appropriate legal and regulatory structures for new operations.Commercial & Legal SupportReview and negotiate agreements with telecom operators, technology providers, distributors, agents and other commercial partners.Provide regulatory input into interconnect, roaming, wholesale, MVNO/MNO and technology agreements.Ensure commercial arrangements comply with applicable telecommunications regulation and licence requirements.Provide commercially pragmatic legal advice that balances regulatory requirements with business objectives.Governance & ReportingMaintain visibility of key regulatory obligations, licences, renewals and compliance risks across the group's international operations.Develop appropriate regulatory and compliance reporting for senior management.Escalate significant regulatory risks and potential breaches appropriately.Support internal governance committees and senior leadership on regulatory matters.Assist with regulatory and compliance training across the organisation.Candidate ProfileThe successful candidate will ideally have:Qualified lawyer status in a recognised jurisdiction.Approximately 7–15+ years of relevant legal experience, depending on level.Strong experience within the telecommunications industry, ideally with an MNO, MVNO, telecom group or telecom-focused law firm.Demonstrable experience dealing with telecommunications regulation and licensing.Experience working across multiple countries or regulatory jurisdictions.Strong understanding of regulatory compliance frameworks within highly regulated businesses.Experience dealing directly with telecommunications regulators and government authorities.Knowledge of data protection/privacy and consumer regulation.Experience supporting international market entry or telecom licence applications would be highly desirable.Ability to manage external legal counsel across different jurisdictions.Strong commercial judgement and the ability to provide practical rather than purely technical legal advice.Excellent written and verbal communication skills.