Legal Counsel/(sr) Contract Manager DBBS – Thales Nederland

Our Client

Thales Nederland is the subsidiary of the French multinational Thales Group that designs, develops and manufactures electrical systems as well as devices and equipment for the aerospace, defense, transportation and security sectors. Thales Nederland is primarily involved in naval defense systems such as sensors, radars and combat management systems. Other areas of business include air defense, cyber defense, digital identity, communications and cryogenic cooling systems. The company is one of the biggest high-tech employers in the field of safety and security. In the Netherlands, where 2,250 employees (out of 80,000 employees worldwide) are based, it is located in Amersfoort, Breda, Delft, Eindhoven, Huizen, Hengelo (Dutch HQ) and Rotterdam.

In 2016 a consortium of Thales Nederland and Unica entered into a long-term agreement with the Dutch Ministry of Defence to realize the project of replacing the existing 45 systems for DBBS (“Defence Guarding and Security Systems”) to one new system and maintaining the new system for a period of 15 years. A major project with major impact, also from a legal point of view. To ascertain that execution of the project is in line with the subjects of the agreements legal support is essential. Therefore Thales Nederland is currently seeking to recruit for a (Senior) Legal Counsel (1 fte/hybrid) working for the consortium Thales Nederland/Unica. The position is based in Huizen and Amersfoort.

The Position

In this position you will play a pivotal role in managing the contractual aspects of the DBBS project in close collaboration with the consortium partners. You will be responsible for ensuring adherence to the contract terms, facilitating effective communication between parties and mitigating potential risks to achieve project objectives successfully. Besides legal expertise in complex legal matters strong project management abilities and communication skills will be key in ensuring the project’s contractual obligations are met, while maintaining a collaborative and productive working relationship with the project managers of the consortium and the Ministry of Defense. You will collaborate with the various stakeholders to resolve any contract-related queries and disputes or issues promptly, you will monitor contract performance and ensure that all parties fulfill their obligations according to agreed-upon timelines and deliverables. In this role you serve as the primary point of contact for contract-related queries and discussions.

Besides the work for the DBBS project you will also be working for several other projects of Thales Nederland, where some travelling to e.g the Middle East might be required.

The Profile

The following qualifications and experience are essential for this position:

• a Dutch Bachelor’s degree (HBO/University) in Law, Contract Management or a related field, a master’s degree is a plus;
• proven experience in contract management, preferably in IT/real estate/governmental setting, defense industry setting is regarded as a plus;
• strong understanding of legal and contractual principles and the practical application of complex projects and contracts;
• excellent analytical, negotiation, communication and conflict resolution skills and outstanding in stakeholder management;
• project management experience, with the ability to manage multiple stakeholders simultaneously also in case of conflict of interest between stakeholders as well as the ability to work in a political-administrative setting;
• familiarity with defense and security industry standards and regulations is desirable;
• proficiency in the Dutch and English language is required.

The Offer

The (senior) Legal Counsel for the DBBS Project will be a key player in ensuring the successful execution of the project and upholding the strong partnership between Thales Nederland, Unica and the Ministry of Defense. If you are a dynamic individual with a passion for contract management and thrive in a collaborative, political-administrative environment you are encouraged to apply for this exciting opportunity.

What’s in it for you?

• a great and fun team in a high-tech, innovative international organization
• (international) opportunities for growth in various roles
• 40 days paid leave per year, travel expenses, flexible benefits à la carte package with options like purchase/sale of leave hours, internet costs, bicycle plan, company fitness
• good work-life balance is valued, so is flexibility
• hybdrid workplace (Amersfoort/Huizen/home office)

A Dutch nationality and passport is a prerequisite due to the contracts with the Dutch government that often are “Dutch eyes only”.