About this role
Our client is a fast-growing professional services group bringing together a network of local accountancy and advisory firms across Belgium and internationally. With roots dating back to 2010, the group has developed an ambitious buy-and-build strategy, continuously expanding its network through acquisitions and partnerships with established accountancy firms. Its service offering covers accounting, tax, audit, legal, advisory, M&A and CFO services, supporting SMEs, entrepreneurs, start-ups and self-employed professionals.
Operating through a decentralised structure, the group combines the expertise and proximity of local firms with the resources, knowledge and infrastructure of a larger international organisation. The organisation is currently undergoing an important phase of growth, integration and professionalisation, creating the need to further develop its central support functions.
- Jobomschrijving As Head of Legal, you will have the opportunity to build and structure the legal function from scratch.
- Acting as the group's main legal point of contact, you will work closely with the CFO, management and local business teams across Belgium.
Your responsibilities will include
- Corporate Law & Corporate Governance: Oversee the group's corporate housekeeping, including company incorporations, mergers, liquidations, board changes, amendments to articles of association, shareholders' meetings, UBO registrations and statutory obligations.
- M&A & Shareholder Matters: Provide legal support for the group's acquisition strategy, manage shareholder and partnership agreements, oversee partner entries and exits, capital increases, equity arrangements, warrants and shareholding structures.
- Commercial Contracts & Real Estate: Draft, review and negotiate a wide range of commercial agreements, including supplier contracts, SLAs, lease agreements and other business-related contracts.
- Legal Advisory & Risk Management: Act as the primary legal advisor to management and internal stakeholders, identify and assess legal risks and coordinate external legal counsel when required.
- Building the Legal Function: Establish internal legal processes, standardise documentation, develop templates and procedures, structure legal administration and ensure compliance with applicable legal obligations and deadlines.
- Stakeholder Management: Collaborate with local accountancy firms and central management teams, ensuring consistent legal practices across the group while taking into account the operational realities of individual entities.
- This is a highly autonomous position combining strategic involvement with direct operational execution.
- You will be expected to handle a significant part of the legal workload yourself while progressively building the structures and processes needed to support the group's continued expansion.
- Hold a Master's degree in Law.
- Have solid professional experience in Belgian corporate law, ideally gained within a law firm, a corporate environment or a professional services organisation.
- Demonstrate strong expertise in company law, corporate governance, shareholder structures and commercial contracts.
- Have exposure to M&A transactions, acquisitions, shareholder agreements and corporate restructuring.
- Be comfortable operating at both strategic and operational levels, with the ability to independently manage legal matters from start to finish.
- Demonstrate an entrepreneurial mindset and enjoy building processes, structures and a function from the ground up.
- Be flexible, pragmatic and adaptable, thriving in a dynamic environment where priorities and projects can evolve quickly.
- Be digitally minded, organised and comfortable working in an organisation undergoing significant transformation.
- Have excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.
- Be fluent in both Dutch and French.