Principal Legal Counsel – Frankfurt (Eschborn) or Munich (Garching), Germany
We are looking for a committed, creative, entrepreneurial, experienced commercial lawyer to join our Legal team supporting Cisco’s Sales in Germany and Switzerland.
What You’ll Do – Your Impact
- Negotiate legal agreements for complex deals with our major Enterprise and Public Sector customers in Germany and Switzerland in line with Cisco’s business strategy, policies and practices, on either Cisco or customer templates (e.g. product sales and software licensing agreements, service agreements often adapting terms to local laws).
- Negotiate agreements and provide guidance on data and security related topics in collaboration with cross functional teams.
- Consistently apply Cisco legal and business policies and practices to maintain the highest standards of corporate governance on compliance and address any COBC or compliance questions.
- Serve as a business partner and advisor to the Sales business or segment lead, Finance, and Government Affairs.
- Demonstrate a business‑centric, flexible attitude and collaborative spirit with an understanding of Cisco’s overall strategy.
- Engage in cross‑functional projects as a legal subject‑matter expert.
- Develop and deliver presentations/legal trainings on a wide range of compliance and regulatory topics for the Sales team and local management.
Minimum Qualifications
- You have at least 5 years of commercial and corporate experience obtained at a top law firm, or multinational legal department.
- You have excellent written and verbal skills in English and German; fluency in French or other European languages will be considered a plus.
- You have supported complex commercial contract negotiations for large enterprises and public/state‑run entities.
- You have extensive knowledge of technology contract matters including intellectual property, software licensing, managed services, cloud and software‑as‑a‑service agreements, data protection and security and possibly also artificial intelligence.
- You possess seasoned judgment to advise on a wide range of regulatory and compliance matters in the context of the operations of a multinational corporation.
- You have a track record of driving change efficiently and leading key projects that make a durable impact in the legal department.
Preferred Qualifications
- You possess exceptional drafting skills, a keen eye for detail, and a creative perspective.
- You are prepared to support and help finalize dynamic, complex sales agreements, even under tight deadlines and demanding processes.
- You approach challenges as an enabler, demonstrating a dedicated, flexible, and proactive “can-do” attitude, guided by sound judgment.
- You embrace a growth mindset and continuously seek opportunities for learning and improvement.
- You demonstrate leadership and confidently take ownership of your work.
- You are a collaborative team player, committed to building strong relationships with business clients and global colleagues alike.
- You communicate ideas clearly and persuasively, both in writing and verbally.
- You bring strong organizational skills, enabling effective management of multiple projects simultaneously.
- You excel in highly automated environments, utilizing digital tools and communication systems efficiently.
- You maintain an open and ethical mindset and bring a sense of humor to your work.
