Group head of intellectual property and data protection

The opportunity

To strengthen our global Legal, IP & Risk function, we are looking for a Group Head of Intellectual Property & Data Protection. This senior legal role combines leadership of Drylock’s global IP portfolio with responsibility for data protection and NIS2-related legal matters.

You will work closely with R&D, Category Management, Operations, IT and senior management. You will connect innovation and business priorities with clear legal strategies, robust portfolio management and pragmatic implementation. The role combines hands‑on day‑to‑day work with significant strategic projects across the group.

1. Product Protection | approximately 65%

Lead the legal protection of Drylock’s product, material, process and manufacturing innovations through patents, know-how, freedom‑to‑operate analysis, prosecution, licensing and enforcement. The role acts as the principal internal IP contact and the key link between R&D, the business and external patent counsel.

DAY-TO-DAY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Manage the global patent portfolio throughout its lifecycle, including inventor formalities, annuities, deadlines and records.
• Assess, define and lead the appropriate legal and IP response to innovation and third‑party rights issues, including continued monitoring, freedom‑to‑operate analyses, oppositions, enforcement actions, prosecution strategy, protective letters, licensing and other protection measures, using external patent counsel where appropriate.
• Assess innovations presented through the agreed R&D review process and decide, jointly with R&D, what, where and how to protect, including drafting proposals of technical claims and deciding on protection strategy, filing territories, patent drafting, prosecution and portfolio development.

STRATEGIC RESPONSIBILITIES

• Jointly wiht R&D, define and implement Drylock’s global product protection and patent strategy.
• Establish and continuously improve the governance and decision framework for identifying, assessing and protecting innovations.
• Build portfolio insight linking technologies, patents, products, countries and business priorities.
• Lead IP workstreams in major patent disputes, strategic licences, collaborations, M&A and technology commercialisation.
• Support Finance and Tax on innovation deduction, transfer pricing, IP valuation and portfolio optimisation.

2. Brand Protection | approximately 15%

Protect and strengthen Drylock’s trademarks, designs, product appearance, packaging and digital brand assets in close cooperation with Category Management, Sales and other business stakeholders.

DAY-TO-DAY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Manage global trademark and design portfolios with external counsel, including filings, renewals, watches, evidence of use and records.
• Coordinate legal clearance for names, logos, claims, packaging, product appearance, prints and domain names.
• Connect registered rights with actual commercial use, ownership, countries, channels, launches and phase‑outs.
• Advise on ownership, licensing, permitted use and contractual allocation of Drylock‑owned and customer‑owned brand assets.
• Coordinate evidence capture, escalation and proportionate enforcement.

STRATEGIC RESPONSIBILITIES

• Develop and implement a global brand and design protection strategy.
• Define what Drylock protects, how, where and for how long, and rationalise the portfolio accordingly.
• Establish practical intake, approval and decision processes for new brands, designs and packaging concepts.
• Strengthen coordination between Legal, IP & Risk, Category Management, Sales and the wider business.

3. Data Protection, Privacy & NIS2 | approximately 20%

Provide practical legal support on data protection and privacy and support the group’s NIS2 readiness and ongoing compliance in cooperation with IT, Information Security, Risk, HR and relevant business teams.

DAY-TO-DAY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Advise on GDPR and privacy matters involving employee, customer and business data.
• Support data sharing, transparency, retention, processor arrangements and international data transfers.
• Maintain practical privacy policies, templates, records, assessments and awareness materials.
• Coordinate legal support for data incidents and personal data breach response.
• Support cybersecurity‑related legal matters and regulatory obligations.
• Monitor relevant legal developments and translate them into proportionate actions.

STRATEGIC RESPONSIBILITIES

• Strengthen group‑wide privacy governance and embed privacy requirements in key business initiatives.
• Support NIS2 implementation and ongoing compliance, including responsibilities, risk‑management measures, incident reporting, supply‑chain considerations, documentation and awareness.
• Develop clear privacy and NIS2 implementation roadmaps and management reporting.
• Partner with IT, Information Security and Risk on cybersecurity governance and incident readiness.

How you will work

• Act as a senior legal business partner across functions and geographies.
• Understand technical and commercial context and translate it into clear legal and IP strategies.
• Use structured intake, decision points, documented outcomes and portfolio reporting to make support scalable and traceable.
• Provide concise, pragmatic advice focused on decisions and implementation.
• Build effective working relationships with internal stakeholders and external advisers.
• Balance day‑to‑day portfolio management with complex, business‑critical projects.

Your profile

• A master’s degree in law, intellectual property or another relevant discipline, or equivalent education and professional experience.
• Significant experience in intellectual property law and portfolio management, ideally in an industrial, manufacturing or technology‑driven environment.
• Strong experience with patents and the ability to advise credibly on product, material, process and manufacturing innovations.
• Ability to understand technical subject matter and work effectively with R&D teams, inventors and external patent counsel. A technical or scientific degree, patent attorney qualification or comparable technical IP experience is an advantage.
• Experience with trademarks and designs, including portfolio management, clearance, licensing or enforcement.
• Experience managing external patent attorneys, law firms and IP service providers.
• Working knowledge of European data protection and privacy law. Experience with cybersecurity and NIS2 is an advantage.
• Experience with patent litigation, freedom‑to‑operate projects, licensing, strategic collaborations or IP aspects of M&A is an advantage.
• Senior, pragmatic and hands‑on, with sound judgement, strong ownership and a commercial mindset.
• An effective communicator who can simplify complexity without losing legal accuracy.
• Comfortable working internationally and managing multiple priorities. Fluent in English; Dutch and additional languages are an advantage.

What success looks like:

Innovation flow

Potential innovations are identified and assessed through a clear cross‑functional process, with timely and documented protection decisions.

Patent portfolio

The portfolio is actively managed and aligned with relevant technologies, products, markets and business priorities.

IP risk and enforcement

Relevant third‑party rights and infringement matters are identified, escalated and addressed through proportionate legal strategies.

Brand protection

Drylock has a focused trademark and design portfolio supported by practical clearance, use and enforcement processes.

Data protection

Privacy requirements are embedded in relevant projects and data uses through workable advice, controls and documentation.

NIS2 readiness

Legal obligations are translated into clear responsibilities, incident readiness and a traceable compliance roadmap.

What we offer

• A visible international role within a growing global organisation.
• Direct involvement in innovation, strategic projects and business‑critical decisions.
• A broad remit across product protection, brand protection and data protection.
• The opportunity to shape and further professionalise Drylock’s global IP and privacy frameworks.
• Close collaboration with senior leadership and key stakeholders worldwide.

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