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Legal Counsel

Destinus

Hengelo
Full-time
5-10 years experience
On-site

Key Skills

Commercial Law
Dutch Law
Contract Drafting
Contract Negotiation
Commercial Contracts
Joint Development Agreements
Intellectual Property Protection
Corporate Governance
Cross-Border Legal Matters
Stakeholder Management
Legal Technology
Process Automation
Contract Lifecycle Management
Risk Assessment
Business-Oriented Legal Advice
English Fluency

Job Description

About The Role Imagine an opportunity to step into a role where law meets innovation, strategy, and global impact. As part of our legal team, you will work on high-impact commercial and corporate matters in a fast-moving, international environment at the intersection of defence and advanced technology. Your work will directly support the company's expansion, helping navigate complex legal landscapes while enabling bold ideas to become reality. In this role, you will play a key part in supporting the company's growth, strategic transactions, and corporate governance as Destinus continues to scale internationally. Working across multiple jurisdictions, you will collaborate closely with internal stakeholders and leadership to ensure our operations move forward with confidence, clarity, and strong legal foundations. At Destinus, we are revolutionizing the defense industry with cutting-edge Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). Our innovative technologies are designed to meet the unique demands of modern defense operations, delivering unparalleled speed, precision, and cost effectiveness. Destinus partners with government agencies and defense organizations worldwide to provide advanced solutions for mission-critical operations, enabling a new era of efficiency and technological superiority. Join us in shaping the future of defense with groundbreaking aerospace innovations. What You'll Do Draft, negotiate, and manage commercial contracts across procurement (e.g. supply of goods and services, contract manufacturing) and sales (e.g. tenders, consultancy, agency and distributor agreements) Negotiate and structure Joint Development Agreements (JDAs) with technical partners, aligning legal terms with business objectives while protecting the company's intellectual property, commercial interests, and collaborative development goals Draft, review, and negotiate a wide range of legal documentation Collaborate closely with senior leadership, finance, strategy, and external counsel on strategic projects Contribute to the continuous improvement of legal processes, templates, and policy frameworks, including the use of legal tech and automation tools to enable self-service Provide pragmatic, business-oriented legal advice in a fast-paced, high-growth environment Requirements What You'll Need 5-10 years of post-qualification experience at a reputable international law firm and/or in-house legal department Strong experience in commercial law A strong foundation in Dutch law, combined with an interest in comparative legal systems. International experience or exposure is considered a plus. In-house experience in an industrial startup, scale-up, or international environment is advantageous You see legal as a business accelerator. You are proactive, hands-on, and capable of managing the "Buy-side," and "Sell-side," simultaneously. Affinity with legal technology and process automation. Experience with contract lifecycle management tools is considered a plus Strong drafting and negotiation skills with attention to detail Commercial, pragmatic mindset with the ability to balance business objectives and legal risks Strong interpersonal and stakeholder management skills Fluent in English Who You Are You are a driven legal professional who thrives in dynamic, international environments where complexity is the norm and impact is real. Comfortable navigating cross-border legal matters, you enjoy working at the intersection of commercial strategy, corporate governance, and innovation while supporting high impact commercial and corporate initiatives. With a proactive mindset and strong sense of ownership, you help the business scale globally by balancing legal precision with practical solutions that move the company forward.

Core Responsibilities

Draft, negotiate, and manage commercial contracts, including procurement, sales, and joint development agreements, while protecting the company's intellectual property and commercial interests. Advise leadership and internal stakeholders on strategic projects, corporate governance, and cross-border matters, and improve legal processes through templates, technology, and automation.

Requirements

Requires 5–10 years of post-qualification experience at a reputable international law firm and/or in-house legal department, strong commercial law experience, and a foundation in Dutch law. Candidates should have excellent drafting and negotiation skills, a pragmatic business mindset, strong stakeholder management abilities, and fluent English; international or in-house scale-up experience and legal technology familiarity are advantageous.

About Destinus

Industry: Defense and Space Manufacturing

Company size: 1,001-5,000 employees

Destinus builds Europe’s capacity to strike, defend, and replenish at scale. We design and manufacture cruise missiles, guided rockets, ballistic systems, and interceptors. Behind them sits a vertically integrated base of propulsion, warheads, autonomy, and critical manufacturing. Destinus turns European engineering into sovereign military capability. Produced across Europe. Owned in Europe. Made for Europe.

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