Group Legal Counsel – Environment & Sustainability

Group Legal Counsel – Environment & Sustainability, AB Volvo


Volvo Group
The Volvo Group drives prosperity through transport and infrastructure solutions, offering trucks, buses, construction equipment, power solutions for marine and industrial applications, financing and services that increase our customers’ uptime and productivity. Founded in 1927, the Volvo Group is committed to shaping the future landscape of sustainable transport and infrastructure solutions. The Volvo Group is headquartered in Gothenburg, Sweden, employs almost 100.000 people and serves customers in more than 190 markets.


Group Legal Counsel, AB Volvo
We are now looking for a Group Legal Counsel to strengthen our team with particular focus on environment and climate transition. Your areas of responsibility will include the full range of Group sustainability matters, including development and support of Group climate & environmental risk management, providing transactional and day-to-day legal support on environmental topics, driving development of the Group’s statutory climate reporting and maintaining a full overview of ESG legislation relevant for the Group, but also general transaction and corporate matters that are part of Group Legal’s regular operations. The position offers:
a varied role in a fast-paced department, with exciting challenges for people passionate about their work,
the opportunity to work with a high executive level in a global environment, together with highly skilled colleagues,
learning and development opportunities in line with Group ambitions, and
a friendly, collaborative and professional working environment, where your personal contribution will make a difference.

The Group Legal team
Group Legal is the legal department of the Volvo Group headquarters. We are a team of 16 legal professionals in Gothenburg that supports the Group General Counsel with management of matters involving significant legal risks for the Group, the coordination of the Group legal function and expert legal advice on a broad range of operational and strategic matters, including Group corporate and governance, M&A and partnerships, treasury & finance, employment, real estate, technology & IT and environment and sustainability.
The Legal & Compliance function take pride in enabling fair business. We are trusted strategic partners to the business, safeguarding the Volvo Group Code of Conduct. Wherever we are in the Volvo Group, we strive to:
have a business mindset, working proactively and looking for solutions
be trusted partners with integrity and independence, daring to give unwelcome advice when needed
be engaged team players, supporting each other
continue to learn and develop to stay ahead, being open minded and welcoming feedback
excel in our everyday work, being empowered to act and taking full responsibility for legal and compliance risk management

Some of the things you will do as Group Legal Counsel include:
work closely together with the Group’s Environmental Director to develop, implement and support strategy, policies and programs to reduce Group’s environmental impact, considering legal risks associated with climate change and the ESG agenda more broadly,
help develop and support Group climate & environmental risk management, climate scenario analysis and other strategic projects,
provide legal support to Investor Relations, Corporate Responsibility and other Group functions and business areas with specific focus on ESG developments, including taxonomies, disclosure & reporting, green capital markets initiatives and carbon pricing,
maintain a full overview of ESG legislation, and proactively report on sustainability trends to Group Management and other internal stakeholders on a regular basis,
take active part in responding to various environmental challenges, including incident response, regulatory investigations and enforcement support,
provide transactional and day-to-day legal support, including advising on due diligence and mitigation of identified environmental risks as well as on permit requirements and ongoing environmental compliance activities (including in corporate, real estate and project matters),
drive development of Group’s statutory climate reporting, in line with coming standards,
engage and coordinate high-quality external advisors, and build and maintain a network and other channels as required to stay on top of developments within ESG,
contribute to internal knowledge development and sharing within the Group in the ESG area, including running of training programs and development of processes, tools and ways of working,
collaborate and partner with key stakeholders across the business, including management teams, the Group environmental network, project managers and other legal teams in the Group; seek to understand needs, help to inform, advise and promote best practices.

You should have:
A university degree in law
At least 7 years of qualified work experience, including as a lawyer from a well renowned law firm
Extensive experience working with environmental and sustainability matters
Solid interest in business operations, with an ambition to learn and develop into new areas as the automotive industry transforms
Proven ability to solve problems in an international environment
Excellent communication skills; proficiency in English

You may also have experience as in-house counsel, preferably from a listed company and/or from compliance or legal operations, and/or from running an in-house team or advanced project management.


Improving ways of working and finding solutions is part of our everyday job, so work will require a bias for action and a can-do attitude. And with people at the center of what we do, you will need to be keen to engage with team members and others and build relationships to thrive in the role.


The position reports to the SVP Head of Group Legal. Travel will be required occasionally (in normal circumstances).


For more information please contact Ulf Rapp, SVP Group Legal, +46 706003920


Kindly note that due to GDPR, we will not accept applications via mail. Please use our career site.