Senior Legal Counsel - Data Protection & Privacy

Senior Legal Counsel – Data Protection & Privacy

This is a senior legal role within Sky’s Group Data Privacy function, supporting the delivery of Sky’s data protection strategy and governance framework with a specific focus on AI adoption and usage.

Reporting to the Head Counsel – Data Protection & Privacy, you will play a key role in advising on complex UK and EU data protection matters, translating legal requirements into practical, operational guidance and supporting the implementation of scalable governance across the business.

You will work across a broad range of data, digital and AI-related issues, partnering closely with Legal, Data Protection Operations, Cyber, Technology, Sky Data and Commercial teams to ensure that Sky’s data use is compliant, responsible and enables innovation and growth.

The role also supports cross-market alignment across the UK, Ireland and Italy, helping to embed consistent legal standards while recognising local regulatory requirements.

What You’ll Do

Legal Advice & Support

• Provide high-quality, pragmatic legal advice on UK GDPR, EU GDPR, ePrivacy, AI-related privacy issues and related data protection laws in connection with Sky’s use of customer, workforce and contributor data.
• Lead or support the Head Counsel on complex, high-risk and strategic matters, including product launches, commercial initiatives and regulatory issues.
• Provide practical, risk-based advice to business stakeholders on BAU data protection issues.
• Support the development of clear, defensible legal positions and documentation.

AI & Emerging Regulation

• Lead or materially contribute to legal assessment and practical solutions for complex AI and data-driven use cases, ensuring compliance with GDPR, privacy by design principles and emerging AI regulation while enabling responsible innovation.
• Support Sky’s readiness for the EU AI Act, cyber regulation and other emerging digital regulation.
• Develop creative, pragmatic and legally defensible approaches to novel AI, , cyber and digital regulatory challenges, balancing regulatory risk with commercial objectives.
• Contribute to horizon scanning and translate regulatory developments into practical guidance.

Legal Governance & Framework Implementation

• Support the implementation of the Group’s data protection legal framework across business areas.
• Advise on DPIAs, LIAs, data sharing, international transfers, retention and high-risk processing activities.
• Help ensure consistency and quality in legal advice and decision-making across teams.
• Identify recurring risk themes and support remediation and process improvement.

Partnership with Data Protection Operations

• Work closely with the DPO and DP Operations teams and related business operational teams to align legal requirements with operational processes.
• Support the embedding of scalable policies, controls and governance mechanisms.
• Advise on data incident and breach response where required.
• Help define and apply legal guardrails and escalation thresholds in practice.
• Contribute to a “one privacy function” approach across legal and operational teams.

Consent, Marketing & Digital

• Advise on consent frameworks, customer preferences and marketing practices.
• Support legal oversight of digital products, advertising technology and data-driven use cases.
• Ensure compliance with legal and regulatory expectations on transparency, fairness and customer rights.

Cross-Market Collaboration

• Work with local market legal and DP teams in Ireland and Italy to support consistent application of standards.
• Provide input on cross-border data protection issues and regulatory developments.
• Help promote best practice and knowledge sharing across markets.

Regulatory & Risk Support

• Support engagement with regulators (e.g. ICO, DPC) including responses to queries and investigations.
• Assist with regulatory submissions and documentation.
• Ensure robust record-keeping and defensible decision-making.

Team Contribution & Development

• Contribute to a collaborative, high-performing and inclusive team culture aligned with Sky’s Values.
• Provide coaching and support to junior team members where appropriate.
• Build strong relationships with stakeholders across Legal and the wider business.
• Support delivery of the Data Privacy team’s objectives and broader Legal priorities.

What You’ll Bring

Essential:

• UK or equivalent qualified lawyer with significant post-qualification experience advising on complex UK and EU data protection matters in-house and/or in private practice.
• Proven track record of advising on and implementing legally defensible solutions for complex AI, machine learning and advanced data use cases, applying deep knowledge of UK GDPR, EU GDPR and privacy by design principles to enable innovation while effectively managing regulatory risk.
• Demonstrable experience influencing senior stakeholders and shaping strategic decisions on high-profile, business-critical privacy, data and AI initiatives.
• Deep expertise in UK GDPR, EU GDPR, ePrivacy and related regulatory frameworks, with the ability to apply legal principles creatively and pragmatically to complex business, technology and AI use cases.
• Experience advising on privacy issues relating to content services, advertising technology (AdTech), audience measurement, marketing technologies, digital products and data-driven customer experiences.
• Experience providing practical, risk-based legal advice to business stakeholders.
• Strong analytical skills and ability to translate complex legal requirements into clear guidance.
• Ability to work collaboratively across functions in a fast-paced environment.
• Commercial awareness and interest in data-driven business models.
• A positive, collaborative approach and enjoyment of working with stakeholders across the business.

Desirable:

• Experience in media, telecommunications, technology or digital sectors.
• Experience advising within a media, telecommunications or technology organisation operating across a broad range of services and products.
• Experience working in a large, matrixed organisation.
• Familiarity with cross-border data protection issues.
• Familiarity with emerging cyber and digital regulation.
• Experience advising on data protection issues in the content space (e.g. news, production, sports)  
• Experience supporting governance frameworks or transformation programmes.

Benefits and perks

There's one thing people can't stop talking about when it comes to life at Sky: the perks. Here’s a taster:

• Free Sky TV, including Sky Sports and Sky Cinema 
• Pension package with up to 9% employer contribution
• Private healthcare with mental health support
• Aviva Digital GP and dental insurance
• Discounts on Sky products, including Sky Mobile, Sky Broadband, Sky Glass and Sky Protect
• Sharesave and Tech schemes
• A range of Sky VIP rewards and experiences

How you’ll work

At Sky, we want to be a community that thrives by being together. Flexible working remains a key part of that. We want our people to have the best of both worlds: time working at home, as well as time in the office.

The hybrid working expectations for this role are 3 days in the office per week.

Your office base 

Osterley

Our Sky Group HQ. Equipped with state-of-the-art technology and workspaces, there’s plenty of space to see your big ideas come to life. Here you’ll find 13 subsidised restaurants and cafes. You can re-energise at our gym, catch the latest films at our cinema, get your car washed and even get pampered at our beauty salon.Our Osterley Campus is just a 10-minute walk from Syon Lane train station, or you can get one of our free shuttle buses from Osterley, Gunnersbury and Ealing Broadway stations. Plus, there’s free onsite parking available for cars, motorbikes and bicycles.

Who we are

We’re Sky, a leading media and entertainment company who connect millions with entertainment, sports, news and arts through innovative products and services. Working with us means you’ll be bringing the joy of a better experience to more people, every day. All so we can do better and deliver better for our customers, colleagues and society.

We’re an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We're a Disability Confident Accredited Employer, and welcome and encourage applications from all candidates. We will look to ensure a fair and consistent experience for all and will make reasonable adjustments to support you where appropriate. Please flag any adjustments you need as early as you can.

Just so you know: if your application is successful, we’ll ask you to complete a criminal record check. And depending on the role you have applied for and the nature of any convictions you may have, we might have to withdraw the offer.

To be eligible for this role you are required to have the appropriate right to work in the UK. Please be aware Sky does not offer sponsorship for this position.

To find out more about working with us, search #LifeAtSky on social media.

Please note: We reserve the right to close this advertisement at any time once we have received a sufficient number of applications