Head of Legal Governance and Investigations

Are you a broad and strategic legal professional who enjoys looking beyond individual matters to understand the bigger picture? Would you like to help shape how ASSA ABLOY responds to an increasingly complex regulatory environment?

We are looking for a Head of Legal Governance & Investigations to join Group Legal at ASSA ABLOY. This is a strategic Group-level role with the opportunity to strengthen our legal governance framework, develop more effective ways of monitoring compliance and support the Group in navigating emerging regulatory requirements.

The role reports to the VP & General Counsel and can be based at ASSA ABLOY HQ in Stockholm or in Malmö.

The opportunity

The regulatory landscape is evolving rapidly, with increasing requirements in areas such as cybersecurity, data protection, AI governance and digital regulation. At the same time, ASSA ABLOY’s decentralized operating model requires governance frameworks that provide clear direction while preserving divisional accountability and operational autonomy.

In this role, you will help translate external developments into relevant priorities, policies, controls and guidance for ASSA ABLOY. Rather than acting as an operational compliance officer within the divisions, you will take a Group-wide perspective, identifying what is strategically important and developing practical frameworks that enable the organization to respond effectively.

A key part of the role will also be to improve how governance and compliance information is collected, structured and reported. You will explore how digital tools, data and potentially AI can support more systematic monitoring, reduce manual information gathering and improve the quality of decision-making and external reporting.

What you will do

As Head of Legal Governance & Investigations, you will:

• Monitor regulatory and legal developments and assess their strategic relevance to the ASSA ABLOY Group.
• Translate regulatory developments into Group policies, directives, guidelines, internal controls and governance frameworks.
• Develop, maintain and oversee the implementation of governance and compliance frameworks across areas including corporate governance, data protection and privacy, digital compliance, competition and antitrust, anti-corruption and trade compliance.
• Develop and, where appropriate, deliver training and awareness materials, including relevant parts of the Code of Conduct, within those areas.
• Oversee high-risk whistleblowing reports and internal investigations and, where appropriate, support, manage or coordinate investigations in collaboration with HR, Internal Audit and relevant specialist functions.
• Provide legal guidance on whistleblowing and investigation requirements and oversee relevant digital governance and compliance tools.
• Help maintain an effective balance between Group governance and the operational autonomy and accountability of ASSA ABLOY’s divisions.
• Support the VP & General Counsel and other Group functions with high-quality data and reporting for governance forums, including the Audit Committee, key external stakeholders, including investors and lenders, and mandatory corporate governance and sustainability disclosures
• Develop more systematic approaches to collecting, structuring and reporting governance and compliance data across the Group. Explore how digital solutions and new technologies can improve monitoring, reporting and access to reliable compliance information.

How you will work

This is a broad, strategic and collaborative role. You will work primarily at Group level, partnering with Group functions and legal and compliance specialists across the organization. You will not be expected to manage compliance operationally within the divisions. Instead, you will create the frameworks, policies and tools that help the wider organization operate consistently and effectively.

You will gather input from the divisions and specialist functions to understand where existing frameworks work well and where they need to evolve. Success will require the ability to influence through expertise, relationships and sound judgement rather than through direct operational authority.

Working closely with Group Legal, divisional legal and compliance teams, as well as Internal Audit, Information Security, HR, Sustainability, Treasury, Investor Relations and other key corporate functions, you will play a central role in strengthening governance and compliance across ASSA ABLOY

You will also serve as a member of the Group Code of Conduct Committee.

Who you are

We are looking for someone with a broad legal or compliance background who is curious about the business and interested in understanding what is strategically important to ASSA ABLOY as a global Group.

You are comfortable looking beyond individual legal matters and considering the wider implications for governance, risk, reputation and business priorities. You enjoy developing frameworks and improving ways of working, and you are motivated by creating practical structures that work in an international, decentralized organization.

You are likely to bring:

• A master’s degree in Law or another relevant discipline.
• At least seven years of professional experience within legal, governance, compliance, risk or a related area.
• A broad legal and regulatory background, with experience across several relevant areas rather than a narrow specialization.
• Experience managing complex legal or regulatory matters across different jurisdictions.
• Knowledge of digital and data regulation, preferably including GDPR, AI governance, NIS2 and/or DORA.
• Experience in one or more traditional compliance areas, such as trade compliance, competition law, anti-corruption, whistleblowing or internal investigations.
• A solid understanding of Swedish corporate governance.
• Experience developing policies, governance frameworks, controls or other forms of organizational guidance.
• Strong project management skills and experience leading cross-functional initiatives.
• The ability to communicate complex matters clearly and influence stakeholders across functions and geographies.
• Experience with governance, risk and compliance tools, data-driven reporting, supplier governance or knowledge management would also be relevant.
• Experience from an international, decentralized organization is highly valued.
• A CIPP certification, M&A experience and experience from a law firm are considered advantages.
• Fluency in spoken and written English and Swedish.

What will make you successful

To succeed in this role, you will need to combine legal credibility with strategic perspective and intellectual curiosity. You understand how regulatory developments connect to ASSA ABLOY’s business, direction and responsibilities as a global listed company.

You are comfortable working with complex and sometimes incomplete information, bringing structure to broad topics and determining what requires Group-level action. You take a pragmatic approach and can develop governance that provides appropriate oversight without creating unnecessary complexity for the divisions.

You should also have a genuine interest in how data and technology can strengthen governance, improve reporting and enable more efficient ways of working.

We review applications regularly, so don’t wait!

Just set up your profile and apply,no later than 30th of September. To make sure your personal data is safe, we don’t look at any applications sent by email or post. If you have any questions about the role or the process, email Camilla Heneby, Executive Search, at camilla.heneby@assaabloy.com

We are the ASSA ABLOY Group
Our people have made us the global leader in access solutions. In return, we open doors for them wherever they go. With nearly 63,000 colleagues in more than 70 different countries, we help billions of people experience a more open world. Our innovations make all sorts of spaces – physical and virtual – safer, more secure, and easier to access. 

As an employer, we value results – not titles, or backgrounds. We empower our people to build their career around their aspirations and our ambitions – supporting them with regular feedback, training, and development opportunities. Our colleagues think broadly about where they can make the most impact, and we encourage them to grow their role locally, regionally, or even internationally.

As we welcome new people on board, it’s important to us to have diverse, inclusive teams, and we value different perspectives and experiences.