[Hiring] Legal Counsel, Privacy @The Nielsen Company

Role Description

The Legal Counsel II, Privacy & Data Protection will provide practical, business-oriented legal advice on U.S. and global privacy matters across Nielsen’s products, services, commercial relationships, and internal operations. This role will support the development and operation of Nielsen’s privacy program and partner closely with various business teams.

• Advise on privacy compliance, data governance, and risk mitigation for business operations, products, data partnerships, and commercial transactions.
• Apply expanded knowledge and experience in privacy and data protection law while continuing to develop higher-level expertise.
• Solve a range of privacy and commercial legal problems using sound judgment, established frameworks, and practical business analysis.
• Draft, review and negotiate complex data protection exhibits on both the buy-side and sell-side.
• Receive moderate guidance and direction while taking ownership of assigned matters and workstreams.

Responsibilities

• Provide day-to-day legal guidance on U.S. federal and state privacy laws, including the CCPA/CPRA and the evolving patchwork of comprehensive state privacy statutes.
• Maintain an in-depth working knowledge of U.S. state privacy regulations and translate legal developments into clear, actionable guidance, contract language, policies, notices, processes, and implementation requirements.
• Draft, review, and negotiate data processing agreements (DPAs), data protection and security terms, data use and sharing agreements, and related privacy provisions in commercial contracts.
• Conduct and support privacy impact assessments (PIAs/DPIAs) for products, features, data uses, partnerships, and other initiatives.
• Conduct privacy due diligence on third parties, vendors, customers, and strategic partners.
• Advise on advertising technology, audience measurement, analytics, identity, cookies, pixels, SDKs, targeted advertising, consent and preference management, and data monetization.
• Partner with various stakeholders to assess proposed data collection, use, disclosure, retention, and deletion activities.
• Support privacy incident and data breach response, consumer and data subject rights escalations, regulatory inquiries, audits, and other privacy compliance matters.
• Contribute to privacy program materials, including policies, procedures, playbooks, templates, training, records of processing, data inventories, and compliance reporting.
• Monitor changes in privacy and data protection laws and enforcement trends, assess their impact on Nielsen’s business, and communicate concise recommendations to stakeholders.
• Manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced, global environment and provide clear, timely, and pragmatic advice.

Role-Level Expectations

• Understands key business drivers and uses this understanding to accomplish assigned work.
• Solves standard and moderately complex problems by analyzing possible solutions using experience, judgment, and precedent.
• Has no supervisory responsibilities but may provide guidance to new associates or colleagues.
• Explains privacy and legal information to others in straightforward and actionable terms.
• Requires expanded conceptual knowledge in privacy and data protection while developing additional skill sets.
• Impacts the quality of own work and the work of the team while operating within applicable guidelines and policies.

Qualifications

• 2 - 5 years of experience practicing privacy, data protection, technology, commercial, or related legal work.
• J.D. or equivalent legal qualification and admission to at least one U.S. state bar.
• At least 2 years of experience with U.S. state privacy regulations, including the CCPA/CPRA.
• At least 2 years of experience conducting or supporting DPIAs/PIAs and privacy risk assessments.
• Demonstrated experience drafting, reviewing, and negotiating DPAs and other privacy-related contract terms.
• Strong legal research, writing, negotiation, analytical, and issue-spotting skills.
• Ability to work collaboratively with cross-functional and international teams.

Preferred Qualifications

• Knowledge of APAC privacy and data protection regulations, particularly India’s Digital Personal Data Protection framework, Australia’s Privacy Act, or South Korea’s Personal Information Protection Act.
• CIPP/US certification is a significant advantage.
• Adtech, Martech, media measurement, audience analytics, data licensing, or digital advertising experience is strongly preferred.
• Familiarity with the GDPR/UK GDPR, international data transfers, and related contractual mechanisms.
• Familiarity with consent and preference management, IAB frameworks, privacy management tools, data mapping, and records of processing activities.
• Additional privacy certification, such as CIPM, CIPT, or an equivalent credential, is a plus.

Benefits

• Comprehensive health and wellness plans.
• 401(k) with a Nielsen company match.
• A generous paid time off policy.
• Depending on the role, additional benefits may include a company-provided vehicle and/or discretionary incentive/bonus eligibility.

Compensation Transparency

The posted base salary range is a reasonable estimate that may be adjusted based on the final work location of the selected employee. Individual pay within the range is determined by factors such as experience, training, geography, certifications, and business needs. Beyond base salary, this role may be eligible for bonuses, equity, or other incentives.