Assistant General Counsel- Head of North America Privacy (Chicago)

Posting Description

Aon is seeking an experienced privacy attorney to lead our North America privacy advisory function. Reporting to the Managing Counsel for Global Cyber and Americas Privacy, you will be the lead attorney for the Global Privacy and Data Trust Office in North America. You will work closely with the business, colleagues in the Law & Compliance department and GPDTO, the US risk team, cybersecurity, IT, and others to provide insight on privacy laws and regulations in North America and help protect Aon and grow its business.

With the ability to work both from our Chicago office three days per week, this position is a hybrid role.

Aon is in the business of better decisions

At Aon, we shape decisions for the better to protect and enrich the lives of people around the world.

As an organization, we are united through trust as one engaged team, and we are passionate about helping our colleagues and clients succeed.

What the day will look like

• Provide privacy and cyber legal advice to business, Law & Compliance, risk, cybersecurity, and other internal stakeholders
• Manage a high-performing team with a focus on excellent business and client service, risk-based advice, and coaching/growth
• Negotiate high-risk/large enterprise client privacy and data protection agreements
• Oversee and provide legal advice on privacy and security incidents
• Set strategic direction and priorities for North America privacy advisory function
• Stay up-to-date on emerging privacy and cyber trends, laws, regulations, enforcement actions, and settlements in your region and provide information and updates to key partners
• Advise and assist privacy assurance team colleagues on implementation of programs for new laws and regulations
• Advise on the privacy and cyber law aspects of acquisitions and other M&A activities
• Collaborate with colleagues across the company on privacy and cyber related projects
• Manage the North America privacy advisory function, ensuring adherence to benchmarks, conducting reporting/metrics, and identifying and implementing improvements

How this opportunity is different

This is a unique opportunity to lead and shape a complex privacy program across the North America, partnering directly with senior business leaders to influence strategy and navigate evolving privacy risks. Beyond providing legal guidance, you'll coach and develop a skilled team, drive continuous improvement, and help build innovative, practical solutions that support business growth while maintaining a strong culture of compliance and risk management.

Skills and experience that will lead to success

• Licensed attorney with at least 7 years of experience in privacy, with increasing responsibility in an in-house environment. Experience in a highly regulated, B2B industry is a plus
• Managed a high-performing team, coached team members to improve their skills and abilities, and enjoy team management
• Strong experience with privacy and cyber laws, including CCPA, GLBA, PIPEDA, and NYDFS
• Led complex and high-stakes privacy contract negotiations, particularly with potential business clients. You have excellent client management and negotiation skills
• Led data breach response, from the investigation stage through notification and regulator communications
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills. You can explain complex topics in an understandable way to business or non-attorney colleagues
• Business-focused and strategic.
• Skilled at balancing risk analysis and risk/business
• The ideal candidate is curious and has a continuous improvement mindset; eager to find new and better ways to do things, level up your and your team’s skills and abilities, and find efficiencies
• Financial industry/insurance industry experience a plus
• In-house experience is a must
• Knowledgeable about GLBA, NYDFS, CCPA
• Privacy and tech contracting; Incident management experience a must

For positions in San Francisco and Los Angeles, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction record in accordance with local Fair Chance ordinances.

Aon is not accepting unsolicited resumes from search firms for this position. If you are a search firm, you will not be compensated in any way for your submission of a candidate, even if Aon hires that candidate.

Nothing in this job description restricts management's right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time.

Pay Transparency Laws:

The salary range for this position (intended for U.S. applicants) is $200,000 - $220,000 annually. The actual salary will vary based on applicant’s education, experience, skills, and abilities, as well as internal equity and alignment with market data. The salary may also be adjusted based on applicant’s geographic location.

This position is eligible to participate in one of Aon’s annual incentive plans to receive an annual discretionary bonus in addition to base salary. The amount of any bonus varies and is subject to the terms and conditions of the applicable incentive plan.

Aon offers a comprehensive package of benefits for full-time and regular part-time colleagues, including, but not limited to: a 401(k) savings plan with employer contributions; an employee stock purchase plan; consideration for long-term incentive awards at Aon’s discretion; medical, dental and vision insurance, various types of leaves of absence, paid time off, including 12 paid holidays throughout the calendar year, 15 days of paid vacation per year, paid sick leave as provided under state and local paid sick leave laws, short-term disability and optional long-term disability, health savings account, health care and dependent care reimbursement accounts, employee and dependent life insurance and supplemental life and AD&D insurance; optional personal insurance policies, adoption assistance, tuition assistance, commuter benefits, and an employee assistance program that includes free counseling sessions. Eligibility for benefits is governed by the applicable plan documents and policies.

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