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Recruiting talent for legal, regulatory & public affairs role

 
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The sector

Belgium's market for legal, regulatory, and public affairs talent is regaining momentum - especially in Brussels - with renewed hiring after a period of caution. Organizations are targeting talent with strategic regulation and policy expertise, especially in sustainability, digital, and compliance domains. While permanent employment remains dominant, interim/freelance opportunities are rising for niche project-based needs. 
 

Our expertise 

Candidates in legal, regulatory, and public affairs will often test us on credibility— it is critical to be able to describe the role’s strategic impact and reporting lines. In this area, accuracy, discretion, and stakeholder influence are just as important as technical skills. 

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We understand the technical aspect of: 

  • Core legal functions: corporate law, contracts, litigation, M&A, intellectual property, employment law. 
  • Regulatory focus areas: compliance, risk management, anti-bribery & corruption, AML/KYC, data privacy (GDPR, CCPA). 
  • Public affairs scope: government relations, lobbying, stakeholder engagement, policy analysis, crisis communication. 
  • Specialized sectors: life sciences (FDA, EMA), financial services (MiFID II, Basel III), energy & environment (ESG, climate disclosure laws).

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We are also familiar with the required certifications & credentials 

  • Legal: JD/LLB/LLM, bar admission in relevant jurisdiction. 
  • Regulatory/Compliance: Certified Compliance & Ethics Professional (CCEP), CAMS (anti-money laundering), CIPP/E or CIPM (privacy). 
  • Public Affairs: IABC, CIPR, or PRSA accreditations for communications; public policy certifications.


 

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We also assess the candidate’s Legal & Regulatory Environment Awareness 

  • Understanding jurisdictional differences—what’s acceptable in one country may be illegal in another. 
  • Awareness of emerging regulations: AI governance, ESG reporting mandates, cybersecurity law… 
  • Ability to discuss risk implications for the business when hiring for these roles. 

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We have the relevant sourcing & networking proficiency  

  • Engaging with professional associations 
  • Tapping into sector-specific events: regulatory summits, industry legal conferences, government relations forums. 
  • Building confidential pipelines—many candidates here are not actively job-hunting due to sensitive positions. 
  • Emphasizing integrity and governance standards 
  • Highlighting the strategic influence the role will have instead of listing tasks 
  • Outlining ressources and independence – will legal/compliance/public affairs have the backing to do their jobs? 

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We are also putting an emphasis on cultural & ethical sensitivity 

  • These candidates hold companies accountable— our process must reflect rigor, fairness, and confidentiality. 
  • We are also able to answer ethical questions—many won’t join if leadership’s track record is questionable. 
  • It is important to also check the respect of conflict-of-interest boundaries in outreach and networking.
 

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We are able to set up tailor-made assessment centres covering: 

  • Evaluating technical expertise: Can they interpret complex statutes, draft watertight contracts, navigate regulatory audits? 
  • Spotting soft skills crucial for these roles: diplomacy, negotiation, advocacy, ethical judgment. 
  • Differentiating advisory vs. enforcement mindsets—some roles require a business partner approach, others a strict gatekeeper role. 
 

Some testimonials from client

"Profile Group understood our recruitment needs within a minimum amount of time and they proposed the right kind of profiles matching both our hard and soft skill requirements while making our life easier with her 100% professional approach.  "

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Sofie Goffin | Talent Acquisition Manager - Lineas 

"HR is probably THE most complicated thing for small teams - the wrong hires will mar the whole work atmosphere. The Profile Group really helped us to make our team grow with the right people with the kind of mindset we were looking for. We really owe them part of our current success. "

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Delphine | Kicker in Chief (or Managing Director) - KickCancer 

"Véronique from the Profile Group succeeded in presenting us different personalities and new skills we haven’t been used to meeting with in the past. These new employees have truly proven being an added value for our organization. This implied a thorough understanding of our complex organization and a perfect match between people in a short period of time."

ISABELLE BURTON CEN CENELEC
Isabelle Burton | Project Manager - Talents & Performance - CEN-CENELEC   

"I enjoy very much working with Emma on recruitment processes. She is a great listener when it comes to identifying what soft and hard skills are essential to the role. She has a great experience at formulating those in unambiguous terms which in turns helps target the right candidates more effectively. To put it simply: Emma is a partner of choice in our HR strategy. "

Julie Maréchal-Jamil
Julie Maréchal-Jamil | Director Biosimilar Policy & Science 
Head of Human Resources - MEDICINES EUROPE 
 

Our experts

Our recruitment experts specialized in legal, regulatory & public affairs roles  

Our consultants in Legal, Regulatory & Public Affairs have a long experience in this field as it was the historic sector for Profile Group.  

Emma Waites

Emma Waites

FR | EN Director & Executive Search Partner
Delphine Castelain

Delphine Castelain

FR Senior Recruitment Expert
Véronique Bervaes

Véronique Bervaes

FR | NL | EN Executive Search Partner & Senior Recruitment Partner
companies (19)
 

Ready for the hiring challenge?

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