Head of Legal and Compliance

Head of Legal & Compliance is the senior official in charge of all global legal matters at Astroscale Holdings (ASHD), the central executive office for the Astroscale Group.  Among other responsibilities, the selected candidate will lead all aspects of legal strategy, regulatory compliance including export control, and risk management across the five Astroscale entities, with operations in Japan, UK, US, France and Israel. 

This role requires a leadership mindset capable of developing pragmatic legal and compliance frameworks that support the company’s business objectives while navigating complex regulatory environments, evolving industry standards, and limited precedent in the rapidly developing space sector. Candidates should be prepared to operate in a high‑pressure, multinational setting where legal and compliance considerations are critical to the success and credibility of a mission‑driven, technology‑intensive organization. 

Additionally, the selected candidate will play a central role in shaping Astroscale Group global governance, with the opportunity to work closely with senior management, regional legal teams, and cross‑functional stakeholders to ensure consistent, forward‑looking legal and compliance practices throughout the organization.   

Responsibilities 

Provide guidance to ASHD senior executives on legal issues related to personnel, policies, transactions, contracts, liability, insurance, taxes, etc. 

Collaborate with the senior executive team in ASHD to develop plans and strategies that contribute to the growth of the Astroscale Group. 

Review legal documents, including NDAs, supplier contracts, customer contracts and employment documents from an ASHD perspective. 

Create and maintain a global risk register, including a summary of exposure to risks, strategies and solutions for minimizing risk, and implementation of mitigation plans. 

Coordinate discussions with senior leadership in Astroscale entities in Japan, UK, US, France and Israel to manage cross-entity concerns related to export control, intellectual property and other multi-lateral matters. 

Work with the COO, CFO, entity legal personnel and external professional firms on issues of export control and to improve governance at global and entity levels. 

Work with the CTO and external professional firms on issues related to intellectual property, including current IP and patent protection and strategies for managing future technologies. 

Develop a team under the Head of Legal at ASHD to grow with the company and work with Astroscale entities to advise on initiating related offices globally. 

Essential Skills 

At least 10 years’ experience in a senior leadership position managing legal matters for a commercial entity  

Extensive legal experience in Corporate, Regulatory, and Contract Law 

Understanding of the regulatory & compliance aspects of a publicly listed company in Japan 

Experience in global export compliance 

Experience managing the day-to-day operations of a team as well as providing influence and coordination to stakeholders across a global group 

Professional credentials as a listed attorney in Japan and/or the US  

Strong communication & analytical skills in Japanese and English with native fluency in at least one language 

Minimum Japanese level: JLPT 1 

Minimum English level: TOEIC 900 

Desirable Skills 

Experience working in a public company, preferably one that is listed in Japan 

Background in space or other deep tech industry  

Experience with government contracting in Japan, US and/or EU 

Position Details 

Entity: Astroscale Holdings Inc.  

Location: Sumida-ku, Tokyo  

Reports to: CEO 

Direct Reports: 1 (Director, Legal Advisor) 

About Astroscale
 

Astroscale is the first private company with a vision to support the secure and sustainable development of space for the benefit of future generations, and the only company solely dedicated to on-orbit servicing across all orbits. 

Founded in 2013, Astroscale is developing innovative and scalable solutions across the spectrum of on-orbit servicing missions, including life extension, in-situ space situational awareness, end-of-life services, and active debris removal, to create sustainable space systems and mitigate the growing and hazardous buildup of debris in space. Astroscale is also defining business cases and working with government and commercial stakeholders to develop norms, regulations, and incentives for the responsible use of space. 

Headquartered in Japan, Astroscale has an international presence with subsidiaries in Japan, the United Kingdom, the United States, France, and Israel. Astroscale is a rapidly expanding venture company, working to advance safe and sustainable growth in space and solve a growing environmental concern. Astroscale was listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange in June 2024. 

Find out more about Astroscale at www.astroscale.com.