TITLE OF POSITION
Regional Legal Counsel France & BENELUX
RESUMEN DEL PUESTO
Regional Legal Counsel (France & BENELUX) | 8-10 yrs. French Qualified | English and French | Consumer Goods Sector
REFERENCE
HH/022/24
LOCATION
Madrid, Spain or Lyon, France
TYPE OF POSITION
Full time. Hybrid: 3 days presential /2 days remote.
JOB DESCRIPTION
Client
Grupo Sigma (Campofrío, Aoste, Navidul, Oscar Mayer)
Our client is an international group which operates in the consumer goods sector. It is a leader operator in food products manufacturing and distribution with brands such as Campofrío, Aoste, Navidul and Oscar Mayer, inter alia. It belongs to an international corporate group which is dynamic, creative and sophisticated. It is driven by its professional and business ethics and values.
It is currently seeking to recruit a Regional Legal Counsel to be responsible for the group’s business in France, Belgium, The Netherlands and Luxembourg, to be based either in Madrid, Spain or in Lyon, France.
Position
The candidate will be a corporate counsel. His/her task will be to provide legal advice to the group business at an international level in certain countries (France and BENELUX), in a wide range of legal areas (excluding labour).
The candidate will be part of the group´s global legal department which is based in Madrid. The counsel will be responsible for the mentioned region and will also collaborate with the other corporate counsels of the group in relation to transnational projects. He/she will report directly to the group’s global General Counsel in Madrid and will travel from time to time to the relevant countries.
The work scope of the candidate will be to provide legal advice to the group in France and BENELUX, in particular:
* Advising in all legal aspects of the manufacturing and supply contracts of the company’s products with its clients. The counsel will provide advice and manage the legal risks of commercial contracts related to any sale and distribution of the products, such as complex international distribution agreements, agency agreements, purchase centres agreements, and other of the sort. In addition, the counsel will advise regarding the manufacturing, quality requirements, procurement (plant machinery purchase and lease, livestock, ingredients), transport and logistics and the handing-over of the products to the clients in the relevant geographical region.
* Being involved in all aspects related to the publicity and marketing of the company’s products, such as publicity campaigns, sponsorships, cobranding, labelling and packaging.
* Drafting and negotiating IT related contracts and R&D agreements.
* Working on IP law applicable to the group in the assigned countries, with a particular focus on brand protection.
* Providing regulatory advice concerning the food industry in various countries and assessing the business activities under competition law.
* Participating in international legal projects.
* Advising in relation to Real Estate and Environmental issues affecting the business units under the counsel’s responsibility. In addition, the counsel may support the group in relation to the implementation of the EU environmental legislation in the context of the current and future regulatory package.
* Being responsible for the litigation relating to his/her business units, managing and coordinating external counsels.
* Maintaining permanent contact with the business managers of the relevant countries, with business and legal managers of company clients and representatives of national and international sector associations.
* Contributing to a significant extent to design the strategy in his/her countries of responsibility, managing large projects and minimising risks.
* Coordinating local external counsels.
The counsel will be a true business partner, being in regular contact with the various business areas and staff members, including top international managers and less senior managers. Hence, he/she will anticipate to its needs, contributing to achieving the company´s commercial goals in the mentioned countries.
Profile
The candidate shall be a qualified lawyer in France, holding an approximate experience of 8-10 years, preferably acquired at a top national or international law firm. In addition, certain experience as an in-house counsel at an international company is desirable. Experience or familiarity with Environmental law connected with the current and future EU ESG regulatory package will be valued.
The candidate shall be a versatile lawyer, with a track record on technical legal advice and business acumen. The counsel will be pragmatic, keeping a global view of the business whilst paying attention to detail. He/she will be proactive, rigorous and will have excellent communication skills with top management and other business professionals in various countries.
The counsel will work with great degree of autonomy whilst being integrated in the company’s corporate legal team with a view to working together in certain national and transnational projects.
The group needs a professional who can work efficiently under pressure and in an environment where priorities change to address the market and the business needs. He/she will be a true business partner/trusted advisor contributing to achieve the business goals.
The candidate must be native or bilingual in French and shall have an excellent command of English at a professional level, since it will be used on a daily basis. He/she will be used to working in international environments with managers and business of different nationalities. An LLM or similar degree in business law will be highly valued.
Offer
Our client offers you an excellent opportunity to join a Spanish multinational corporate group which is a leader in the consumer sector. You will deal with complex legal matters and of key importance for the company.
You will have regular contact with top and less senior business managers at an international and national level. You will participate in all projects from the beginning to the end and shall acquire a 360º of the matters.
You will help designing the legal strategy to the benefit of the business goals and will work together with the group global General Counsel and with a highly qualified legal team.
You will work in an environment driven by excellence and quality, which is highly respectful with people, flexible and dynamic in an international context.
You will receive an interesting package, will benefit of a wide training programme and will have a career development plan.