Legal Counsel, United Kingdom and Ireland

Uxbridge, Middlesex
General Mills

Great things are happening in the Europe and Australia (EUAU) region. Each day, our 2,500 plus colleagues bring their passion to our offices, manufacturing sites, R&D center, and commercial/distributor markets across Europe, Australia, and New Zealand. We are energized by over 150 years of bringing people together with the food they love. With beloved brands Old El Paso, Häagen-Dazs, Nature Valley, Betty Crocker, Fibre One, Latina Fresh and more, we are on a mission to become the undisputed growth leader in food for EUAU. In a world that’s ever-changing, we look to stay ahead and seek people who share our love of food and are hungry to shape the future.

About the Job

At General Mills, the home of Häagen-Dazs, Old El Paso, Nature Valley, and many more household names, we have an exciting opportunity for you to shape the future of our business as Legal Counsel for the UK and Ireland. You will partner with our business leaders, management, sales, marketing, finance, and supply chain teams to provide legal counsel, guidance, and support on all aspects of legal risk and compliance.

Key Accountabilities:

Business Leadership

A leader of all legal and related issues in the markets; giving clear, focused and nuanced advice to relevant market, regional and global teams as required. You should be:

• an instigator and supporter of all ways to improve ways of working and legal effectiveness;
• a valued and respected member of the market leadership team;
• a counsel on all market business matters, both legal and non-legal;
• an advocate and lead for all Ethics & Compliance matters;
• a leader/member of relevant business project teams as required.

Contracts

Negotiator and manager of contracts (customer, supplier, distributor and franchisee relationships) across EUAU ensuring alignment with global policies with focus on:

• enforcement of key provisions and protections;
• management of all exits and terminations with minimum cost and reputational exposure;
• guidance/support to relevant teams on negotiation strategies and tactics.

Marketing

Provider of support and guidance for in-market above and below the line marketing campaigns for marketing teams including:

• ensuring compliance with General Mills global marketing policies and procedures;
• advocating brand values and driving for regional acceptance and compliance;
• management of data protection and privacy requirements.

Product Issues

Key support, guide and advisor for the Product Regulatory and External Relations teams in the region, including:

• management of product quality and safety risks vis a vie consumers and local regulatory bodies;
• guidance and advice to local and regional teams on risks and exposure;
• management of all negotiations required with consumers, retailers, and regulators with an appreciation of market norms and reputational risks;
• support for food law adherence, including regulatory compliance, labeling, and marketing.

Ethics & Compliance

The leadership of all ethics and compliance issues, including:

• champion and owner of all Ethics & Compliance policies and their application at market level;
• monitoring of market-level compliance with appropriate reviews and audits;
• support for all E&C investigations in conjunction with global E&C team;
• training of all employees in E&C business conduct requirements as determined at market, region and global level.

Employment

Legal leadership of all employment issues in markets, including:

• close communication and support of HR team and strategies being delivered;
• guidance and leadership on all restructuring, redundancy, poor performance, and other issues up to and including exit strategies, defense protection, and appropriately negotiated settlements.

Intellectual Property

Protection of intellectual property rights in conjunction with General Mills corporate IP team.

Tax & Treasury

Support, advice on, and execution of all tax, treasury, and corporate restructuring.

What you will bring to the team

Minimum Qualifications

• UK/European qualified Lawyer.
• Professional experience as an in-house Legal Counsel or at a leading Law Firm.
• Experience in Commercial Law for FMCG, US multinationals, or related companies/industries with a good understanding of business and the broader FMCG marketplace.
• Ability to identify, appreciate, and prioritize risk and reward in line with corporate strategies and values while communicating the impact of these from the local cultural norms.
• An independent self-starter who can engage, persuade, and lead internal clients in delivering legal solutions.
• Excellent stakeholder management and strategic influencing skills.
• Ability to navigate ambiguity and align teams at the market, region, and global level around one common goal.
• Natural collaborator and connector- able to work across multiple jurisdictions in virtual teams.
• Strong ethics and understanding of global corporate ethics policy application in a multi-cultural environment.

What you get from us

• 25 days of holidays plus statutory and bank holidays
• Competitive Package and Salary
• Flexible working with 2 days in the office
• Subsidised canteen
• Headspace account and wellbeing activities
• Enhanced Parental and Carer Policies
• Equal Employment Opportunities

At General Mills, we are committed to recruiting, retaining, developing, and advancing an inclusive workforce that reflects the diversity of the consumers and communities we serve globally. Join us the General Mills team today – Hungry to Shape the Future.

COMPANY OVERVIEW

We exist to make food the world loves. But we do more than that. Our company is a place that prioritizes being a force for good, a place to expand learning, explore new perspectives and reimagine new possibilities, every day. We look for people who want to bring their best – bold thinkers with big hearts who challenge one other and grow together. Because becoming the undisputed leader in food means surrounding ourselves with people who are hungry for what’s next.