Legal Counsel

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GRADE: G35

JOB TITLE: Legal Counsel, BeNeLux

FUNCTION: Legal Affairs

SUB FUNCTION:  Legal Affairs – Legal Counselling

CITY & COUNTRY: Belgium, Brussels

What are the key objectives and expectations from this role?  

The role of Legal Counsel, BeNeLux is expected to support the Head of Legal with the provision of strategic leadership and robust advice on all legal matters in BeNeLux.

The primary responsibility of the role is for BeLux, but the role is expected to support other markets in the Cluster as necessary.

Legal Counsel, BeNeLux is expected to proactively provide the business with quality commercial and legal advice, guidance, leadership and support; consistently manage and ensure that commercial issues are addressed and legal risks are minimised; ensuring legislative and internal standards and principles compliance; provide legislative guidance and support to the company’s regulatory efforts; identify opportunities for improved ways or working and actively participate in problem-solving and decision-making in all areas of the business, enabling the End Market/ Cluster (BeNeLux) to achieve its strategic and company plan objectives.

What is the direct impact of this role on the team or organization?

The role will require strategic counselling on a variety of legal matters in a market where we are at the forefront when it comes to delivering the BAT strategy of building A Better Tomorrow by reducing the health impact of our business. The legal team’s work ranges all the way from commercial contracts, marketing and activation strategies and execution across multiple touchpoints (including e-commerce, digital marketing, and retail) to strategic litigation, regulatory counselling, product development and manufacturing compliance.

• Support the Head of Legal with the strategic leadership of legal matters in BeNeLux.
• Provide legal advice across the End Market/Cluster (BeNeLux) to ensure compliance with all applicable regulation and BAT policies and procedures, ensuring that decisions are taken in accordance with the Group's policies and guidelines, and that all appropriate Legal and reputational considerations and options are factored in.
• Support the effective deployment of Global, Regional and Area Legal strategies in the End Market/Cluster (BeNeLux) including effective management of law firms and other 3rd party suppliers.
• Contribute to the realisation of the company’s vision and strategies.
• Proactively identify opportunities to improve efficiencies and ways of working,and propose innovative solutions to address the same.
• Support the effective management of all compliance risks (competition law, anti-bribery, GDPR etc.) and embed the Group’s compliance strategy including policies and procedures, processes, risk assessment, monitoring, training, and communication in the End Market/Cluster (BeNeLux).
• Protect the commercial interests and corporate reputation of the business to ensure sustainability.
• Support the effective management of commercial and strategic litigation in collaboration with the central litigation team and eliminate or minimise potentially significant financial and reputational consequences.  
• Provide strategic counselling to the business regarding marketing activities and general corporate and commercial matters such as commercial agreements, trading and distribution agreements, services agreements etc.
• Provide strategic counselling to the business on general product compliance and other regulatory matters.
• Build multi-functional relationships, creating an environment where information and resources are shared in pursuit of our business objectives.
• Contributes to the oversight and development of more junior members of the team (where applicable).

ESSENTIAL

Experience Required

• Qualified lawyer with over 5+ years’ experience in commercial and corporate practice (either in-house or in private practice), with a proven track record of advising on legal and regulatory matters.
• Strong stakeholder management skills, and ability to plan, anticipate and manage priorities to optimise output and enhance the effectiveness of commercial solutions.
• Ability to influence and foster buy-in from people at senior management levels and across peers and juniors.
• Highly articulate confident individual with excellent written communication, presentational and drafting skills.
• Capable of communicating fluently in written and spoken English.
• Hands-on, adaptable and pro-active attitude, sound commercial judgement and ability to work under pressure and to cope with unexpected and varied demands.
• Experience working with legal regulatory frameworks is strongly preferred e.g., within Tobacco, Food, Pharma or FMCG.

Technical / Functional / Leadership Skills Required

• Thinks strategically and acts commercially.
• Helps by shaping and executing strategy.
• Learns quickly and is agile.
• Collaborative and influences.
• Focuses on creative innovations in the provision of legal services.

Education / Qualifications / Certifications Required

• Qualified lawyer – either licenced to practise law in Belgium or having experience of practice in an equivalent jurisdiction.
• Experience in counselling clients or businesses on a wide range of general commercial issues, preferably in a regulated industry.

BENEFICIAL

• Experience working with legal regulatory frameworks is strongly preferred e.g., within Tobacco, Food, Pharma or FMCG.
• Experience working in a multinational company/ international environment.

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