Senior Legal Counsel at Unilever

MAIN JOB PURPOSE:

1. To provide legal advice to the business and anticipate, identify and manage legal risks that affect the business in Kenya and other East African Markets. The role holder will also liaise with the Business Integrity (BI) team on the delivery and implementation of Code Of Business Principles (COBP) specific structured awareness and training and deliver the Business integrity Agenda as required.

Key Interactions

1. Internal: Legal & BI team, Head of Departments, Managers & On case basis involved staff (s)
2. External: Local and Regional lawyers, external consultants, Suppliers, third party contractors, regulatory bodies.

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Partners with line management to identify the options for achieving business objectives within appropriate legal constraints and will advise on the optimal solution, considering cost, risk and commercial consequences, laws and regulations relevant to business operations.
2. Provide update on all changes to laws and regulations within the territory of operations.
3. Effective management of legal risk e.g. through clear commercial advice to business functions, contract negotiation and documentation, management of litigation, brand-building, labor law brand protection locally, competition/antitrust, training of staff and driving ethical and compliant behaviour to drive sustainable growth. 
4. To manage litigation and dispute resolution by or against the business including management of external counsel and other service providers.
5. To attend and support the various business leadership team meetings as well as other legal leadership meetings and support the General Counsel in providing secretarial services to the board(s) of directors of the various Unilever entities and their subsidiaries.
6. To oversee and manage activities or transactions affecting property belonging to the business including ensuring compliance with the terms under which title to the property is held.
7. To support in the drafting, reviewing, negotiation and finalization of legal documents pertaining to the Unilever business.
8. Establishment and implementation of COBP specific structured awareness and training as directed by the BI leadership
9. Interface with external regulators
10. To advice and respond to queries on arising legal issues affecting the business.

KEY SKILLS

1. Bachelor of Laws (LL. B) Degree),
2. Call to Bar (Dip KSL) have a current practicing certificate
3. Certified Public Secretary (CPS)

RELEVANT EXPERIENCE

1. 8-10 years post-qualification experience in Corporate/commercial Law practice or related job experience.
2. Good working knowledge of the Microsoft Office suite
3. Strong commercial law background with focus on Commercial contracts, product liability, Intellectual Property, Employment law, anti-trust, litigation, Company Secretarial practice, Data and Privacy law.
4. Proactive, open, and outward looking attitude
5. Good analytical skill and ability to work with line managers and others as a team.

JOB ENVIRONMENT/CHALLENGES

1. Required to work in complex and volatile Business environments across the cluster
2. Required to exercise extreme high integrity and confidentiality levels of all matters of the Company
3. Maturity in handling and dealing with diverse groups of stakeholders with diverse views and focus on delivery of workable solutions to each challenge faced.
4. Required to adopt working under pressure due to nature of operations (FMCG), matters & stakeholders handled at this level.
5. Travel requirement may arise from time to time