Associate General Counsel B&W

Please Note: The deadline for applying is 23.59 the day before the job posting end date.

Job Title: Associate General Counsel B&W

Location: 100VE

Reports to: Group General Counsel, Beauty & Wellbeing

Scope:  Beauty & Wellness across United Kingdom / Ireland Business Group led market geography

With 3.4 billion people in over 190 countries using our products every day, Unilever is a business that makes a real impact on the world. Work on brands that are loved and improve the lives of our consumers and the communities around us. We are driven by our purpose: to make sustainable living commonplace, and it is our belief that doing business the right way drives superior performance. At the heart of what we do is our people – we believe that when our people work with purpose, we will create a better business and a better world. 

At Unilever, your career will be a unique journey, grounded in our inclusive, collaborative, and flexible working environment. We don’t believe in the ‘one size fits all’ approach and instead we will equip you with the tools you need to shape your own future.

BEAUTY & WELLBEING

Within Unilever, the Beauty & Wellbeing (B&W) business group is home to our Hair and Skin Care brands, including Dove, TRESemmé, Sunsilk, Vaseline and Simple. It also comprises our Prestige business, with brands like Kate Somerville, Dermalogica, and Paula’s Choice, as well as our Wellbeing business with brands like Liquid IV, OLLY, and Nutrafol. Through iconic products, cutting-edge science, and purposeful growth, we are creating a new era of beauty and wellbeing which is joyful, inclusive, equitable, and sustainable.

JOB PURPOSE

Find your purpose at Unilever. You will lead marketing innovations and activations, big and small, that will make our business win and grow. You will learn from brilliant business leaders and colleagues in a truly global and diverse culture to ultimately become a better you. If you are a lawyer who is passionate about delivering legal business partnering in a dynamic environment focused on beauty innovation embracing digital and social channels and AI, clear growth priorities and creative solutions then this role is just for you.

WHAT WILL YOUR MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES BE

• Marketing legal business partner to the United Kingdom/Ireland B&W business - which forms part of the EU business unit (BU) - including managing marketing contracts and claims work
• Provide strategic legal advice and support on critical business issues and marketing projects of the United Kingdom/Ireland B&W business in accordance with the agreed strategy.
• Provide legal advice and commercial risk analysis to the United Kingdom/Ireland marketing and R&D teams on legality and support for product claims and marketing materials in line with all relevant local legal and regulatory laws and guidelines.
• Advise on all marketing legal topics with an emphasis on social, influencer and digital marketing matters, including Gen AI, go to market activations, media and data privacy and IP (emphasis on trade marks and copyright) (IP and privacy in collaboration with other legal colleagues).
• Provide legal advice and trainings on competition law and other issues.
• Coordinate and defend, in accordance with the business strategy, out-going and in-coming competitive challenges in respect of product claims, marketing campaigns etc.
• Coordinate and defend, in accordance with the business strategy in -coming and out-going litigation in respect of the B&W UK&I Business.
• Provide strategic business advice on initiatives and material agreements with customers and suppliers to ensure full compliance within the organization.
• Work closely with Associate GC for EU and the UK&I GC to help land the EU B&W BU strategy and managing the cross-geography risk for B&W
• Supporting on all global and EU BU innovation projects in respect of input on United Kingdom/Ireland deployment, liaising with B&W global marketing legal on risk analysis, mitigation, remedial steps and learnings
• Effectively identify, manage and track relevant risks and ensure appropriate mitigations are in place

WHAT YOU WILL NEED TO SUCCEED

• Team player and beauty products lover with a positive attitude and growth mindset, particularly in digital/social/AI activation spaces.  

• Ability to maintain a passion for high performance, with a future fit mindset to identify the need for change and not be daunted by leading strategic initiatives into unknown territory
• Strong relationship building and collaboration and leadership skills with business partners such as brand (marketing), R&D, Finance, and Regulatory Affairs, as well as colleagues in the wider Unilever legal team 
• Strong organisational and prioritisation skills required in a role that has a significant range of marketing activation/contractual arrangements and innovative marketing models requiring broad-based business acumen.
• Must be able to quickly and agilely prioritise competing demands.
• Must be able to quickly assimilate information, scoping out legal risks and provide pragmatic, commercial advice to the business, with a solution orientated approach.
• Must be able to lead senior decision makers, including coordinating input from a number of business partners, such as R&D and Regulatory Affairs.
• Excellent communication skills both written and oral: ability to communicate effectively with business partners from diverse experiences and backgrounds
• Must consistently bring their best self to a role of strategic importance.

Experiences & Qualifications

• Fully qualified UK lawyer with 10+ PQE of marketing, regulatory compliance and commercial contract drafting and negotiation legal experience
• Experience sitting on business leadership teams and/or providing advice and partnership to senior business leaders.
• Experience working cross-functionally with multiple stakeholders.
• Broad-based legal experience supporting a beauty or similar consumer business, including drafting and negotiating a variety of commercial agreements and advising on marketing claims.

Skills

• Legal expertise – broad based marketing and commercial legal skills
• Business partnering – providing legal advice and collaboration across various functions
• Problem solving - ability to analyse  & propose legally and commercially viable solutions
• Business acumen – strategic understanding, application and execution
• Stakeholder management - influence key stakeholders and act as an agent for change.
• Collaboration – working successfully with both business and x-functional teams
• Decision making - exhibits solid judgment and integrity
• Risk management – demonstrating rigour and focus on risk-based advice
• Project management - excellent organization, execution, and project management skills. 
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills. 

Critical Unilever Behaviors

• Focus on What Counts
• Care Deeply
• Stay Three Steps Ahead
• Deliver With Excellence

Location

In June 2020 we announced our plan to consolidate a number of Unilever’s offices across the South East of England into a new Unilever campus in Kingston-upon-Thames in or around early 2025. However, on the 08 August 2024 we announced to our existing staff our proposal to retain our central Head Office in London, 100 Victoria Embankment (“100VE”) until our lease expires in 2027. As a result of this new proposal, we will be consulting with our existing staff, and new joiners who join during this period of consultation at 100VE, on the proposal made in August 2024. During consultation we will clarify the future location of each team and function. This means your role will either be based in 100VE until 2027 or in Kingston-Upon-Thames from early 2025. As we are yet to commence consultation on the proposal you agree, until such a time when consultation has concluded, your normal place of work as set out in the enclosed Statement of Terms & Conditions will be 100VE. You agree that on the conclusion of the consultation your place of work will be 100VE or 100VE until early 2025 and then Kingston-upon-Thames ("the locations") and you will be notified of which of the locations will be your place of work after that consultation ends.

What We Offer

Not only do we offer a competitive salary and pension scheme, we also offer an annual bonus, subsidised gym membership, a discounted staff shop and shares. You’ll have the opportunity to work directly with our renowned and exciting brands in a flexible and hybrid working environment.

Whilst the role is advertised on a full-time basis, we would be happy to discuss possible flexible working options and what this may look like for you. We are a key advocate of wellbeing and offer a variety of support for our people including hubs, programmes and development opportunities. We strive to achieve a family-friendly and inclusive workplace and to, above all, create possibilities for all. 

Diversity at Unilever is about inclusion, embracing differences, creating possibilities and growing together for better business performance. We embrace diversity in our workforce. This means giving full and fair consideration to all applicants and continuing development of all employees regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, marriage and civil partnership, and pregnancy and maternity. We are also more than happy to provide reasonable adjustments during our application and interview process to enable you to be present your best self. To find out more, including about our Employee Resource Groups, please click here Equity, Diversity & Inclusion at Unilever | Unilever.

Recruitment Fraud

Cyber criminals advertise fake job adverts with prestigious employers as a way of stealing information or even defrauding individuals out of money. In the most sophisticated cases, they will set up fake websites, which have a similar address to companies like Unilever. They even conduct fake telephone interviews and then offer candidates a role with the proviso they pay a fee for background checks or to cover work visa costs.  These types of attacks are becoming more common as more people are looking for employment in the economic climate. 

How is Unilever tackling this?

Many of Unilever’s recruitment sites publish a warning to candidates about recruitment fraud. The Cyber Security team also proactively scan for signs of people setting up fake Unilever sites and act to close them down. 

What can I do?

If you become aware of potential recruitment fraud, spot fake Unilever recruitment adverts or fake LinkedIn profiles, report them via Una Live Chat. 

Unilever does not accept responsibility or liability for any candidates who are financially impacted by recruitment fraud. Your vigilance is key!